Prologue
ZINNIA
Nine Years Ago . . .
“Happy Birthday, Zinnia,” the raspy tone of his voice sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine as I answer the phone.
Today’s my eighteenth birthday and the day Gunner and I will finally do it. Go all the way.
We’ve been dating since I was fifteen, and never have we gone all the way. Gunner says he respects me too much not to wait.
My parents died about six months after I’d started dating Gunner, and with him being three years older than me, they weren’t fond of the idea at first. Not unless we saw each other at my house, but they got to know him and loved him.
When they died, I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.
Davy, my big brother, ended up with guardianship of me, though he could care less about what I did as long as I stayed out of his way.
We’re not close, and everyone knows it. Even our parents’ death didn’t bring us closer like some would think.
“Are you ready for your party tonight?” Gunner asks, breaking through my train of thought before it could go down that dark road.
Smiling, I sit up and run my hands through my hair. “I’m more than ready.”
“Now that you’re finished with finals and all your school shit, you’re mine tonight, Dimples.”
I squeeze my legs together at the very thought of what he’s insinuating. “I can’t wait.” The words are barely a breath as the image of him and all of his glory pops into my head. We’ve done other things, and I know his body, just as he knows mine from fooling round.
“Good, I’ll be at your place in about two hours to pick you up,” Gunner declares, but he doesn’t tell me why he’s picking me up so early. Not that I need to know. I’m happy to go with him anywhere.
“I’ll be ready,” I state, more than ready to have him pick me up.
Gunner and I finish our conversation with him telling me he loves me and hangs up. He’s not one for emotions or saying anything remotely emotional. He prefers to show it and he’s done that with me so many times.
Jumping off my bed, I rush out of my room and into the bathroom for a shower. I take my time to shave my legs, underneath my arms, and make sure everything below is trimmed just the way Gunner likes it.
Finished, I shut the water off and dry my body.
I leave the bathroom and head straight back to my room.
I put on a pair of panties and a matching bra I’d bought just for today.
It’s black lace that cups both my breasts and buttocks beautifully.
I wanted something special to mark the day and had thought this set was perfect.
I dress in a pair of cut-off shorts and a Harley tank top.
I do my hair quickly, leaving it down to dry naturally.
I don’t like to blow dry it unless I have to.
It dries fast enough without the heat of a blow dryer.
I finish getting ready and check the time. I still have an hour before Gunner’s supposed to get here.
A knock on my bedroom door has me nearly jumping out of my skin.
“Come in,” I call out, bending over and gathering my hair up on top of my head in a messy bun.
The door opens to my brother stepping into the room. “Happy Birthday, Nia,” he says, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.
I straighten and tighten the hair tie. “Thank you.”
“No problem, so I’ve got something for you,” he announces, his eyes casting to the hallway behind him and then back to me.
“What is it?” I ask, feeling something isn’t right. Davy isn’t one for birthday presents.
“A trip.” The way he says it so simply fills me with dread.
“Um, thanks, but you didn’t have to do that,” I mutter, licking my bottom lip nervously.
“Sure, I did,” he shrugs and moves to the side. “Come on, your ride is here, and you won’t want to be late.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just come on,” he demands, and his voice edges closer to what I’m used to hearing from him.
“I don’t think I want to.” I back away, wishing I could figure a way out of here without having to get past him.
“You have no choice, Zinnia. It was either sell you and your virginity that you’ve somehow managed to hold on to, or my life. I’m rather fond of my life, and I need my debt paid.”
I gasp and reach up to clutch at my chest. “You didn’t?”
“I did, Nia. It was the only choice I had,” he smirks and turns away from me. “You’ll be leaving soon, and don’t bother thinking Gunner will save you. He won’t know any different.”
Davy steps into the hallway, and three men with deep tans and dressed in fancy suits step through. The one in the middle looks me over appraisingly and grins.
I swallow the bile that burns in my throat to keep from throwing up. From the looks of this guy, I know he’s in charge, and from how fit they all are, I won’t be able to get away. I can only hope one day I’ll escape the hellhole I’m sure awaits me.
GUNNER
The Day of Quinn’s Funeral . . .
Holding the hand of my little girl, my princess, I stare at the coffin that contains the body of a woman who I cared for. I wouldn’t say I loved her. I’ve never known a woman worth my heart except one, and she disappeared a long time ago.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have made Quinn mine. She was smart, funny, and great in the sack. She’d also loved her daughter fiercely. As a single mom, she worked her ass off to provide for her daughter.
She worked as a stripper for the club but also in a café. I didn’t know that she’d worked both places until Hammer ended up with Avery, who owns the café.
Quinn ended up getting a better job as a bartender at another of our bars when the position became available.
I fucked her a few times back when she was stripping, but there wasn’t anything else.
When I found out she had a daughter, I didn’t even think anything of it.
Only when she finally confessed to me about her being mine did I flip my shit.
The first time I met Delilah, she immediately had me wrapped around her finger.
I’d do anything for her. But it hurt that I had missed the first part of her life, and I wanted to hate Quinn for never telling me
In the end, it doesn’t matter. She’s gone now, and it’s my fault. I didn’t protect her.
For the second time in my life, I had a woman, and now she’s gone.
From now on, I swear I won’t give another woman a chance to even attempt to get in there with me.
I only need one girl in my life, and that’s Delilah.
She’s all that matters to me—her and my club.
I watch them lower Quinn into the ground and pick Delilah up in my arms to hold her closer.
She’s all I have left in this world, and I won’t fail her like I did her mother.
Still failing, Quinn has nothing on how much pain I still feel years later after losing the one woman who was the love of my life.
Zinnia.
I still don’t know what happened that day. The very day I was going to ask her to be my wife. To be my ol’ lady. I’d waited a long time to ask her to be mine in every way, and that left a hole in my soul that will never be mended.
No one could’ve eased the pain of losing her, but Quinn was special in her own way. She gave me Delilah even if she didn’t tell me in the beginning like she should have.