Daemon moved the gun from side to side. "No . . . you listen, a.s.shole. I'm actually helping you. The Don has his spies; there's no way you can hide the girl without him finding her eventually. Then he'd have your life for stealing from him. But first he'd make you suffer a terrible slow and tortured death."

"You have it wrong," Ryder said through clenched teeth.

"Enlighten us," the Don said, grinning so that his upper lip pulled back enough to show his gums. Both men flanking him held guns pointed in our direction.

f.u.c.k. We were screwed. And what killed me was that it was my own flesh and blood who'd turned on me.

"Let's talk man to man, okay? Let Ryder take the girl away so we can discuss-"

Daemon threw back his head and laughed, his fingers tightening around the gun. "What kind of fool do you take me for? Now you've just p.i.s.sed me off more." Veins appeared on his forehead and his eyes went wild.

Pedro stepped forward, menace in his voice. "Show me the girl. If she's damaged goods . . . if one of you have had your c.o.c.k anywhere near her-"

"She's just fine. Your beef is with me. Let's negotiate, yeah?"

"You have nothing else of interest I'm prepared to negotiate for. The girl belongs to me. You f.u.c.king stole her!" Three steps later and the Don was in my face, reeking of alcohol and cigars and sweat. "If your brother didn't step in and negotiate for your f.u.c.king life, you and your friends would be dead by now." His beady eyes shone with madness in the moonlight. "Hand over the girl. I'm not asking you again."

Alessandra drew in a sharp breath behind my back. I felt the loss of her warmth before I realized what she was doing.

She stepped out from behind my back and stood beside me, directly in front of the Don. "Take me. Just leave these men alone. It's all my fault. I asked them to help me run away."

"Alessandra, no!" I protested. The headlights of the vehicles shone directly on her, causing her hold up her arm to shield her face from the brightness of it. She dropped her arm and stepped closer to the Don, into the spotlight. "I paid Cobra and these men. They were just doing their job," she said, raising her chin.

"Why would you do that? Why would you not be honored to be my wife?" Pedro gripped her chin in his hand and squeezed hard. "I should f.u.c.k you then throw you to the wolves. You're a disgrace to your family."

"Kill me now. I've run away from you because I can't stand the thought of a filthy pig touching me. I'd rather be dead." The disgust on her face was clear for everyone to see.

Before I could react, Pedro struck her with the back of his hand, sending Alessandra reeling backwards. Ryder cried out and tried to stop her fall, but she was too far for him to reach her in time. She hit the dust with a thud, causing the blood in my veins to reach boiling point. I moved to help her up.

Daemon snickered. "Don't f.u.c.king move, Cobra. Or any of you boys. Have you forgotten I have a f.u.c.king gun pointed at you?" The threat in his voice was real. My brother was itching for action tonight-nothing would please him more than seeing blood flow. His lips twitched into a snarl. "Or should I help the b.i.t.c.h out and kill her instead?" He moved to point the gun at where she was lying on the ground.

f.u.c.ker had caught on fast. He'd figured out Alessandra meant something to me. His knowing was even more dangerous than any threat from Pedro. I had to pay it cool. "Up to you, brother. Kiss your money goodbye if you wanna. She's no good to us dead."

I'd deal with Daemon once I'd gotten rid of Pedro and his men. In the meantime I had to make them believe the girl meant nothing to me other than money or the stakes would rise considerably.

With a few long strides, Daemon stood in front of Alessandra, the gun pointing to her head. Her face was turned down, staring at the red dirt beneath her. He leaned forward and gripped her upper arm, yanking her off the ground.

"Come here, b.i.t.c.h. See all the f.u.c.king mess you're causing? Let me see what you look like, if you're worth all this s.h.i.t."

Alessandra jerked her head up. Tears stained her cheeks and her eyes were wide and wet. Her lower lip quivered as she searched for my face.

