Chapter 5
The meeting took place in a large courtyard on the west side of the clubhouse.
It must’ve once been the patio of the ruined restaurant that now served as a mess hall.
Most of the people who lived at the Nest seemed to be assembled there, chatting and laughing around a massive bonfire.
Flames shot toward the darkening sky, illuminating the party with an orange light.
The men largely stood or sat in small groups while the women brought food or drink to them.
A small gaggle of children with dirt-streaked faces played together in a corner, largely unsupervised.
At the far end, a small wooden platform had been constructed, and Asha’s eyes widened at the sight of Angel sitting there on what was unmistakably a throne.
A throne made of scrap metal and decaying old tires, but a throne nonetheless.
On his left side, an enormous bald man with crude tattoos and multiple facial piercings stood.
He was evidently some kind of bodyguard.
Cade sat in a plain wooden chair next to Angel, his arms folded, his expression impassive.
He was one of the only men who looked like he wasn’t enjoying himself.
Lana tugged on Asha’s hand and led her to the foot of the platform, presenting her with a nod to Angel.
Angel gave her a nod in return, and she retreated back with the other women to help with serving food.
“Welcome,” Angel said to Asha, but there was no warmth in his voice. “We’ll start the claiming in a minute.”
He wore the same filthy clothes as earlier, including the crude circlet. His dark eyes were cold and unfeeling as he appraised her—there was nothing behind them. The corner of his mouth was upturned in a self-satisfied smirk, which sparked unease in her belly.
To distract herself, she looked at Cade instead. His gaze was much warmer, though he maintained an aura of aloofness. He inclined his head in the tiniest acknowledgment of her, as if to tell her, I’ll keep my word.
Asha had to hope that was what he was communicating, because seeing Angel again reminded her that he scared the shit out of her. There was something about him that seemed innately cruel and eager to cause pain. He still stared her down, and her heart jumped uncomfortably when his smirk broadened.
Angel lifted his dirty fingers to his mouth and whistled, calling everyone to attention. Instantly, every conversation fell silent, and all eyes were on him. It would’ve been impressive if it hadn’t been so frightening. They were so deferential to him by default.
“We have a guest,” Angel said in a loud voice. “In Little River, we picked up a stray. A damn fine-looking stray she is, too.”
Asha flushed, embarrassed. She didn’t like the way all the men were looking at her now, with an obvious curiosity and hunger.
They were hoping he’d announce it was a free-for-all—she could feel it.
She forced herself to focus on Cade, but his expression hadn’t moved an inch.
Still, he was the only possible source of comfort she had.
“Cade wants to claim her,” Angel continued with a chuckle. “Never thought my boy would take a woman. He’s been living like a priest or some shit.”
There was collective laughter, and Cade’s eyes narrowed, but he otherwise showed no reaction.
“But are there any other takers?” Angel asked the crowd, raising his eyebrows. “Fair’s fair. Raise your hands.”
Asha’s heart started pounding. Other takers? Cade had said nothing about this. What would it mean if someone else wanted her?
She cast around her, but to her immense relief, not a single hand raised. The men’s eyes were on Cade, who stared them down with complete confidence…and a palpable air of menace. Nobody wanted to challenge him, Asha realized.
What, were they just gonna brawl over me otherwise? she thought, disbelieving. But her answer came immediately when Angel goaded the crowd: “What, no one wants to take on our fearless Blackguard leader? Cowards.”
Yes, they very much would have brawled over me. And what does it say that not a single man here dares to challenge the guy who wants me?
She didn’t want to examine that thought too closely.
“Alright, spoil my fun,” Angel said, rolling his eyes. “Cade, you claiming her, then?”
“Yes.” Cade spoke for the first time as he got to his feet. He stepped down from the platform and approached Asha. From the sheath at his hip, he drew out a long knife, and Asha instinctively recoiled.
Angel snorted, mocking her fear, and Asha gritted her teeth. But Cade didn’t pay him any mind; his eyes were fixed on her.
“Give me your hand, darling,” he said. “It’ll only take a second.”
His voice was a soft caress, a soothing balm on her anxiety. He was trying hard not to scare her even more. Asha hesitated, unsure of his intent. Her pause caused speculative murmurs to begin among the crowd.
“Trust me,” Cade whispered, low enough so that only she could hear.
His grey eyes pled with her, and in the end, what choice did she have anyway?
