Chapter Nine
Lila
I’ve been out of a job for five days now. And I hate to admit it…but it’s been nice. I’ve seen more of my kids in this one week than I usually do in a month. I scrubbed the apartment from top to bottom, reorganized all of Micah’s medical equipment, which was a full-time job in itself, and even managed to curl up with them for a few movie nights.
It’s been five amazing, ordinary days.
But I know it can’t last. If I stretch every dollar, maybe we’ll make it a month before the bills catch up. After that… I don’t even want to think about it.
I whisper a quick prayer of thanks that Micah’s equipment, his meds, his Ensure, all of it, is still covered by insurance. If it wasn’t, we’d already be drowning.
I drag a hand over my face and square my shoulders. As much as I crave this little bubble of peace, I don’t have the luxury of pretending it can last.
I need to find a new job. Today.
My phone dings.
For a second, I smile, expecting Cody. He always calls, never texts. But the number flashing across my screen is unfamiliar.
Then I see the message.
YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!
The words hit like a punch to the gut. My pulse spikes, ears ringing, but before I can even process the threat, I notice the attachment below it. A tagged video that was posted online three hours ago. It already has thousands of views.
My thumb hovers. My heart stumbles. Bree’s at school. Micah’s in the middle of his tutoring session with his teacher. I’m alone.
So, I press play.
The screen fills with the grainy image of Gumphrey’s office. Me, standing there, exhaustion written across my face, his voice slithering out of the speakers.
“Want to apologize to me on your knees? Persuade me to let you keep your job? I might even be generous and give you the VIP tables for a week or two.”
My stomach lurches. I fumble to pause the video, but not before I see the resignation on my pixelated face.
The tears hit before I can stop them. Hot and sudden, blurring my vision. I turn fast and slip down the hall to my room, shutting the door before the nurse or teacher can see. My chest feels too tight, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I fumble with my phone.
I shove the message out of sight on the screen and stab at Cody’s name. The only person in this whole world I have to call.
He answers on the first ring, his voice light and teasing.
“Hey, my love. I was just about to come over and help you job hunt. Heard that bakery on Seventh is hiring.”
“I thought they said nothing would come back on me?”
The words fall out of me in a whisper, broken around the lump in my throat.
There’s a beat of silence. Then Cody’s whole tone drops, sharp and serious.
“What happened? Lila, talk to me.”
“Gumphrey just texted me,”
I choke out, swiping furiously at my wet cheeks.
“He threatened me.”
“What?”
The word cracks out of him like gunfire.
“No. Bones said their tech guy set Gumphrey up for tax fraud or some shit. Your name never came up. He promised me you were in the clear.”
I squeeze the phone tighter, my knuckles burn white against the case.
“Then why the hell do I have a video on my phone, Cody? Of me in that office. Of him saying those things to me.”
My voice breaks, jagged with panic.
“Someone posted it online.”
I swallow hard, bile rising in my throat.
“You can see it on my face…how I was… how I was about to agree. It looks like I wanted it. Like I…”
My chest caves, the shame almost choking me.
I press my back against the wall, sliding down until I’m half sitting on the floor. My hand is shaking so bad I can barely keep the phone to my ear.
“It’s going viral, Cody,”
I whisper.
“Everybody’s gonna see it. I’ll never get another job. And Bree’s school…”
My voice cracks, splintering.
“If her dad finds out, he’ll fight for custody. He’s got money. I don’t.”
“First off, you’re the victim in this,”
Cody snaps, his voice fierce, leaving no room for argument.
“You’re not the one at fault. And second, there’s no way in hell the Shadows had anything to do with this. I’d bet my soul on it. Someone probably pulled the footage from the security feed and is using it to squeeze Gumphrey.”
“He thinks it was me,”
I whisper, my throat tight.
“He said as much in his message.”
“Forward it to me. And the video.”
My fingers hesitate, trembling over the screen, but I do as he says.
A few seconds later, I hear the moment he presses play. My stomach lurches, bile clawing at my throat. Even through the phone, hearing Gumphrey’s voice makes my skin crawl.
“That motherfucking, cock-sucking, small-dicked, blackmailing prick.”
Despite myself, a choked laugh slips out.
“Colorful.”
“Don’t you downplay this, Lila.”
His voice is rough with fury.