Daemon sucked in a harsh breath. "f.u.c.k me. Now I see what all the fuss is about." He stared at Alessandra as if he'd never seen a girl before. "Darling, you're every man's wet dream. Jesus, no wonder you've started a war." Daemon's gaze raked up and down her body, the lewd grin on his face telling me exactly how much he liked what he saw. l.u.s.t burned in his eyes as he licked over his lips.

f.u.c.k no. Not this!

I was willing to kill any man who lay his f.u.c.king paws on her. Alessandra was mine. Mine. I had to protect her from these c.o.c.ksuckers, every one of them, including my twin, who was undressing her with his eyes.

Alessandra seemed equally shocked. When I'd first told her there was another man roaming the planet who looked exactly like me, and she'd just laughed and said it was impossible. Now she could see that I was right. Identical in appearance. Her gaze swung from my twin, to my face, and back again, her mouth slightly open as she took us both in.

"You forget this p.u.s.s.y belongs to me. I bought her with blood money. I get to have her first time." Pedro stepped closer and grabbed Alessandra's arm, pulling her toward him. She was like a f.u.c.king ragdoll being pulled in two directions. Her eyes pleaded with mine, yet I was helpless.

Daemon wouldn't hesitate to use the f.u.c.king gun in his hand. In fact, he was just waiting for a reason to pull that trigger. I didn't want it to be any of our blood spilling. Not today. I wanted my father to know how Daemon had turned on his own brothers. I doubted Malone would believe me if I got back to the club with a dead brother. No, he had to hear it directly from the traitor's mouth.

Both Daemon and I had a lot of explaining to do to Malone. He was going to crucify me for f.u.c.king up the deal with the cartel. He'd worked for years on setting it up and now I'd screwed with our main source of income, he'd be spewing mad at me. But my crime wasn't anywhere near as bad as Daemon's-brotherhood counted more in my father's eyes than anything else. If I was f.u.c.ked, Daemon was doubly so.

Tugging hard, Pedro managed to get Alessandra away from Daemon. The older man pulled her against his chest, his arm in a vice-like grip around her waist, banding her arms by her sides. For an old man, he was strong as f.u.c.k. Must be the steady diet of tequila.

"If these a.s.sholes have touched your c.u.n.t, you are no good to me."

One hand unb.u.t.toned her jeans, pulled down the zipper, and slid down the front. The sight of his hand beneath her white cotton panties drove me insane. My skin crawled as if a thousand poisonous scorpions had just been poured over me. At any moment I was going to lose my s.h.i.t and not care about the gun that was now pointed back at me.

"Open your legs, girl, so I can feel you," Pedro commanded as he kicked her ankles, forcing her legs apart. Behind me, Ryder growled and Razor cursed, both of them stuck with the Don's henchmen pointing rifles at them. Hammer didn't make a sound.

I swallowed hard, not wanting to watch but unable to tear my eyes away. f.u.c.ker would die for this.

Alessandra cried out, her eyes wide with fright and shame. "Please, don't. Not here."

My whole body shook as my mouth went dry. Somebody was going to die here tonight. "Daemon, stop this. For f.u.c.k's sake, don't let him-"

A shot rang in my ears, nearly causing my eardrums to burst. The Don's face contorted in shock before I saw the hole between his eyes. Daemon was a marksman; he rarely missed his target. I blinked, unable to believe my eyes as my twin turned and shot both of the henchmen between their eyes before they knew what hit them.

"Element of surprise. Works every time." Daemon chuckled.

I swung back to him, only to find that he had Alessandra in his grip. From one motherf.u.c.ker to another. When would this nightmare end?

"You shot him," Ryder yelled. Blood from the back of the Don's head puddled around him, the liquid almost black in the darkness.

"Yeah, he was starting to p.i.s.s me off. And if you don't shut the f.u.c.k up, you're next." He pointed the gun at Ryder and made a show of starting to squeeze the trigger.

"Daemon! Stop this s.h.i.t. What the f.u.c.k is wrong with you?" Razor yelled. "It's us, your f.u.c.king brothers!"

"He ain't my brother. I hate his f.u.c.king guts," Daemon screamed, still aiming at the spot between Ryder's eyes.