She reluctantly offered him her hand. He took it gently in his, and in one quick, precise motion, opened a small, clean slit across her palm with his knife.
Asha gasped in pain, and blood immediately oozed out onto her brown skin, reflecting orange rays of firelight in the dark crimson droplets.
Quick as a cat, Cade sliced through his own palm as well, and took her bloodied hand in his, pressing them together. His eyes met hers with the same intensity she’d felt when she’d first seen him. Like he saw her. Like he already knew her.
“My blood runs in her veins,” he announced to everyone else, though he didn’t tear his eyes away from Asha’s. She trembled slightly, though not with fear. She didn’t understand the connection she felt with this man when he looked at her. “She’s claimed. Mine. Now. Always.”
Mine. The word sent a shiver down Asha’s spine, part-horror, part something else she was ashamed of. She hated the idea of him owning her, but at the same time, when he looked at her like that, she found herself wondering if maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to be owned by this man.
You’re the worst feminist ever, Asha. Seriously, what the fuck.
She flinched as Cade’s other hand came up to touch her face, and he murmured, again only for her, “Sorry. It’s part of it.”
“Okay,” she breathed, trying to regain her sense of equilibrium.
Well, as long as he apologizes for the barbaric blood ritual, that makes it okay, she scolded herself. He’s still participating in this system. Never forget it.
Then he stepped back, looking at Angel, who appeared darkly amused. She didn’t like the look in Angel’s eye, like a hawk surveying prey. An uneasy pause stretched out for several seconds, and Angel’s expression didn’t change.
“There’s just one problem,” the gang leader finally said, the corners of his lips twitching. “Payment.”
Cade frowned. “We agreed—”
“Yeah, on you taking Rockland for me, like you keep promising,” Angel cut in sharply. “So, here’s what we’re gonna do.”
He snapped his fingers, and in an instant, three men emerged from the crowd, surrounding Asha.
She gasped in pain and surprise as one of them kicked her feet out from under her.
Cade reached out for her automatically, but they shoved her away from him.
Before she could react, the largest man sat on her back, and she felt cold, hard metal pressed to the back of her head. A gun.
She froze, her eyes wide.
“What the fuck is this?” Cade snapped at Angel. “We had a fucking deal, Angel. We even did your stupid fucking ritual.”
Asha squirmed instinctively, which only earned her a blow to the back of the head that made her see stars. Meanwhile, Angel’s expression didn’t shift an inch. His smile was haunting. He was enjoying this.
“So, our deal’s changed,” Angel said simply. “You get me Rockland, and you get your girl back. Don’t get it to me, and she’s my new pet. I’ll put a collar on her and walk her like a dog through the streets.”
“Fuck you,” Asha spat at him, unable to contain herself. “I’d rather die.”
Angel’s cruel laughter pierced her ears. “I like the girls with spirit, you know. It’s more satisfying to break them, in the end.”
Cade’s jaw worked, and when he spoke, his voice was laced with fury.
“Let her go,” he ordered, with all the authority and coldness of a hardened military commander. “We can settle this some other way. But she’s off limits.”
Asha noticed that Leo and Dom had suddenly appeared behind Cade, emerging silently like shadows. Both of them looked resigned, but determined. They’d follow their friend into a fight, if it came to it.
The only thing that kept Asha from succumbing to her terror was her refusal to let Angel see her fear. It was the kind of thing he’d get off on, seeing a woman afraid of him.
Pathetic.
“No other way to settle it,” Angel replied, grinning, though it looked more like he was baring his teeth. “You’ve been dragging your feet on Rockland long enough, man. So, here’s the next part of the deal: you have two weeks. If you don’t get back here before then, she’s mine. Forever.”
Cade paled. “Two weeks is fucking impossible and you know it.”
Angel shrugged. “That’s your problem, Captain.” His disdain on the last word was unmistakable. He nodded at the three men around Asha. “Lock her up.”
Asha cried out as they started to drag her back toward the clubhouse. She clawed at the dirt in desperation, but only succeeded in breaking two of her fingernails. More of Angel’s men coalesced around her, preventing escape.
She locked eyes with Cade before they blocked him from view, and for the first time since she’d met him, he looked away.
Asha’s new home was a tiny concrete box of a room with nothing in it except a ragged straw pallet on the floor. There was a narrow window near the ceiling in one corner—far too small to crawl out of. Even if it had been large enough, however, steel bars had been installed over it.