My sister’s eyes roved the parking lot, widening when they saw me. I sprinted toward her all smiles, ready to throw my arms around my sister and give her the biggest hug in the world. But the second I was within two feet of her, a huge arm came between us, knocking me to the ground violently.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” the big, menacing biker growled. He was huge and at least three hundred pounds, with a big scar jutting across his face. “Do you know him, Cherry Girl?”
My sister was like a deer in headlights, staring at me like I was a stranger as I attempted to get back on my feet.
“Joey?”
“Who the fuck is Joey?” the dude growled.
Without missing a beat, Joey glared daggers at me. “I’ve never seen this person in my life, Shotgun baby.”
The biker looked me up and down, then looked at her. “You sure you don’t know him? He looks a lot like you.”
“Joey? Why are you acting like you don’t know who I am?” I reached for my sister’s hand, but that was an even bigger mistake. Shotgun’s arm came crashing down, nailing me right in the face. The force of his blow whipped my head back, and this time my head hit the concrete with a sickening thud.
There was no gasp. There was no look of sympathy in my sister’s eyes. She stared at me like I was a ghost—a stranger—someone that meant nothing to her.
Blood moved down my face, leaking out of the open wound his giant gold ring etched into my skin.
“Stay the fuck away from my girl, or the next blow will take your head right off.” He opened his vest, showing me the gun he had hidden there.
The bikers and their women kept moving, leaving me dazed and confused on the ground. This was not my sister. My sister would’ve never let anyone hit me that way. She would’ve protected me. She would’ve jumped in to save me from myself.
“Joey, please!” I shouted after her. “I came back for you. I thought you’d want to see me!”
Shotgun whipped around, pulling out his gun. “I told you to stop fucking talking to her.”
Fear wobbled through my bones as he trained his gun on me. I saw him toy with the trigger, ready to pull it without a second thought.
I closed my eyes, ready for this harrowing end to my pathetic existence, but then the source of my light swooped in to save me.
“Hey, let’s not get too hasty. You know what AK said. He said no more guns in public. Let the kid go. It’s obvious he’s mistaking me for someone else.”
Shotgun lowered his gun. “You’re lucky my club means more to me than your pathetic life.” He spat at my feet, then grabbed Joey forcefully by the waist, pulling her with him.
I let out the breath I was holding in, and barely lifted my eyes up in time to see it. But there it was… the universal Murdock sign of trouble. The letter M with the fingers crossed in the middle.
That only meant one thing: Joey was in danger.
And that also meant I was the only one that could save her.
Chapter Five
It was imperative that I save my sister from herself. How she got wrapped up in a hardcore biker gang, I’d never know, but I knew that I was the only one who could get her out.
It only took me two days to figure out where the Hell’s Artillery MC holed up. All I had to do was follow a few bikers around and they led me straight back to their headquarters, or whatever it is bikers called their home.
At first, it was easy to watch them from afar, gauging the amount of danger my sister was truly in. The Hell’s Artillery MC was a group of outlaw bikers. They drank, shot up all sorts of drugs, and liked a good party.
The partying never stopped. Someone was always up doing something or someone. They were definitely people I shouldn’t fuck around with, but I was worried about Joey and knew that the longer she stayed here, the harder it would be for her to leave.
“What the fuck do ya think you're doing?” a menacing voice asked from behind me.
I thought I had stayed pretty well hidden, but when the massive boot kicked into my side, it was obvious my cover was blown.
Air whooshed out of my lungs as another swift boot nailed me again. “Are you spying on us, kid?”
“No,” I grunted out.