“Seeing it with my own eyes is worse than hearing it. And you don’t look like you wanted it. You look fucking terrified. Exhausted. Anyone with half a brain can see that.”
Tears sting my eyes again, but this time it’s relief that he said it.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,”
Cody says.
“I know the nurse is with Micah until five, so tell her you’ll be out for a bit.”
“Where am I going?”
I ask, already heading for the bathroom to wash my face, even though no amount of scrubbing will erase the shame.
“To get answers,”
he growls. Then, softer.
“Love you.”
“Love you, back,”
I whisper, ending the call. We never say goodbye. It’s too final.
***
“I should be back long before Bree gets home,”
I tell the nurse, forcing steadiness into my voice.
“Even if you’re not, don’t worry about it,”
she says gently, her smile soft.
“I love watching the way those two are together. You don’t let his disability keep him from living his best life. I wish more families were like yours.”
The words hit me right in the chest. I never feel like I’m doing enough, never feel like I measure up. But hearing her say that? It almost undoes me.
I pull her into a quick hug before my eyes can betray me.
“Just…don’t let him talk you into a game of chess,”
I whisper against her ear.
“I don’t know how, but he always cheats.”
She laughs as she pulls back, shaking her head.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The sound of an engine rolling up the driveway pulls my gaze to the window. My heart stutters when I spot Cody’s truck pulling in, sunlight flashing against the windshield.
“Love you, Bubby!”
I call toward the living room before slipping out the door. I already told him that I was going to be gone for a few hours. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes that tells me he’s absolutely going to rope his nurse into a game of chess while I’m gone. I almost laugh through my tears. I love that kid so much it hurts.
“I’ll never understand why you bought a truck this big,”
I say as I haul myself into Cody’s lifted beast of a ride.
He gasps in mock offense.
“Excuse me? Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I can’t be manly. This thing gets plenty of attention. Very wanted attention, thank you.”
I huff out a laugh despite myself.
“Uh-huh. Sure, it does. So… where are we going? The bakery? Not sure I can handle being surrounded by that many cupcakes without eating them all.”
“Job hunting’s postponed till tomorrow,”
he says, eyes gleaming.
My stomach twists.
“Then where are we going?”
He throws me a sideways grin.
“To reintroduce you to an old buddy.”
“Cody…”
I groan.
“Jack, Bones, whatever he goes by now, he doesn’t even remember me.”
Cody just shakes his head, smug.
“That man doesn’t forget a single face. Trust me. And it’s not every day someone gets invited past the gates of the Shadows’ compound. Place has been locked down tight for years.”
I bite my lip, doubt crawling up my throat.
“And they’re just… going to let us in?”
“Have you seen me?”
Cody gestures at himself dramatically.
“I’m fucking gorgeous.”
I can’t help it…I laugh again.
“That you are, my love. But not everyone is gay.”
“Sure, they are,”
he smirks, revving the engine.
“They just don’t know it until they lay eyes on me.”
I shake my head, but as the truck rumbles toward the compound, the laughter fades. My hands knot in my lap, and unease coils low in my stomach.
“You said they had nothing to do with the video,”
I remind him, my voice sharper than I mean.
“So why do we even need to go over there?”
“Because,”
Cody says, steady and stubborn.
“I want you to see their faces when I tell them what happened. You won’t believe me until you do.”
“Cody…”
My throat tightens again.
“You don’t have to do this. I believe you. I do. And you’re right…someone leaking the footage to blackmail him makes sense. Even if it makes me look like…”
My voice cracks. I shake my head.
“Even at my own expense.”
“Regardless,”
he cuts in, eyes hard now, all traces of humor gone.
“They need to see it. They need to know. And you need to see how they react.”
The blood drains from my face. My chest starts to pound.
“Wait! Are you saying you’re going to show them? The video?”
“Yes, Lila.”
He doesn’t even hesitate.
“Because they’re the only ones who can stop this before it gets worse. And they will. For you. For Bree. For Micah.”
“They don’t know me.”
“It doesn’t matter. That’s just who they are.”
I grip the phone tighter, my nails biting into my palm. Dragging Cody and the Shadows into my mess feels wrong, but the thought of that video spreading further…of Bree’s father using it against me…makes my lungs close.
“Cody, I don’t need help,”
I whisper, though even I can hear the wobble in my voice.
“I just need a new job. Maybe a new identity.”
“No. What you need is family. Trust me on this one. Please.”
