Beyond the Horizon (Sons of Templar MC 4)

“Move and die, your choice,” he uttered with a grin.

I stood silently, paralyzed with fear, unable to think of some clever way out of this. Unable to think of anything beyond the roaring in my ears, the heavy pressure on my chest. I felt like a frightened shaking rabbit in the headlights.

I stayed still while he tied me to the pole, Carlos watching on with his arms crossed. His gaze flickered around the room.

“It’s nothing personal, Lily,” he stated conversationally. “You’re just a bird really. One of two that I get to kill with one stone.” He glanced down at Lucky’s body. “Well, three technically.”

Anger blossomed in the pit of my stomach. “They’ll kill you,” I hissed. “Every one of you. They’ll end you for this,” I promised not recognizing my own voice.

Carlos seemed unperturbed at his perilous future. “I expect they’ll try, but I’ve got powerful partners. Partners that have a vested interest in my survival,” he informed me.

I flinched as the rope tightened painfully around my wrists. Something registered in my mind.

“The Tuckers,” I said, half to myself. Asher said they were powerful, Dylan had been ranting about making Bex his “whore.” I thought it was the rantings of an insane pig. So had Asher and Lucky, they’d made sure there was a message sent to not only him, but his family that Bex was off limits. They said they made an agreement. The same with Carlos. My eyes narrowed on the cane he was leaning on. The agreement, I guessed.

He regarded me. “Correct, Mrs. Breslin. I see it’s not true what they say about blondes, there’s some brains in that pretty head. It’s a shame they won’t be of use to you much longer.” He buttoned his jacket, gesturing to the men he was with. “Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but things to do, junkies to punish,” he informed me with an apology.

My throat closed up in fear for my best friend. “They’ll find you. Find her,” I croaked.

He grinned. “I sure hope so, I’m looking forward to the day that the Sons of Templar realize not everyone scuttles away into their corners when they throw their weight around. That old friends that they thought they’d extinguished are emerging from the ashes,” he replied with a glint in his eye. “Though I don’t expect that day will be today, they’ll be too busy scouring the ashes of their business for remains of their family,” he added, turning on his heel.

The vice around my chest tightened as his words sunk in, and with the smell of gasoline that wafted into my nostrils. I watched in horror while they poured it along the bar as they strutted out of the building. I struggled savagely with my bonds, not feeling the skin being ripped from my wrists at this motion. I had to get out. Survive.

The door closed and the flames surrounded me.

Asher glanced at his phone in irritation. Something chewed in the bottom of his gut. Something he hadn’t felt since the moment he slid the diamond on his wife’s finger. Dread.

“Why the long face, brother?” Brock asked, slapping him on the back and sitting beside him at the bar. “Married life not all it’s cracked up to be?” he teased.

“We both know that married life is all it’s cracked up to be, and more,” Asher replied, grinning slightly. He may be a sappy fuck, but he didn’t even care. Finally, he had his Lily, his flower. Forever. He knew why Brock, Cade, and even Bull let their women drag them around by their dicks. Why they looked at them like the sun rose with them. Because it did. Because their world was filled with all sorts of shit, of all sorts of darkness. Women that came in and brought the light were one in a million. For Asher, Lily was one in a lifetime.

Brock grinned back and clinked his bottle with his. “Amen to that brother,” he replied, glancing over at his own wife, who was laughing with Gwen and holding Kingston in her arms. “Just wish my woman would decide it’s time for me to put a baby in her. I’m ready for one of my own, maybe it’ll calm her down, make me stop worrying about what crazy shit she’s up to,” he mused, taking a pull of his beer.

Asher laughed. “I don’t think anything’s going to tamp down your woman’s crazy shit, if Gwen’s anything to go by….” he paused, grinning into his bottle. “What’s the problem? You got lazy swimmers?” he asked seriously.

Brock moved his soft gaze from his wife to him, the expression on his face turning into a scowl.

“My swimmers are far from lazy, motherfucker. My swimmers are excellent,” he growled.

His continued protests were silenced by Wire’s approach, both men silenced at the look on his face. Asher felt that dread intensify tenfold.