Chapter One.
This was crazy. Possibly a really awful movie script or a weak book plot.
He wasn’t sure which. But it was happening.
Clio, Chance’s woman, had siblings. Not just one, either.
Seems she was one of quints, and she had three sisters and a brother.
When Thalia appeared, she’d judged us and fucked up.
Nobody wanted a Karen around, so Thalia could get back in her posh car with her expensive shit and piss off.
Chance felt the same, but Bear, unfortunately, didn’t.
Nope, his VP kept alternating between yelling and wanting to screw her.
It was pretty damn obvious to everyone except Bear.
Shotgun shook his head. Ever since Thalia had shown up on the scene, there’d been nothing but drama. And now we were chasing her sorry ass.
She and Bear had a total misunderstanding, and to give Bear time, Thalia has taken off to approach her newly found brother.
Who seemed to be in some dodgy shit because he’d arrived here claiming Thalia had saved him, but had been kidnapped.
She’d screamed at him to come here for help.
While everyone believed Thalia was sulking, and Kelly, Thalia’s best friend, insisted she was in trouble, Thalia actually had been in shit.
And now eight hours had passed.
Shotgun stared at the prick who’d abandoned a defenceless woman.
Yup, total nerd. His reasoning showed him to be weak.
Who the fuck left an innocent, clueless female to be captured by hardened criminals?
He did. Rain, as he preferred to be called, paced back and forth as he explained.
Shotgun didn’t give a shit; there was no reason, no explanation for leaving a woman in danger. He glowered as Chance questioned Rain.
“Who is this Dean?” Chance asked.
“Calvin Dean, he’s a loan shark, a racketeer, and many other things. Murderer is at the top of the list. Police who’ve tried to take him down have ended up dead, and common knowledge is Dean has at least five cops in his pocket.”
“And you borrowed money from him?” Chatter grunted in disbelief.
“Fuckin’ idiot,” Celt agreed.
“No, my bloody ex did, though, and did a bunk with it. She took five hundred grand and fled. I’ve no idea where she is at this moment, but Dean wants his money back.
I told him no, I haven’t got it, and I don’t, but Dean says that as I was screwing her, I’m liable for the debt.
I work in a lab, and Dean got wind of a valuable, important patent we’re working on.
Dean wanted the plans for it and said he’d call it quits.
But I couldn’t give him the stuff he wanted.
It could change medical care for good, so I refused.
He was at my house today, trying to force me to do what he wanted.
Now he has Thalia, and if she’s my sister… .” Rain broke off with an audible gulp.
“Who was the other guy?” Bear asked.
“Robespierre, he’s a thug. The rumours say he’s behind loads of the disappearances of people who’ve crossed paths with Dean.
Robespierre isn’t his real name, but he got the moniker because he’s fond of playing with knives and harming victims. Rumour has it he likes to behead them as well,” Rain replied.
“And this asshole has Thalia?” Kelly exclaimed as Callie gasped.
“They have Thalia,” Rain said. “I had no clue who she was, but she jumped straight into rescuing me.”
Shotgun tuned out; he didn’t need to hear anything else. Rain lacked balls and had left Thalia to die, saving his own neck. Now motherfuckers had her. Once again, Hellfire had to save the day.
Her rescue was inevitable. Bear was coming out of his skin. Kelly, Thalia’s best friend, had offered some lame-ass explanation. It didn’t matter; Thalia had Bear snagged, and Shotgun knew they’d ride for her when they had a location.
◆◆◆
A month later, Shotgun sat at a bar, nursing a beer. He was surprised when someone took the stool next to him. He’d been giving off ‘stay the fuck away’ vibes all night. Not even the bravest bitch had tried to seduce him.
Shotgun turned his head and glowered at the guy sitting next to him.
“Buy you a beer?” he asked, and Shotgun’s eyebrows leapt into his hairline.
“What do you want?”
“I owe you for saving Thalia.”
Shotgun stared at Thalia’s brother, Ourania, or Rain as he preferred. As usual, he wore a button-down shirt, a cardigan, and smart slacks with shiny shoes. Nerd was written all over him. Even his glasses were professor-like.
“Fuck off, I want to be alone,” Shotgun muttered and turned back to his drink.
“No. I owe you, I’m buying.”
Shotgun snorted. “Well, someone found their balls at last.”
“Never lost them, Shotgun. You believe I’m a coward.
You might be right. But that formula will save millions.
Tell me, the life of one person or millions.
What decision would you make? I chose the only course available to me and went to get help.
Think what you want, but I don’t regret it and wouldn’t change it. ”
Rain stared at Shotgun, and he sensed the guy daring him to judge.