I stare at him, at the quiet certainty in his eyes. He’s not joking, not bluffing, not giving me an inch to run with. My pulse is still racing, but something in me stutters at the word family.
“I can’t drag them into this,”
I say, voice breaking.
“They’ve already done enough for me with scaring him. But this? This is different. This is dangerous. I’ll just go to the police.”
Cody grips the steering wheel, his expression softening, but his jaw tight.
“You think they don’t live in danger every single day? That they don’t know how to handle threats when they come knocking?”
“That’s not the point.”
“It is the point,”
he fires back.
“You’re over here thinking you’ve gotta do this alone. But you don’t. You never did. And if you’re too stubborn to let them help for your own sake, then think about your kids.”
My breath catches. He said it plain, like it’s obvious. Maybe it should be.
I look away, blinking hard as guilt twists in my gut. Micah. Bree. I can protect them from scraped knees and bad dreams…but this? This is way out of my depth.
“Lila.”
Cody’s voice softens again, but there’s steel beneath it.
“You trusted me enough to tell me. Now, trust me enough to take you to them. Let the brothers see the video. Let them decide how to handle it. Please.”
His hand settles over mine, steady and warm against my trembling fingers, and it anchors me in a way I didn’t know I needed. What scares me most is how much I want to stop fighting. Not just this new mess, but the bone-deep exhaustion I carry every single day, no matter how much I sleep.
If these men can take even a little of the burden, maybe it’s time I let them.
“Fine,”
I breathe out, the word tasting like surrender.
“But I still think I should go to the police.”
Cody snorts.
“Those guys are shmucks.”
I shoot him a look.
“Really? Shmucks? You still mad Officer What’s-his-face didn’t flirt back?”
His grin is instant.
“What can I say? The man’s a jerk. Didn’t even recognize sexy when it was standing right in front of him.”
A laugh slips out before I can stop it, the tension in my chest loosening just a fraction.
“He’s married,”
I remind him.
“To a woman.”
“Sure…”
Cody drawls, eyes dancing.
“A ‘woman’. If you ask me, that Adam’s apple tells a different story.”
I shake my head, but my smile lingers.
“You have an unhealthy attraction to straight men.”
“Don’t I know it.”
He squeezes my hand once before letting go, his voice dropping back into that steady, resolute tone.
“Anyway…we’re here.”
The truck rolls to a crawl in front of a massive iron gate. The black bars block most of the view to the inside. Concrete walls rise up on three sides, tall and unyielding, like they’re daring me to try and run. My pulse pounds so hard I can hear it in my ears. This isn’t just a clubhouse. It’s a fortress.
A shadow detaches from the wall, broad shoulders, heavy boots, a beard thick enough to hide secrets in. His arms relax at his side as he approaches the truck.
“Evenin’, brother,”
the man says, voice rough as gravel. His eyes flick to me, sharp and assessing.
“Who’s your friend?”
Cody leans out the window, relaxed like we’re not sitting in front of a steel barrier designed to keep the world out.
“Relax, Mike. This is Lila. Spike knows we’re coming.”
Mike studies me for a beat longer than I’d like, then gives a curt nod. He whistles, and the gate shudders to life, groaning as it slides open.
“Welcome to the neighborhood,”
Cody murmurs with a smirk, easing the truck forward.
We roll inside, and my breath catches. I expected chaos…rowdy men, smoke, the clang of bottles…but what spreads out before me looks…different. Houses line the concrete walls. Some with bright and colorful doors. To the left, a pool glimmers under the lights, a couple of men lounging on the edge, talking low.
And in the center of it all rises the biggest building. Massive. Solid. Brick and wood, crowned with a wraparound porch and guarded by a line of gleaming bikes like sentinels at attention.
My stomach twists so hard it’s a wonder I don’t double over. I grip the doorframe as Cody throws the truck into park. His hand finds mine again, steady and sure, and I hate how much I need it. How much I want to lean into the steadiness instead of fighting my way through everything alone.
“Ready?”
he asks, that damn grin tugging at the corner of his mouth like he already knows my answer.
“No,”
I whisper. My head tips forward, and before I can stop myself, I nod.
“Don’t be afraid,”
Cody says softly, his hand squeezing mine.
“Not a single person inside this compound would hurt you.”
“How do you know so much about this place?”
I ask, suspicion edging into my voice.
“About these people?”
