Bex: Pick me up from work. Then we'll party! xxx It didn't look like there were any signs of life in the club, that being because it was a Monday afternoon and they weren't opening for another few hours. I had questioned why Bex was even here, it wasn't completely unusual as she came here to practice routines. I'd been with her a few times and gave her pointers. Not that I had much experience.

Me: I'm outside.

I texted, not wanting to go in. It might be broad daylight but it was in an industrial part of town, not much else was out here and I couldn't see any signs of life. A glint of silver caught my eye and I recognized Lucky's bike out front. How I had missed it before I didn't know. I was relieved slightly, but I was also dubious to go in. I didn't need to see ... that. Bex swore that whatever was between them was purely physical, but I knew different.

Bex: Come in. I'm not ready, need your help with something.

I rolled my eyes. Bex was never ready when she said she would be. I got out of my car just as my phone started ringing.

"Hello, hubby," I greeted with a grin.

"Hey, baby," his husky voice tickled my stomach. "How'd it go?"

I locked my door and strode across the empty lot, my heels echoing. "Good...." I paused. "I think. Or I could have bombed completely. It's done. Out of my hands," I declared.

"You would have aced it, flower. You've been studying like crazy over the past month, no one can produce that many flashcards without some of that knowledge sinking in," he teased.

I grinned. He had dutifully tested me on everything from blood types to how to administer an IV without a compliant. He'd even insisted I practice my "procedures" on him. That always turned dirty within minutes.

"You on your way here?" he asked. There was a small party at the club, celebrating me finishing mid-terms. One that didn't cause me to break out in hives. Over the past two months, whenever I wasn't on placement or working at the store, I spent my time with Asher at the club. My shyness had quickly fallen away, and I felt comfortable around all of the rough men. They were family. They took my silence in their stride and grew used to the fact I wasn't loud or sassy like Gwen and Amy.

"I'm picking Bex up from work and I'll be there," I told him, frowning at the front door, which was ajar.

"What's Bex doing there now?" he pondered.

I walked through the dark foyer. "I don't know, but Lucky's here. I hope my eyes aren't scarred for life when I go inside," I joked.

Asher's deep chuckle sounded at the end of the phone. "I hope so too, flower. Or else I'll have to kick his ass for corrupting my sweet innocent wife."

I rolled my eyes. "You've already well and truly corrupted me, Mr. Breslin," I shot back, looking around the empty room gingerly, hoping not to encounter anything above G-rated.

"Well, hurry over here so I can corrupt you some more, Mrs. Breslin," he commanded roughly.

My stomach dipped. "I'll do that. Love you," I replied throatily.

"Love you, flower," he returned.

I rang off. "Bex," I called.

I was met with silence and something crawled up my spine, a sixth sense of uneasiness.

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" a deep voice asked from the shadows.

I jumped and turned, my heart pounding in my chest. "Lucky! You scared the jeebus out of me," I scolded him, putting my hand on my chest.

He stepped forward, grinning. "I'd hate to rob you of your jeebus," he teased.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after scowling at him. Apart from Asher and Bex, Lucky was someone I felt like I could be my complete self with. He didn't treat my shyness like the cripple it was. His gentle teasing and easy manner coaxed me out of my shell quickly. He was like a brother.

He crossed his arms. "Had to pick up some paperwork shit," he explained with a grimace as if collecting paperwork was akin to shoveling horse manure.

"My heart bleeds for you," I shot sarcastically.

He grinned. "Kitten's got claws. What are you doing here? Practicing for your big debut? I think the only way your husband will let you on that stage is if he neuters every male within a hundred-mile radius," he said, crossing his arms.

I shook my head at him. "I'm looking for Bex, she texted me and told me she needed to be picked up. Have you seen her?"

Lucky's grin quickly disappeared. "No, she's not here. When did she text you?" he asked, instantly alert.

That feeling of foreboding returned. "Just now," I told him, looking down at my phone.

"I'm afraid Rebecca won't be coming to the phone right now," a voice declared from the shadows.

Lucky immediately stepped in front of me drawing his gun at the emerging figure. Carlos stepped into the light, not seeming to be bothered he was looking down the barrel of a gun. His fake tanned face looked overly smug in fact. He was limping, leaning heavily on a cane he hadn't had the last time I saw him.

"What have you done with her, you piece of shit?" Lucky spat, his voice vibrating with fury.

Carlos smiled and straightened his suit jacket casually. "Oh, I've taken her to where she belongs. A place where a girl such as her can serve her intended purpose," he replied breezily.

My heart sank, and I felt a vice tightening around my lungs.

No.

Not Bex.

Lucky's form turned to granite in front of me.

"Get out of here right now, call Asher the moment you're in your car," he instructed me tightly, not moving his gun.

"I'm afraid the new Mrs. Breslin will have to stay with us," Carlos exclaimed. "She's needed as a part of a message I'll be sending to your club," he finished the same moment I felt cold steel at my temple.

Lucky whirled around and pointed his gun at the man who yanked me into his body.

"Let her go motherfucker or I'll spray your worthless brains all over this floor," he clipped, voice shaking with fury.

The man behind me laughed. "Try it. Her head will be opened before you can even get your shot off," he said, and I tasted bile.

Lucky glared as two more men appeared at either side of him. His jaw hardened.

I battled against the growing pressure on my chest, my breath coming in slow pants.

Lucky's eyes softened as he focused on me. "Don't worry, sugar, you're gonna be fine," he promised.

Carlos laughed lightly. "It's not her you should be assuring of safety, you should be more worried about yourself," he stated. He made a small nod of his head and a gunshot echoed inside the cavernous room.