“Even knowing what they did to your sister?” Shotgun fired back.
“Wouldn’t change a single thing.”
“Wow, you’re cold,” Shotgun muttered as he tipped back his glass.
“No, I’m logical.”
“What if it had been your kid?” Shotgun demanded.
“Millions of lives against one. It’s a no-brainer. Of course, I’d have probably killed myself afterwards. I couldn’t have lived with making that choice, but I would have made it.” Rain shrugged and motioned for the bartender.
“Whiskey neat, and whatever he’s drinking,” Rain said.
“The same as him.” Shotgun turned on his barstool and stared at Rain. “You’re more confident.”
“No. Never been any different. That day had been a shitshow. Dean appears, discovering my sisters, Thalia getting taken, then the body parts. I think shit would have rocked anyone,” Rain replied, grabbing his whiskey. He took a large mouthful as soon as his hand met it.
“Possibly,” Shotgun agreed. “What are you doing here, anyway? Did you follow me?”
Rain laughed. “Ego problems, much? I come here every so often. Why is that a problem?”
“You do know where you are, then?” Shotgun questioned.
“Yeah. Do you?” Rain challenged.
“Yes. You didn’t strike me as gay.”
“Bisexual. Hence, the female ex who got me into deep shit. Bitch is still running, from what I hear,” Rain said with a snort.
Shotgun felt his gaze boring into him. “Wondering what I am?”
“I’m not getting the gay vibe, although I’m often clueless,” Rain admitted. “But I’ve seen you with the club girls.”
“Bi. Same as you.”
“You’re here to pick someone up?” Rain asked.
“No. I’m… lost. Looking for something I hear people find, but I can’t seem to,” Shotgun confessed and then clamped his lips together. He was saying too much. This shit had nothing to do with Rain.
“What?” Rain demanded.
Shotgun faced him. Rain had auburn hair, grey eyes, and was tall. He was a good mix of his sisters. He was slim, but he had muscle, and it was clear Rain took care of himself.
“Rain, go fuck with someone else,” Shotgun replied and turned away.
“Talk to me,” Rain said, moving closer. Shotgun could smell his cologne, and it was one of his favourites.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Tell me why you care,” Shotgun demanded.
“Because I like you.”
“You don’t know me!”
“Then fuckin’ let me in,” Rain ordered.
Shotgun’s lips curled into a smile. “I give orders, not take them.”
Rain leaned in closer. “Tell me.”
Shotgun smirked. He liked the way Rain was challenging him. “I want a triad. Not a threesome, but a real triad. A serious, committed three-way relationship. I don’t care if it’s two men and one woman, or two women and me. I wanna be part of something… bigger.”
Rain sat back and studied him. Shotgun wondered what the hell Rain was thinking. He couldn’t tell.
“You ever had that?” Rain finally inquired.
“No. Came close, but it fucked up as usual. Turns out they were experimenting and I was the guinea pig,” Shotgun admitted.
“That sucks. Does your club know?”
Shotgun shut down, and ice poured off him. His eyes narrowed. “No. And it’s got nothing to do with them.”
Rain leaned back from the threat that was emanating from Shotgun, and he held his hands up. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just a question.”
“Don’t ask,” Shotgun threatened.
Rain nodded but pushed, unable to stop himself. “What would happen if they knew?”
Shotgun paused. “The last person who was gay in our club? The old president had him raped, cut his cock off, and buried him with it in his mouth.”
Rain froze and stared at Shotgun with horrified eyes. “Were you a part of that?”
“No. And neither were any of the brothers remaining today. We didn’t learn until afterwards, when Zeus bragged about it in church. Just one of many reasons we went to war to reclaim our club.”
Rain shook his head. “And that scarred you.”
“For fuckin’ life.” Shotgun knocked back the last of his whiskey and rose. “See you around.”
Rain watched him leave. Shotgun felt eyes boring into his back, and realised something had changed.
He could have given a million reasons for being in this particular mood tonight and hadn’t.
Shotgun wanted Rain and knew it. The man had caught his attention.
If Shotgun hadn’t left, Rain might have had an invitation he wasn’t ready to accept.
Shotgun headed for his bike. Nobody was parked around it. His colours and patches were all too clear. Anyone fuckin’ with Hellfire, diced with death. He straddled it and started his hog. As he rode out, he hit the brakes.
Fuck!
He stared at the guy standing in his way.
Rain.
Rain moved towards him, stopped, said, “My hotel,” and walked away.
Shotgun looked down into his hand and saw a keycard with a hotel’s name on it. Rain was confident Shotgun would meet him. Fucking bastard was right; Shotgun would.
2021
“Both of you?” Rowena asked.
“Yes,” Rain replied.