He turns toward me, mouth tugging into that secretive grin.
“Do you remember a few years back when I said I was trying something new?”
“Yes,”
I say slowly.
“You refused to tell me anything, and then one day you just…stopped bringing it up.”
“Well,”
he says, dragging it out.
“I was in the process of becoming a Shadow.”
I blink at him.
“I’m sorry…what?”
“It’s true.”
His grin widens.
“The rule was we couldn’t talk about the Shadows outside the compound, or whichever chapter we were prospecting in. That’s why I kept my mouth shut.”
Shock makes me laugh.
“You? I’m stunned. But…you’re not a member, so what happened?”
“I spent several months as a Prospect,”
he explains.
“Basically, the bottom rung. You want to be a member, you earn your way up by doing the grunt work for at least a year. And, don’t get me wrong…”
his eyebrows waggle.
“we all know I love being the bottom.”
I groan and shake my head, but I can’t stop my smile.
“But after a while, I realized being a biker wasn’t for me. For one, I hated the cut. Sure, it made me look badass, but I didn’t want badass. I wanted sexy-as-sin.”
“And second?” I press.
“It just didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like me. And we both know how much I love being me.”
He shrugs, softer now.
“So, I walked away. But I picked up a lot in those months. These men,”
his tone shifts, serious now.
“they don’t always play by the law, but they’re loyal to the bone. And they hate assholes like your ex-boss.”
I stare at him, trying to picture Cody in one of those leather cuts, hauling beers and scrubbing floors just to prove himself. The image makes me want to laugh and shake my head all at once. But the look in his eyes when he talks about loyalty, about values…that sticks.
“You kept all that from me?”
I ask, though my voice comes out softer than I intend.
“I had to,”
he says simply.
“Rules. And I didn’t want to drag you into it if I didn’t stay.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, torn between irritation and…something else. Something heavier. Because for the first time since this nightmare started, I don’t feel like I’m walking in blind. He’s been here. He knows these men.
He trusts them.
And I trust him.
The weight pressing down on my shoulder’s shifts, just a little. Not gone, but lighter.
“Okay,”
I whisper, more to myself than him. “Okay.”
Cody grins, that cocky sparkle back in his eyes, and bumps his shoulder against mine.
“See? I’ve got layers, babe. Like an onion. Or a very sexy parfait.”
I roll my eyes, but the corner of my mouth betrays me with a twitch of a smile.
“Whatever happens in there, you’re not alone. I’ve got you.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, nodding even though my palms are slick and my knees feel weak.
He opens his door, hops out, then rounds the front of the truck. When I jump down, he’s right there to offer his hand. I take it, heart pounding like a drum inside my ribs.
“Such a gentleman,”
I tease as he steadies me onto the gravel.
“Only for you, my love.”
His grin flashes, wicked and shameless.
“With everyone else, I’d rather be on the receiving end.”
I groan, rolling my eyes.
“My heart.”
He presses a hand dramatically to his chest.
“One day, you’ll mean that.”
I shake my head, but his easy humor tugs the edge off my nerves. Just a little.
The largest house towers in front of me, bigger, louder, more alive than I ever imagined. Music pulses faintly through the walls, voices and laughter spilling out with it. Every instinct I have screams to run, but Cody’s hand is still wrapped around mine, grounding me.
“That building is the clubhouse,”
Cody explains, tilting his head toward the massive structure in the center. Then he gestures to the row of houses lining the walls.
“And those? Those are the homes of the President and the club officers.”
“They live here?”
I ask, surprised.
“Yeah. Spike’s all about safety.”
Cody’s tone softens as we climb the steps toward the clubhouse door.
“He met the love of his life about a year ago, and now there’s nothing more important to him than keeping her and their son safe.”
Something in his voice shifts. Respect, maybe even admiration. I glance back at the houses, some with normal white doors, and three with colored doors. It doesn’t match the picture I had in my head of what a motorcycle club would look like. It feels… almost like a neighborhood. A hidden world, tucked behind concrete and iron.
We stop at the heavy door. My palms are slick, my throat tight, but Cody just squeezes my hand and flashes me that cocky grin. Trust me, his eyes say.
“I’m just scared of them watching the video,”
I admit, my voice dropping to almost nothing.
“I don’t want them to think poorly of me.”
“I’ll stab them with the nearest sharp object if they do,”
he says without missing a beat, swinging the door open without even knocking.
