جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 90

~RAVEN~ The morning air bit at my skin as I stepped out of Cassie’s building. Two days. That’s all she’d given me. Two days to pull my life together when it was already falling apart. The city looked cruel in daylight… Gray skies, trash in the gutters, people moving too fast to care. My boots clicked against the cracked pavement as I walked, clutching the strap of my bag like it was holding me together. The humiliation still burned. Ryder’s voice, cold and final, replayed in my head. “Get the hell out, Raven. You’re done here.” Then the image of my things — my damn life — being tossed out of the clubhouse like trash. All because of her. Tessa Morgan. The fragile, doe-eyed waitress who had somehow managed to wrap the Vice President of Hellfire MC around her finger. I ground my teeth, the memory sharp. My mascara had dried in streaks on my cheeks the night before. I hadn’t even bothered to fix it. Let the world see what he’d done to me. Cassie’s words echoed in my head.

~RAVEN~ The drive to Marcus's mansion blurred into a haze of city lights and unspoken promises. His fingers drummed the steering wheel, the only sound breaking the thick silence between us. I stared out the window, the check's weight in my purse a constant pull, but my skin prickled under his occasional glances... predatory, assessing. The engine's rumble vibrated through the seat, stirring heat between my legs that I tried to ignore. Greed had gotten me this far; now it dragged me deeper. We pulled through wrought-iron gates that swung open like jaws, the mansion looming ahead. The mansion was huge! How I wish.... I lived in a building like this. Gravel crunched under the tires as he parked, killing the engine. "Welcome to my world, Raven," he said, voice low and inviting. His door clicked open, and he circled to mine, offering a hand that I took despite the warning bells in my head. Inside, the air was cooler. Marble floors echoed our steps as he led me thro

~RAVEN~ The night air was thick... quiet. The Vipers’ compound wasn’t much to look at from the outside — rusted metal walls, faded graffiti, the low growl of engines somewhere in the back — but inside, it buzzed with power. And money. I could smell it. Tonight was my night. My second chance. My return to relevance. I walked through the crowd, hips swaying, heels clicking against the concrete floor. Every eye followed. Men who thought they were kings, bikers who thought they were dangerous. They didn’t scare me. I’d survived Marcus Reynolds — danger didn’t impress me anymore. Music pounded through the speakers — rough rock, fast beats. Someone passed me a drink; I took it, mostly for effect. I wasn’t here to party. I was here to make an impression. “Raven Bishop,” a voice drawled behind me. I turned, already knowing who it was. Jace ‘Viper’ Malone. President of the Vipers MC. He was Ryder’s age, maybe a year older. Same build — broad shoulders, ink runnin

~RAVEN~ The air outside the Vipers’ clubhouse smelled like smoke... the kind of scent that clung to your clothes and refused to leave. I stood in the doorway, arms folded, watching the boys laugh around the bonfire. Their laughter was sharp, dangerous, the sound of men who had nothing to lose. And maybe that’s why I was here. Because I had nothing left to lose either. Marcus leaned against his car across the lot, cigarette glowing between his fingers. He looked like sin wrapped in silk — dark suit, slicked hair, that smirk that always promised something filthy and cruel. When his eyes met mine, I looked away too quickly. I hated that he still had that power. The same kind Ryder used to have… before Tessa took it from me. Tessa Morgan. Even the name made my stomach twist. Perfect little angel with her shy smile and her doe eyes. Somehow, she’d turned Ryder Bishop — the wildest man in the Hellfire MC — into a damn saint. And everyone loved her for it. The memor

~TESSA~ The phone rang once... twice... and my heart already knew it was bad news. When Duke’s voice came through, it wasn’t calm... it was heavy... broken around the edges. “Tessa... it’s Ryder... he’s been shot.” The world just... stopped. Everything went silent. The air in my lungs froze. The mug I was holding slipped from my hands and shattered on the kitchen floor. “What did you say?” I whispered. “We got Sarah back... she’s safe... but Ryder... he took a bullet.” “Where is he?” “St. John’s Hospital. He’s in surgery.” I didn’t wait for another word. My hands shook so badly I could barely grab my keys. The drive felt endless... red lights blurring past me... horns blaring... tears streaking my cheeks faster than I could wipe them. By the time I got to the hospital, the waiting room was already filled with leather jackets... Hellfire patches... and blood on more than a few hands. Tank was pacing. Duke sat in the corner with his head in his hands. When they saw me, ev