"Please. No," Alessandra whimpered. Tears streamed down her face. The side of her lip was swollen and bruised where Pedro had struck her and her arms, neck and right cheek had splatters of red on them.

"I thought you'd be pleased I shot the c.o.c.ksucker trying to get into your c.u.n.t," Daemon said. "Guess you're mine now, darling." He let out a long howl into the night as he pressed her back to his chest while his hand closed over her breast and squeezed.

Alessandra closed her eyes, tears falling rapidly down her face and onto Daemon's arm. He stopped howling and gripped her face in his hand, turning her head to him. I watched in horror as Daemon licked over the blood on her cheek with a wide flat tongue. Alessandra squirmed in his hold, but his grip just tightened, the veins on his forearms bulging with his strength.

"Later when I f.u.c.k you, you'll be grateful that I saved you from that old p.r.i.c.k. You need a real man's c.o.c.k inside you, not the d.i.c.k of an ancient drug lord who is high or drunk most of the f.u.c.king time."

I growled, clenching my fists together. Steam was coming off my face.

"Let her go, Daemon," I said, my voice cracking. My muscles burned with the restraint I was forcing myself to exercise. I couldn't do anything foolish to place our lives in danger, yet I couldn't stand the way Daemon was handling her, his intentions clear.

"She's mine now. How about we end the night with a show, huh, boys?" He laughed. "Shall I f.u.c.k her with my gun or with my c.o.c.k? Which would she like most for her first time?"

Daemon placed the gun under her chin, grinning as he contemplated his options. My blood ran cold. While he had the gun pointed on me, I was less afraid than I was now. Crazy f.u.c.ker would do anything to taunt me.

He ran the barrel down her T-shirt between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Ryder groaned behind me, swearing to kill Daemon under his breath. If we weren't careful, we'd all end up dead.

"How about both, darling? Once I've f.u.c.ked your virgin p.u.s.s.y with the gun, my c.o.c.k can have a taste. I think Cobra wants to watch. I saw how he looks at you. He'll be wishing it was his c.o.c.k f.u.c.king you." He paused for a moment, as if he was thinking. Then he grinned as evil sprouted from his lips. "Maybe, I'll let him. After Ryder and Razor, of course. He can wait till last. I like watching before-"

All the air left my lungs. Rage made me blind. I was killing this crazy f.u.c.ker tonight, twin or not. He didn't deserve to f.u.c.king breathe. Lunging forward, I threw my full weight at Daemon, throwing him off balance with Alessandra sandwiched between us. I grabbed his wrist and pointed the gun skyward as a shot rang out. A shot that would've gone straight through Alessandra's heart.

She screamed into the night as Ryder grabbed hold of her and pulled her away. Razor had jumped forward and unarmed Daemon. He held the gun in his hand, unsure exactly what to do with it for a moment.

All Daemon and I had left were our fists.

It wasn't an even fight. The rage that coursed through my body and gave me superhuman strength. I laid into his face, his chest, and his stomach, punching with full force until the sneer left his face. Until his eyes went gla.s.sy and Ryder pulled me off his beaten and bloodied body. Until Alessandra's sobbing reached my ears.

"Please, no more killing. Please, Cobra."

Razor laid a hand on my shoulder and pulled me back. "Stop, Cobra. He's pulp. You made your point, brother."

I roared, anger burning in my soul. "Leave me. I wanna end his miserable f.u.c.king life tonight. What he did-"

"Not like this," Ryder said, holding me around the chest to stop me from going back in and finishing him off.

"He wanted to rape her with a gun. He wanted us to . . . to rape her. He deserves to f.u.c.king die," I screamed, going crazy at the thought of what I'd just witnessed.

"I know. I'd f.u.c.king kill him myself for that. But you are the next pres. You can't kill your brother. You'll be thrown out of the club, even though it's all his fault. It's the rules," Ryder said.