“HONEY, I’M HOME!”
Cody yells louder than the music.
Moments later, a mountain of a man barrels around the corner. My eyes go wide as he scoops Cody up by the waist like he weighs nothing and squeezes him in what can only be described as a full-body bear hug.
Cody laughs, clinging back with his arms and legs wrapped tight around the giant. For a second, it looks like some bizarre reunion show.
“Miss me?”
Cody grins as he’s finally deposited at my side.
“Obviously,”
the big man says, flashing a smile as wide as his shoulders.
“Being around these broody assholes all day has me craving someone who’s actually fun. Someone like me. I’m pretty awesome, after all.”
I can’t help it…I laugh, nerves buzzing in my chest.
“Oh, lovely. You’re just like Cody… only bigger.”
“We’re made for each other,”
he declares proudly. Then he winks at me.
“Too bad we’ll only ever flirt. I couldn’t possibly sleep with him. He’s too much like me. I need someone sweet and soft, not someone who only knows how to throw sass and give me attitude.”
“Fuck you, Skip,”
Cody fires back, grinning.
“I would never let your monster of a cock anywhere near my ass. I feel sorry for your lovers.”
The big man throws his head back, laughing so loud the sound bounces off the wood-paneled walls.
“They never walk away in a straight line when I’m finished with them.”
I blink.
“You’re Skip?”
“At your service.”
He makes a ridiculous bow, one arm flung wide like he’s on stage.
“And may I just say, I’m honored you finally get to meet me.”
I shake my head, still laughing despite myself.
“I’m sorry. Over the phone, I pictured you looking more like… well, like Cody.”
Skip smirks, unabashed.
“A twink who falls over in a stiff breeze? Nah, babe. I’m a bear. I eat twinks like Cody for breakfast.”
Cody groans, covering his face with his hand, and the knot in my chest loosens a bit more.
“And I repeat…Fuck you, Skip.”
“By the way,”
Skip says, flashing a grin that could get him out of a speeding ticket.
“You’re exactly how I pictured you over the phone. That soft voice with those soft curves? Damn. You’re even sexier in person.”
I groan, half laughing, half mortified.
“Stop flirting.”
“Jealous?”
Skip teases, eyebrows wagging.
“Extremely,”
Cody deadpans, tightening his grip on my hand.
“Now, take us to your leader.”
Skip’s face went mock-serious.
“He’s in his spaceship, plotting world domination. Better keep up, tiny humans.”
I let out a nervous laugh that sounded a little too high, even to me. My heart’s still hammering, my palms damp against Cody’s.
“Don’t worry,”
Cody smiles.
“He’s a shameless, yet harmless, flirt. He won’t bite.
Skip shoots Cody a sidelong glance, his grin turning wicked again.
“Unless I’m feeling territorial. Careful, Twinkie. I might take a bite out of you after all.”
Cody groans louder, and despite the nerves buzzing in my veins, I find myself laughing for real this time…because somehow, in this ridiculous moment, it’s a bit easier to breathe.
“Coming in with some normies,”
Skip swings the heavy door open, and the noise from outside shifts. The music thumps on somewhere deeper in the building, muffled now, while the laughter and voices fade behind us. As soon as we step through, the door slams shut, sealing us into a pocket of silence.
The air is different in here…thicker, heavy with leather and motor oil, a faint trace of smoke clinging to the walls. My eyes adjust slowly, picking out the massive round desk in the middle of the room, the worn leather chairs, the map on the wall with pins scattered like battle plans. It doesn’t feel like a clubhouse anymore. It feels like a war zone.
My throat is dry, but my palms are damp, and I squeeze Cody’s hand just to remind myself I’m not walking in alone.
Skip throws a glance back at us, his grin wicked as ever.
“Don’t chicken out now. He doesn’t bite.”
He pauses, eyes raking over Cody with deliberate slowness.
“Well… I might if Cody doesn’t stop eye-fucking me.”
“Fucker,”
Cody laughs, tugging me closer against his side.
“Protect me, Lila.”
I manage a shaky laugh, though it comes out thinner than I’d like.
“Hey, Spike,”
Cody says, greeting the man who’s clearly in charge.
“This is Lila. Lila, the man, the myth, the Iron Shadows’ very own legendary president…Spike.”
The man gives a short nod. I force a smile in return, though my stomach knots tighter.
