Out of the Ashes (Sons of Templar MC 3)

“Hey!” Lexie started to protest.

I silenced her with a knowing look.

“Be careful,” I warned him, my eyes reminding him of my murder threat. He nodded tightly.

He pushed off his bike and grabbed Lexie’s hand. “Let’s go, Freckles,” he told her softly. “You can tell me all about your struggles with the complex process of driving on the way,” he teased lightly.

Lexie gave me a scowl and I blew her a kiss before she turned her back. I made my way back to a tense Zane, who watched my car reverse in the driveway.

“Killian looks funny driving Betty,” I commented, tilting my head. “I’m surprised my car doesn’t like, eject such a masculine being out of a such a girly car.”

My joke didn’t defuse any tension. Zane grabbed my elbow roughly and dragged me into the house.

“Hey!” I protested, ripping my arm out of his grasp. “Careful with the merchandise, buddy!” I rubbed my arm slightly.

Zane dropped the bags at his feet and stalked towards me. I backed into the closed door without even knowing until he had me boxed in.

“Would you like to tell me,” he began on a quiet tone, “what the fuck you were doing in Hope?”

I took a breath and moved my eyes to meet his, unsure of what made him so furious. “Shopping,” I told him honestly.

“Shopping?” he repeated quietly.

I nodded. “Evidence is right there, officer.” I nodded to the bags.

He slammed his open palm against the door and I jumped at the explosion of anger. It was only clothes. Jeez.

“Is everything a fuckin’ joke with you, Mia?” he half yelled.

I didn’t answer because I think that was a rhetorical question.

“You need to tell me exactly what happened with Logan,” he demanded.

I quickly recounted the interaction with the other biker that had Zane all riled, hopefully to get an explanation as to the origin of such rage.

He was silent for a moment when I finished, his frame scarily still. He seemed to be holding himself back from doing something.

I swallowed my fear. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. “Those guys, they’re not your friends, are they?” I asked the question I already knew the answer to.

Zane didn’t speak, only shook his head slightly.

“Me and Lexie,” I began slowly, my face draining. “We’re not in danger, are we?” I asked in slight horror over the fact I had just sent me daughter off to the movies.

Zane stepped back, right out of my space. His eyes stayed locked on mine. “No,” he promised, his voice firm. “Not anymore,” he added roughly.

My stomach sank at something behind those words.

I stayed with my back against the door. “What does that mean?” I asked slowly, even though I thought I knew the answer. And the hurt sliced through me already.

“Means we’re done,” he said flatly, without emotion. With dead eyes.

I flinched slightly from the pain from those three words. I stepped forward, not toward him, but toward the sofa. My legs were in danger of giving out. I chided myself for being so weak. For letting a man worm his way into my heart once more. Giving him the power to affect me so deeply. To hurt me.

“You promised,” I half whispered, sinking down on the sofa. I lifted my head meeting his eyes. “You promised,” I repeated, this time, louder, stronger. “That you were certain. That you wouldn’t hurt Lexie—hurt me.”

Something moved in Zane’s eyes as I said that, but his face stayed blank. He stood there watching me. “That’s what I’m doing,” he finally said, “keeping my promise.”

And with that, he walked out the door.

Bull stormed into the clubhouse, striding through the bar and crashing through the closed doors to church.

“Want to tell me how the fuck that happened?” he roared at Cade while the rest of his brothers stared at him.

His best friend and president regarded him coolly for a moment. “Sit down…” he began.

“I will not fuckin’ sit down and calmly discuss this shit. We are going to storm their fuckin’ clubhouse. Now,” he demanded. There were a couple of nods from around the table.

Cade ignored this. “You know we can’t do that shit. Gotta play this smart,” he said evenly.

Bull walked over to the head of the table and slammed his fist down. “Walked right up to my woman, her fuckin’ kid, threatened them in broad fuckin’ daylight,” he hissed at his friend. “That was Gwen and Belle, would you be playin’ this smart?”

Cade’s face hardened. “I’d be acting the exact same way you were, brother,” he said quietly. “I’d hope my club would talk me down. Make me see such a move could be more dangerous in the long run.”

Bull and Cade stared at each other for a long moment, Bull struggling to keep himself together. “Broad fuckin’ daylight,” he repeated and Cade’s eyes hardened.

His brother knew exactly what he was talking about. He wasn’t having anything else he cared about snatched away from him. Which was why he righted his colossal fucking mistake with Mia an hour ago. Should never have gotten close. Made her his. That put her in danger.

“They’ve got eyes on us,” he declared once he had himself in some form of control, once he battled the demons down to their cage. “Knew who Mia was,” he continued in a hard voice, taking his place at the table.

There was a multitude of hard looks with this declaration and the air turned dangerous.

“They’re going to be dealt with,” Cade declared. “When Old Ladies get involved, any form of mercy goes out the window.”

There was a chorus of agreements at this.

Cade’s eyes flared. “We deal with these fuckers. Tonight.”

At this Bull grinned.

The man coughed up blood and Bull stood emotionless, having enjoyed every moment of beating the shit out of Logan, the president of the Lost Knights. He stepped back so Cade could clutch him by the collar.

“I suspect you and your boys,” he glanced around at the various men who lay on the floor groaning. A couple were moaning over some bullet holes, which were barely flesh wounds, the pussies. “Have gotten our friendly message,” Cade continued blandly.