“Wait—no, wait—what did I—”
Strong hands grab my arms, twisting them behind my back. The cold bite of a zip tie digs into my wrists, slicing my skin. My chest tightens, panic flooding my throat.
“Dane!” I cry out to my brother, looking for something—anything—in his face. But there’s nothing there. Just stone. Just the Prez.
Just Wolf.
I want to fight. I really do. But what’s the point? They’ve already decided.
My body goes still, trembling but surrendering. I feel the rag shoved between my teeth, the taste of beer and bleach coating my tongue.
Oh God. It’s happening again. Someone taking away my voice.
They drag me out of the bar and toward the clubhouse. My boots scrape against the floor, and I hear the echo of peoplefalling silent as we pass. Not a single one says a word. Of course they don’t. No one defies Ruin. Or Wolf.
A few minutes pass and I’m hauled across the main clubhouse hall, toward the basement. The sharp smell of damp concrete and diesel hits my nose.
And fear. Fear hits me too. In fact, it consumes me.
I’m shoved into a chair beside someone already tied down.
Glory.
Her eyes are wild, rimmed red, her hair a tangled halo of sweat and tears. She looks at me and laughs, sharp and unhinged. “Didn’t think we’d end up together again, huh, baby doll?” she wheezes. “Full circle.”
“What—what’s happening?” I whisper through the gag.
Her grin turns crooked. “Not sure what you said, but can you tell them the truth, for once? You’re the smart one, right?”
Why am I gagged and she isn’t?
But her words hit me like a slap. “What?”
Ruin steps into the dim light, the shadow of his cut spilling across the floor like judgment itself. “You didn’t think we’d find out? That you’ve both been stealing from the club register,” he says, voice low, controlled, deadly. “Five years’ worth of money. Over two hundred grand.”
“What?” I scream into the gag, shaking my head violently. “No! I—”
Glory cuts me off with a shriek. “She told me to fucking do it! That it’d be easy. That you’d never suspect a club princess!”
What?
My breath stutters. “That’s not true! S-She’s lying,” I try to say, but it comes out as a muffled sob. Nothing goes past the gag.
Ruin’s expression doesn’t flicker. “You’re both guilty. Doesn’t matter who started it. We’ve seen both your bank accounts. Gotta say…” He crouches in front of me. “You knew what youwere doing. Clever, almost. But you became sloppy these past few months.”
Accounts?
Sloppy?
“I didn’t—I swear—I didn’t!” My wrists burn against the zip ties, skin tearing. Managing to dislodge the gag enough that I’m coherent.
I plead for mercy with my brother. “Please, Da—Wolf, you have to believe me. I didn’t take anything. Why would I?”
He doesn’t say anything. Just shakes his head toward the ground.
Instead Ruin steps closer, towering, every inch the Vice President now. “You both like your club slut ways, don’t you?” he growls. “Then you’ll see what happens to them when they betray us.”
“Please. You have t-to believe me!” I scream, tears flooding my vision.