“This is Bones,”
Skip adds, smirking.
“Don’t let his face fool you. He isn’t as nice as he looks.”
I turn to the man in question and freeze. He looks like death come to life, scars cutting hard lines into his face. My throat tightens. “Jack,”
I whisper.
“You’re not that young teenager anymore.”
“You two know one another?”
Spike asks.
Bones nods, his dark gaze flicks to me.
“Sorry to hear about your parents,”
he says, his voice low and matter-of-fact. Then he gestures behind him.
“This is my wife…”
A woman turns from where she’s painting something on the far side of the room. My heart stutters.
“Sunny?”
I breathe.
“Oh, my stars!”
she exclaims, rushing over to me. She pulls me into a hug, laughing.
“What are you doing here, Lila? How are the kids?”
“They’re fine,”
I manage a smile.
“Bree’s at school, and Micah should be finishing his lessons about now.”
“You two know each other?”
Cody asks, brows up.
“Yeah,”
I say quickly.
“We met at Marv’s Market. We see her at least once a week.”
Sunny beams.
“Why have we never hung out? That ends now. After you’re finished with…whatever this is, come see me. We’ll plan a girls’ day out with Riley and Abby.”
“Lila?”
The sound of my name makes me turn, and I freeze. The man who’s haunted my dreams since I met him walks into the room like he owns every inch of it.
“Max,”
I whisper.
“Wait, you two know each other?”
Sunny asks, eyes wide.
“Hey, Lila,”
Tank says as he comes in right behind Max. He squints, recognition dawning.
“Oh, wait. You’re Cody’s friend? The one with the asshat of a boss?”
“Wait, you two know each other?”
Skip mimics, grinning widely.
“Sorry, I just wanted to be part of that club.”
Bones cuts him a look before turning back to Sunny.
“Head home, baby. I’ll be back soon.”
She nods, hugging me one last time.
“Tell one of these brutes to give you my number,”
she says warmly.
“We’ll talk soon.”
Then she’s gone just as several more men file into the room. Each one is large, broad, dangerous-looking, and when the last one shuts the door, the air feels heavy. Trapped.
“How are you doing?”
Max asks once everyone has settled around the massive round table. His voice is steady, but his eyes never leave me.
“A bit in shock,”
I admit, folding my hands in my lap so no one can see how badly they’re trembling.
“I didn’t even know I was coming here until Cody had me in his truck.”
Max’s jaw tightens, his expression darkening.
“So, you’re the one whose boss propositioned you?”
His voice drops, rough and dangerous.
“I’ll make sure we do more than slap him with tax fraud. Foster, I want his address.”
“Wait,”
Cody cuts in, a sly smile tugging at his mouth as he lifts a hand.
“Before you go full biker on the guy, you need to hear everything first.”
Skip leans forward, draping an arm across the back of my chair like we’ve known each other forever.
“Alright, before we get to the doom and gloom, let’s do introductions. I’m Skip. The best-looking and funniest of the bunch. Come on, Bones, don’t leave her hanging. Tell her who you are.”
Bones shoots him a glare sharp enough to cut steel, then turns to me. His scar catches the light, and for just a second, his features soften.
“They call me Bones now,”
he says quietly.
I nod, swallowing hard, and force myself to look around the table. Spike, heavy and commanding. Knuckles, silent and watchful. Max…my heart stutters again just seeing him. Crusher, broad shoulders filling his chair. Foster, face unreadable. Tank, leaning back with that easy grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. And Maverick, lounging in the corner like he’s carved out of shadow.
“Alright.”
Spike’s deep voice cuts through the room.
“Why did I call this meeting, Cody? You said it was important.”
“And it is,”
Cody says, his tone shifting into something serious.
“This morning, Lila called me in a panic. Her asshole ex-boss sent her a threatening text.”
“What?”
Max growls, low and dangerous.
“What did it say? Show me.”
His eyes flash toward me, sharp enough to cut through the air between us.
“Hold on.”
Cody lifts his phone.
“Gotta connect to your TV first. Foster, you wanna hook me up?”
Foster grunts, already working on it. Cody leans back in his chair, gaze sweeping the table.
“There’s a video. Somebody posted it. And it’s going viral.”
Max’s head snaps toward him.
“A video of what?”
My stomach flips, heat crawling up my throat.
