Chapter 3

ELARA'S POV 

"Snugglebug!" A feminine voice called my name from the living room. 

Wait, there's only one person that calls me that. 

I opened the door to find a redhead girl in a short leather skirt and a crop top. Kathy. 

"Kathy?" I rushed into her arms.

"Elara!"

"Oh my gosh, how have you been?" I asked, pulling away slightly.

Kathy used to be my best friend before I moved to New York. 

"As you can see," she grinned. "I've been great, what about you? I just heard you were back in LA."

"Yeah," I smiled.

"Tell me everything! Last I heard, you were engaged and your Dad, may his soul rest in peace, was not happy about it."

Kathy's hands flexed on her hips as we sat on the sofa. 

I spent the next thirty minutes updating Kathy about my life in New York and how Jason dumped me for his stepsister.

"Wow, he did that? If Tiger knew about this, that sick fuck would be dead already," Kathy said, shaking her head.

"I wouldn't have let Dad do anything about it. Everything happens for a reason," I replied.

"You know, back in the day, I used to wish I was like you. You never get in trouble. You were just too innocent and too damn sweet, unlike me, who was a delinquent." 

We laughed. 

"Now, I still wish to be like you. If I was the one who caught my fiancé, not boyfriend but FIANCÉ, doing that, I would kill him in that spot."

"Kill him? I wish I could." The truth hit me then. I was done. 

Being a good girl brings nothing but heartbreaks. It brought many heartbreaks. 

Even before I got engaged to Jason, I dated other men, and they were all the same. 

"I want to let loose, Kathy. I'm done sulking."

"Then say no more! I'm heading to a party from here. Let's go together."

"What?" I asked, almost instantly regretting my decision. 

"You need something to let you get your mind off everything, and I don't want to hear any buts."

Kathy pulled out a black short spaghetti-strap dress from her bag that she had prepared to change to later tonight, but since I don't have any "party-worthy dress" she gave it to me. 

The dress was tight and made of silk that barely covered anything. I felt uncomfortable at first, but I needed to crawl out of my shell. I wanted to feel reckless. 

I checked through the keyhole on the door to see the Viper still standing outside. 

Kathy and I sneaked out through the back door. We got to the party, and the loud music and crowded bodies felt completely out of place for me.  

I took the one shot Kathy offered me. It stung, burning down my throat, but then the sudden heat felt thrilling. It was rebellious against the quiet, safe life I used to choose.

Someone tapped my shoulder. "Sexy," a voice said close to my ear. I smiled, turning to face him. 

Sharp cheekbones, dark hair and a tight black top that showed all that needed to be seen. 

I was done being a good girl. 

The man in front of me was exactly what I needed. I needed someone to ruin me, and now, I could finally embrace the kind of life I was born into.

"Hey," I said, smiling. 

"I'm Tyler."

"I'm Elara."

He leaned forward but just before our lips could meet, a hand grabbed Tyler's shoulder and pushed him backward.

The same hand smashed into Tyler's face. 

My eyes trailed up to the person hitting Tyler in horror.  

It was Knox. His jaw was clenched so hard I saw the muscles twitching. His eyes darkened with a terrifying, absolute rage. 

"Knox, let go of him!" I screamed in horror, trying desperately to get his attention, but he did not spare me a glance. 

Fist after fist, Knox continued. The music had already been turned off, and every single person in the bar was watching. Not one of them dared to move closer. 

I moved closer and grabbed his forearm. He stopped instantly, breathing heavily. His eyes slowly met mine, and I could see the raw, terrifying rage in his eyes.  

This was the scariest I had ever seen him. The second time. 

I remembered the last time I saw that expression. It was when I was eighteen and he was twenty-one. 

Although we grew up together, we were not the best of friends because I hated all the members of the Vipers. 

I could not understand why they all chose a path of death and violence all in the name of brotherhood. 

The last time I saw that dark gaze was during my high school prom. James, some jerk from the football team, tried to force me to kiss him. 

Knox broke five of James's fingers right there. Somehow, James ended up in the hospital the next day with unexplainable bruises. 

It was the same look Knox had back then, a possessive, murderous look. I could not tell at the time if it was blind loyalty to my Dad or if he had completely lost it. 

"Knox, please stop, you will kill him," I pleaded.

He immediately let go of the man's collar and rose to his feet. 

Knox did not say a word. He did not even look at the man he had just brutalized. His eyes remained locked on mine. 

His hand wrapped my wrist and pulled me hard. He led me out of the bar, my feet scrambling to keep up with his long strides. 

When we reached his motorcycle parked outside, I yanked my arm hard. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I winced at the stinging pain in my wrist, his grip was too tight. "You acted like a maniac! 

You would have killed him if I hadn't interfered, wouldn't you? You're a monster that kills people like you are collecting Pokémon cards!"

He ignored my words and tossed the only helmet on his motorcycle in my arms. "Put it on."

I was enraged that he was not even apologetic for his brutality. 

Tyler did nothing wrong. I turned my heel and threw the helmet on the ground. I started walking quickly down the sidewalk, away from him.

I heard his heavy footsteps catching up. 

Before I could do anything, his hand grabbed mine and spun me around, pulling me against his chest. 

His face inches from mine, his piercing blue eyes looking directly into my soul. 

He still did not say a word. 

"My brother was wrong," I panted, trying to make it not obvious that the proximity was making me weak on my knees. "I don't feel safe with you." 

"You're not a kid anymore," he growled, a rough sound that vibrated through my bones. "We need to leave immediately before the Skulls show up."

I did not listen and tried to wiggle myself out of his grip. 

"You becoming my responsibility," he said, his voice low and breathy. "Meant that if any man tries to grope you, he dies. If anyone becomes a threat to you, they die."

I blinked. 

"Since you became mine to protect, it also means I’ll do anything to make sure you’re safe. Even if that meant burning the entire country, the whole damn world to the ground, I’d gladly do it."

His grip on me tightened, not rough, but enough to let me know he wasn’t bluffing.

"I’m sorry," he added." But I’ll have to take you against your will right now."

He tried to hoist me on his shoulder, but I wouldn't let him. He eventually manpowered me.

"Let me go!" I said, trying to wiggle myself free. 

"Let me go." I said again. If Knox replied, I couldn't hear. 

A gunshot was fired in the air. The bang was too loud.

Knox's body immediately stiffed. He gently and swiftly dropped me to the ground and stood in front of me, facing the direction the gunshot came from. 

Knox brought out a gun from his waistband. Three shots were fired immediately, one after the other. 

I covered my ears, dropping to the pavement under him.

Suddenly, I could see it again. For the first time since forever, I went back to that night again. The night Mom died. 

She was already on the ground in her pool of blood with her eyes wide open. 

No one could help her, they were all busy screaming at each other and killing themselves with bullets. 

"She's still alive, I need to help her." I said to myself. 

I rose to my feet, rembling and started walking to where Mom was sitting, but suddenly, a man appeared in front of me, pointing a pistol at me, smirking. 

I screamed for help on top of my lungs till everything blacked out.