LOGINThe morning went smooth like the day before. Tiffany had the ginger tea ready on the counter, honey stirred in just right. Hazel came out yawning, hair still messy from sleep.
“Morning,” Tiffany said, sliding the mug over. “Stomach any better today?”
Hazel took it and sipped. “A little. This helps. You’re really sticking with the routine.”
“Prez’s orders. Plus it ain’t ha
King staggered back, hand flying to his chest. Blood was already spreading dark across his shirt. “What the fuck?” he gasped, eyes wide with shock.The lot went dead silent for one heartbeat. Then all hell broke loose.Vipers started yelling, raising guns. “Prez!” one screamed. “Kill that bitch!”They pulled triggers. Clicks. Dry fires. A couple of pops that went nowhere. Confusion hit hard.“What the fuck is this?” a big guy near Rico shouted, shaking his gun like it was broken.Hazel stood over King, gun still pointed. Her voice came out cold and steady. “You thought I was yours? You stupid piece of shit.”King dropped to one knee, breathing raggedly. Blood bubbled in his mouth. “Hazel… why?”She stepped closer. The floodlights made the blood shine. “Yo
Hazel stared at the ceiling while King’s arm lay heavy across her. Sleep wasn’t happening. The mill was tomorrow night. Everything had to line up perfectly or she was dead.She slipped out from under his arm carefully, sat on the edge of the bed, and rubbed her face. The snake tattoo still pulled tight every time she moved. Her burner stayed dead silent in her boot. No more messages. Too risky now.Morning hit and King was wired. He dragged her to the main room where Rico and a dozen guys waited around the big table.“Final prep,” King said, slamming a map on the table. “We roll heavy tonight. Hazel’s plan. Mill. Reaper walks in, we end him. Queen here gets the kill shot if she wants it.”Hazel nodded. “I want it.”Rico met her eyes for half a second across the table. He’d come through last night—slipped something
Hazel smiled against King’s mouth. “Can’t wait.”But her hands still had a little blood under the nails. Rico watched from across the lot and nodded once like he knew. This alliance was poison. And it was all about to boil over.King kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked back inside. “You smell like grease and blood, queen. I like it.”She didn’t answer. Just let him steer her through the main room where guys were still drinking and bullshitting about the mill. A couple raised their bottles at her. She gave a small nod.Next morning shit hit the fan fast.King stormed into the garage while Hazel was checking another fuel mix. His face was dark. Gun already out.“Spike’s missing,” he snapped. “You see him last night?”Hazel wiped her hands slowly. “Yea
King’s arm tightened around her in the dark. “Mine,” he mumbled again, half asleep.Hazel lay there stiff, burner phone burning a hole in her boot. She waited until his breathing went deep and even, then slipped out from under his arm slow as hell. He stirred but didn’t wake. She stood by the window, staring out at the lot, heart still racing from that buzz.Too close. Everything was too fucking close.Morning came with chaos. King was hyped.“Big meet tonight,” he told her over burnt coffee in the main room. “Allies from up north and east. You’re sitting at the table with me, queen. Show ‘em who’s really running shit now.”Hazel poured herself more coffee. “I’ll give ‘em ideas for the mill. Make sure they bring enough bodies but not too many. Don’t want it looking obvious.”King grinned and yanked her onto his lap right there in front of three gu
Hazel nodded. “Yeah.”King kept his arm around her in front of the whole room. “This is just the beginning for us.”She leaned into him as she meant it. The other Vipers watched, some smirking, some still side-eyeing her. Rico sat in the corner nursing a beer, not saying shit.Later that night, back in King’s room, things got ugly.King had one of the club girls dragged in — some young blonde named Cherry who’d been hanging around. Hazel sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, watching.King didn’t even ask. He just shoved Cherry against the wall, right there in front of her. “Watch, queen. See what you’re missing by holding out on me.”Cherry giggled nervously at first, then gasped as King yanked her skirt up. He fucked her hard and loud, no warm-up, hand in her hair, eyes locked on Hazel th
King kissed her hard, possessively. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”Hazel kissed back, empty. Counting the seconds until she could put a real bullet in him.He pulled away, eyes searching her face. “You’re quiet tonight.”“Tired,” she said. “Shooting that kid took more out of me than I thought. Happy?”King grinned and slapped her ass. “Very. Get some sleep. We ride at dawn.”She nodded and headed to the room. The second the door shut she leaned against it, eyes closed. Another day. Another line crossed. She touched the snake tattoo through her shirt and winced. Still raw.Dawn came too fast. They rode out with a small crew—King, Rico, two others, and Hazel on the back of King’s bike. The target was some Iron Sons scout dumb enough to get spotted. They caugh
Hazel stood slightly behind King in the dimly lit back room of the warehouse, arms loose at her sides, face blank. The air smelled of cigarette smoke, motor oil, and fear-sweat.Three Viper lieutenants sat at the table. In front of them, a skinny guy named Ruiz knelt on
Hazel sat at the small metal table King had brought in two days ago, a stack of papers in front of her. She scanned the deal sheet slowly, pen in hand, marking a number in the margin. Eight days now. The room no longer felt like a cage. It felt like a workshop. She was learning the machine.King le
Seven days.Hazel stood by the barred window, arms crossed, staring out at the empty lot behind the warehouse. No more pacing like a trapped animal. No more red eyes or hoarse throat from screaming.Seven days. The crying had stopped on day three. The screaming died on day two. Now there was only t
Four days.Hazel sat on the edge of the bed, back straight, staring at the wall of photos. No tears today. No screaming. The hollow ache in her belly was still there, but it had turned into something cold and sharp. Fuel.He killed my baby. Jax’s ch