"f.u.c.k the rules. f.u.c.ker dies tonight," I yelled, breaking loose and surging forward to lay my bloodied fists into him till the last breath left his body.

"Cobra, please stop. For me." Her voice was soft, yet strong.

I cracked.

I fell to the ground at her feet, sobbing like a f.u.c.king baby. I reached out and pulled up the zipper of her jeans even through the pain in my fingers and blood smearing on the fabric.

Sitting on my knees, I pressed my face against her thighs, holding on to her as if she were going to disappear. She stroked my head, pushing my face to her.

"Hush. It's over. It's all okay," she chanted softly.

Alessandra was the strong one. She would be my light in this darkness. She pulled me to my feet. "Hold me, Cobra," she said as her arms slid around my waist. I hugged her tight, breathing her in. We stood like that for a few moments until she raised her face to mine. "Kiss me, Cobra."

I dipped my head and kissed her as if my life depended on it, yet taking care not to hurt her swollen lip.

"El mio," I said the only words I knew in Spanish. "You are the one belonging to me."

"Yes, and you to me," she said, brushing her lips against mine before pressing her soft body against me.

I pulled away and stared into her eyes. "From today I shall call you Mia for el mio. Alessandra died here tonight with the Don. We'll get married as soon as we get back to the compound so no one can take you from me. Or ever try again."

She chuckled softly, her eyes bright. "Are you asking or telling me?"

I swallowed hard. Did she want it too? Fever burned my body.

"Tell me yes. Tell me it's what you want, too. For us to be together for the rest of our lives. Say yes, Mia," I pleaded.

"Mia," she said, rolling it off her tongue.

I lifted her off the ground and her legs clamped around my hips as I kissed her face and her neck.

"Mia. Mine forever."

"Yes, Cobra. Yes to forever."

The sun had started rising and slithers of daylight painted the barren landscape in oranges and blues.

It was a new day. We'd survived the night.

Chapter 24 - Mia.

I liked my new name. Mia would always remind me that I belonged to Cobra. I was his and n.o.body else's. It was crazy-we didn't know one another that well, yet I knew within the depths of my soul I could never love anyone as much as I loved this man.

Cobra had carried me off a distance away from the trucks and bikes where Razor and Ryder were cleaning up the mess. He set me down gently on my feet as he leaned his back against a tree. Pulling me into his arms, he held me against his body until I stopped trembling.

Leaning in, Cobra spoke in my ear. His voice was hoa.r.s.e and low and it made my p.u.s.s.y clench. "Can't wait to get inside your . . . my p.u.s.s.y. But after what you've been through, we need to wait a while. I don't know how I'll manage; my c.o.c.k is so hungry for you, baby, but I will wait till you are ready for me."

I kissed the sh.e.l.l of his ear before I whispered back. "I'm ready. I have been for years. I want your c.o.c.k inside me. Sooner rather than later. Please, baby. Make me yours." I wasn't beyond begging for what I wanted. I needed to get rid of my virginity so that it was no longer an issue. There was only one man I wanted to give it to and he was making me wet with his words and his warm breath against my skin.

"Later, baby, when we're alone. I wanna take my time with you. The first time should be slow. Sweet and slow. It's what you deserve." His voice cracked a little as he spoke. He meant every word, and it touched me to my soul that a man like Cobra, one who most people would a.s.sume was rough and uncaring, would want to be gentle with me. I loved him even more for it.

Daemon lay in a heap on the ground, tied up, his wrists and ankles bound by ropes Razor had found in the trunk of the Don's car, and gagged with Cobra's bandana. Although I doubted he would wake for a long time, I shuddered when I thought of what would happen when he did open his eyes. It wasn't going to be pretty, and I hoped I didn't have to be there to witness it.

Relief washed over me that the Don was dead. He could never come after me again. But I knew it wasn't the end. His family would come after us to avenge his death. This kind of thing never went away. It would follow us for the rest of our lives. We'd always have to watch our backs, always be in danger from retaliation.

Yet, it was a price I was willing to pay for being with Cobra.

Chapter 25 - Cobra.