“Of Lila and Gumphrey,”
Cody says flatly.
“In his office. The night he fired her.”
Every set of eyes at the table shifts to me. The air in the room goes heavy, pressing down on my chest until my lungs forget how to work.
Cody already told them what happened. They know the story. But stories are one thing. Seeing it…seeing me…is another. And the second they watch, they’ll know the truth.
They’ll see my face. The way my shoulders slumped. The way I was about to step forward.
They’ll see my weakness.
Max will see it.
“Thank you,”
Cody says, taking his phone back from Foster. His voice is clipped, hard.
“Alright. Here’s the message.”
The TV screen flickers, and suddenly the words fill the room in bold, ugly letters:
YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!
The silence that follows is sharp, brittle.
“The screenshot shows the number isn’t even programmed in your phone,”
Knuckles says, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.
“How do you know it’s from Gumphrey?”
Cody glances at me. I can feel the weight of the brothers’ attention closing in. My throat burns. Slowly, I shut my eyes and nod.
“Go ahead,”
I whisper.
Cody doesn’t hesitate. He taps the screen, and Gumphrey’s voice fills the room, oily and mocking. The sound of his chair squeaking. My own voice, small, broken, whispering…
Less than fifteen seconds. That’s all it is. Fifteen seconds, but it feels like five endless minutes of my humiliation broadcast across their faces.
The room goes dead quiet.
I don’t look up. I can’t. My head bows, hair falling forward, hiding the tears I can’t stop.
They saw it. They saw my face. My hesitation. My shame. My acceptance.
Max saw it.
“I know this isn’t club business,”
Cody says, softer now, but steady as stone.
“And you don’t owe me a damn thing. But Lila’s my best friend, and this asshole? He’s capable of worse than just running his mouth. I’m scared for her.”
“Gumphrey’s got a record,”
Foster adds grimly, eyes dark.
“Two arrests for beating his ex-wife. Another for breaking and entering. Guy’s been skating by for years.”
Fear rips through me like ice water. I knew something was wrong with him. I just didn’t know how much.
“Exactly.”
Cody squeezes my hand so tightly it almost hurts, grounding me.
“She’s got a little girl at home, ten years old. And she’s the only one taking care of her brother, who needs round-the-clock care. The last thing she needs is some predator making her look over her shoulder every damn day.”
“Is there a way to find out who posted that video?”
Spike asks, his voice low, controlled.
“I’m already digging,”
Foster replies, reaching for his tablet again.
“The account’s new, and that’s the only upload. Could take time, but I’ll find it.”
My gaze stays locked on mine and Cody’s hands, fingers tangled together. My palm is damp, trembling, but he doesn’t let go. He holds on tighter, like he knows I’m hanging on by threads.
Still, I can’t lift my head. Not with the silence pressing in. Not with all of them watching.
And definitely not with Max sitting there. I can feel the weight of his eyes on me, heavy as chains, and I know if I look up, I’ll break.
“This still doesn’t prove that her boss was the one who sent the message,”
Knuckles says. His voice is low, but sharp enough to cut.
“Or even if he did, isn’t it possible Lila’s the one who posted the video? Maybe to get some sympathy. He humiliated her, and she’s pissed. Rightfully so. But still… makes sense.”
“That’s one possibility,”
someone says. Crusher, I think.
“Let’s say that’s true,”
the man in the shadows adds…Maverick? Michael? His voice is measured, dangerous.
“What could she possibly gain?”
They’re speaking about me as if I’m not even in the room. As if I’m not sitting here, flesh and bone, trying not to come apart at the seams. It’s humiliating. Infuriating.
“Hush money,”
Crusher offers.
“Like she said, she had no idea Cody was bringing her here. I bet she even tried to stop him.”
“Enough.”
Spike’s voice cracks like a whip.
“Show some damn respect. She’s right here.”
“Spike, we really can’t afford to get involved in this shit,”
Tank cuts in, his tone grim.
“We’re still cleaning up from Riley’s ex. The cops are watching us closer than ever. The last thing we need is some kind of… publicity stunt.”
“You saw her face in that video,”
Knuckles says.
“You saw her slight nod. She was about to step forward if they hadn’t been interrupted. No one in their right mind would believe her story.”
The humiliation burns hotter than the tears in my eyes. Nearly blind, I fumble for my phone, order a ride, and shove it back into my pocket with clumsy fingers.