I didn't even realize I was screaming until the ringing in my ears stopped. My eyes widened in horror at Lucky's still form on the floor. Blood started pooling underneath him and he didn't move, didn't portray any sign of life.

This can't be happening.

"You bastard," I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Carlos stepped over Lucky's prone body to stand in front of me. He tilted his head and trailed his hand along my cheek. I flinched back from his vile touch. He grinned and sucked on the finger that had trailed through my tears.

"It's a shame," he mused. "That we can't use you. You'd be much more valuable than your junkie friend. But, we need to send a message to your husband's little club...." he paused. "We are not to be fucked with. And they need to learn what happens when people try." He nodded his head to the man holding me.

I struggled as he dragged me toward the stage. My efforts were laughable, my small body not even emitting enough strength to make a difference, regardless on the adrenaline pouring through my veins.

After he'd gotten me on stage, he pushed me roughly so my back met the cool steel of the pole. I stared down the barrel of a gun as he pointed it at my forehead.

"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.

"We've got a problem," Wire stated flatly when he got to them. Wire's face was pale. Asher's stomach clenched. Fucker was never rattled. He sucked down energy drinks like they were water, and therefore was constantly twitching, eyes darting around whenever he wasn't surrounded by his computers. He wasn't twitching. His form was still. Shit was bad.

"We need to get to the Diamond Lounge, now," he demanded urgently.

Asher stood immediately, as did Brock, their beers rattling on the bar as they thrust them down.

"Shit's gone down. Fuck. They shot Lucky. Set the place on fire," he told them quickly. "The cameras have been down and I didn't think much of it. I've only just got them back on."

Asher stepped forward, shaking him by the shoulders. "Lily's in there," he barked. "Is she okay?"

Wire's expression turned his body to ice and fear clog his throat.

I coughed at the smoke invading my nostrils, my lungs, every part of me. My chest wheezed in response to the fumes strangling me. I ignored this. My bonds were loosening, I could feel the warm trickle of blood trailing down my fingers as my skin ripped away with the force I was rubbing it against the rough rope. I didn't feel the pain that should have come with this.

"You can do this," I gritted out, choking on the gathering smoke.

I could feel the heat of the approaching flames that were engulfing the building. I'd never felt anything so intense in my life. It felt like my body would burst into flames at any moment. My eyes zeroed in on Lucky's body, on the fire dancing around it. They moved to the small opening at the entrance to the building. Smoke distorted my vision, but I hoped that opening stayed like that. It had to. Otherwise, I'd have no chance.

I wasn't surrendering to the growing feeling I was going to die. I couldn't. I wouldn't. Asher's face filled my vision for a moment. His sharp jaw, his deep chocolate eyes.

I coughed again and my eyes focused back on the flames. A sharp twang of pain radiated up my arm as I got my wrist free. I yanked the other free and fell forward, painfully landing on my knees and wrists. I ignored the pain and scrambled around to unfasten the rope at my ankles. The heat was more intense now, the smoke made it nearly impossible to see, to breathe. I knew I would pass out from smoke inhalation before the flames charred my body, especially with my already weakened lungs. My shaking and bleeding hands ripped off my cardigan and fastened it on top of my mouth. It wouldn't do much, delay my death from suffocation for a few moments, minutes if I was lucky. I scrambled up as my legs were released and stumbled off the stage to where Lucky's body lay.

I wouldn't let him be turned to ashes. I wouldn't leave him.

My hands hooked under his armpits, and I wrenched with all of my strength to drag him toward the opening. It looked miles away, especially with the flames moving closer at terrifying speed. I felt like the skin was melting off my body. My arms screamed, and my lungs felt useless as I coughed into the fabric at my mouth. I wasn't going to do this. I wasn't going to make it. I wasn't strong enough.

"You can do this, peanut," my mom's voice whispered in my ear. "You're so much stronger than you know. I'm not ready to see you again, not yet. You can do this, baby."

With every inch of my body telling me I wasn't going to do this, my mind reassured me I could. It urged me forward, renewed my strength to drag Lucky. Gave me the ability to suck what little air remained, just enough for me to chase away the black spots dancing at my vision.

My body sagged against the door and I let Lucky's body go, supporting him with one hand while the other fastened on the doorknob. I gritted my teeth at the blinding pain that erupted in my palm as the piping hot steel singed my skin. I ignored this and turned the handle, praying for it to open. I fell onto the ground as the door moved and cool air rushed at me. I sucked in the air greedily, choking on the cleanness of it as my polluted lungs struggled to expel the poison clogging them.

I hooked my hands under Lucky's body once more, using the last of my strength, of my breath to drag us onto the concrete, a safe distance from the flames. I collapsed against the asphalt as my body struggled to get a proper breath. My chest wheezed, and the invisible hand fastened around my throat.

I heard a roar. I didn't take much notice of it, thinking it was in my own ears, my body's response to dwindling oxygen. I didn't think it might be Harley pipes.

"Lily," a voice bellowed.

I blinked and moved my eyes up. A blurry figure sprinted toward me.

"Fuck, fuck!" Asher's beautiful voice cursed as arms gathered around me pulling me further from the flames.

"Someone check his pulse," he barked, and I felt Lucky's body slide away from me. I tried to crane my head to watch, to hope beyond hope that they'd find one. That my eyes had deceived me when I'd seen them kill him.

Asher's hand stopped my head's motion. "Lily, look at me," he demanded urgently.

My lazy eyes moved to his, and my chest rose and fell frantically, a terrible sound erupting from it. The sound of my lungs giving out.