Taking a shaky breath, I let go of Cody’s hand and rise. My knees wobble, my pulse hammers, but I force myself to stand tall. One by one, I meet their eyes. Every single one of them. Not to plead. Not to beg. Just so they can see me.
“You’re right,”
I say quietly, my voice calm and steady.
“I did nod. I did agree. But not because I wanted to. I knew that if I said no, I’d lose my job. And if I lost my job, I’d lose the roof over my kids’ heads. Then I’d lose my kids. That’s not consent. That’s survival.”
I pause, let the words settle.
“Do you have any idea how many women make that same choice? How many of us choke down our pride, our fear, because the alternative is homelessness or hunger? Do you know how many women speak up about men like him, only to be ignored? Not believed? Until one day, that same man rapes or kills them and then moves on to his next victim. And still… people look at us like we’re the ones who should be ashamed because we agreed to get our knees in order to keep our job.”
Their faces blur through my tears, but I see enough: the tight jaws, the flickers of guilt, the way none of them can meet my eyes for long.
Max’s blank expression.
I draw in another breath, forcing my voice not to shake.
“I may be scared. I may be exhausted. But I… am not… weak.”
Each pause is deliberate, each word honed sharp enough to cut.
“I’ve been surviving battles many will never have to fight. I survived the death of my parents and the destruction of my brother, all in the same night. I survived a divorce. I’ll survive Gumphrey. I’ll survive the threats he threw at me. I’ll survive losing the job that paid for the lives my kids live.”
My gaze sweeps across the table, sharp and unflinching now.
“And I’ll survive this. With or without your help.”
I tip my chin higher.
“And honestly? I’d rather it be without. Because right now, the only thing I see in this room is men so wrapped up in their own rules and their own pride that they can’t tell the difference between a woman choosing and a woman having her choices taken away.”
I glance at Cody. His jaw is still tight, his whole body coiled, but his eyes are fixed on me, hot with fury and something softer beneath. I give him a small, tired smile.
“Thank you for being such a good friend. For trying to protect me,”
I whisper.
“But I need a little time to myself. I called a taxi. I’ll be fine.”
I turn toward the door, my pulse pounding. The silence behind me is deafening.
When I reach the exit, Sunny and two other women who weren’t there before stand shoulder to shoulder, their eyes locked on the men I’ve just faced. Their gazes burn, sharp with betrayal, heavy with knowing. And then, without a word, they shift aside, opening a path just wide enough for me to walk through.
For the first time tonight, I don’t feel scared. I feel fury.
How many women have been raped or killed because no one believed them?
If these men didn’t believe me… will the cops? Will anyone?
Will Gumphrey come after me, thinking I posted it?
There’s really only one way to fix this.
No one stops me as I walk through the building, across the parking lot, and out the slightly open gate. My ride is waiting. After double-checking the license plate and driver, I slide into the back seat and pull out my phone.
I scroll to the last message, tap the number, and press call.
“You’ve ruined me,”
Gumphrey answers, venom dripping from every syllable.
Guess that was one way to confirm it was him. I should’ve just called back earlier.
“It wasn’t me,”
I say evenly.
“How could it have been? I don’t have access to that security feed.”
“You’re pissed that I fired you.”
“Yes,”
I admit.
“I was good at my job. It paid well. As a single mother, I depended on it. But I didn’t post that video. Why would I willingly humiliate myself?”
There’s a beat of silence. Then a heavy sigh. “Fuck.”
“I have an idea to fix it,”
I say, though the words taste like ash.
Of course, it’ll humiliate me even more. But it might also save my life.
“Do tell,”
he says, suspicion curling around the words.
“We make another video,”
I explain.
“We say the first one was just foreplay. That it was private, meant to be fun, and we forgot the cameras were on. Someone posted it out of jealousy of you not paying attention to them. I’ll laugh, I’ll smile, I’ll play along.”
Tears burn my cheeks, but I keep them out of my voice.
“Why would you do that?”
he asks, wary now.
“Because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life afraid you’ll retaliate against me for something I didn’t do,”
I tell him honestly.
A pause. Then, flatly.
“What do you want in return?”
“My job,”
I answer, wiping at my face with the back of my hand.
“Nothing else. I want my same responsibilities, my same tables, my same pay.”
“That easy, huh?”
“That easy,”
I repeat.
“What do you say?”