Climbing Out (2 page)

“Hey, honey,” I heard her say into the phone as I chased after her.

“Zara!” I yelled. “Don't you fuckin' dare.” I glared as she stood on the other side of the couch.

“That's just Deanna in a bad mood.”

“I will kill you,” I hissed through clenched teeth.

“Why, you ask, is Deanna in a bad mood? Well, honey, I'm not sure, but there is something wrong here, Talon. I'm worried.”

Motherfucker.

I knew I had no chance now. If Zara was worried, Talon would try his best to squish that worry for her—in any way he could.

I was done for.

Shit. No I wasn't. I was Deanna Drake, and I didn't let anyone tell me what to do.

“Yeah,” she said into the phone, “thanks, honey. I'll see you soon.” She flipped the phone closed, and put it in her pocket while biting her bottom lip.

Yeah, she should be worried. I was going to do what any tough, don't-fuck-with-me woman would do.

I ran from the room, up the stairs and locked myself in my bedroom.

M
y door shook as it got pounded on. “Open the fuckin' door, Hell Mouth,” Talon barked.

There was no way in hell I was opening my door. I was sure I could wait out the lot of them.

“Just leave,” I groaned from where I lay on my bed with my arm over my eyes.

“You know I won't. You're worrying my woman, Hell Mouth. I can't let that happen. Not only fuckin' that, but who her people are, now are Hawks’ people, and you're one of 'em. We help each other, and that means either come out here and tell me what in Christ’s name is goin' on, or
I
come in there.”

I snorted...and wiped away the stinkin' tears that broke free while I thanked fuck no one could see how his words had turned me into some stupid emotional woman.

But they had.

Because of Zara, I now had a family, one that was alive and willing to help. Jesus, I knew I had become a raging bitch when Zara wouldn't let anyone help with her problem, and now I was doing the same.

Ironic. Insert eye roll.

But this was different.

Now I totally understood why Zee was so damned determined to keep others safe from her crazy ex, because right then, I was willing to do the same. The only difference was that the wanker who would soon be after me wasn't an ex.

Fuckin' hell.

Was I being stupid with this act? Probably.

But I didn't want anyone to see the scared fucker I was becoming underneath this facade. I thought I could take on everything.

I was wrong.

I was weak.

And I hated it. I hated myself.

David, Zee's weirdo ex, helped prove how much of a wuss I was.

It was a week after Zee's episode with him that Talon called me in the middle of the night askin' me if I wanted my payback, and if I did, I had to get my ass to Pyke’s Creek.

What I thought I was prepared to do ended up being different than what I did do.

Griz

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I
was sitting opposite Talon in his office at the compound when his phone rang.

He looked at the screen and smiled. I knew straight away who it was before he answered it with, “Kitten, what's up?”

His smile fell from his face. “Who the fuck is yellin' in the background?” He waited for his answer, and then said, “Why is she spazzin' out?” He sighed. “You need me?” he asked, and then added, “I'm comin'.”

He threw his phone to the desk and then must'a thought better of it; instead, he pocketed it as he stood.

“What's going on, brother?”

“Zara's at Hell Mouth's. Somethin's going on, so I'm headin' over there.”

I also stood and asked, “Mind if I join you?”

He gave me a knowing smirk and chuckled. “Sure, Griz.”

I ignored his reaction, followed him out of the compound and stalked across the graveled path to our Harleys.

“When are you gonna snap the fuck outta your shit and take what you want?” Talon asked as he placed his helmet on.

“Don't know what you’re talking 'bout. There ain't nothin' I want.” I sat astride my bike and belted up my helmet.

“Motherfuckin' bullshit. Wake the fuck up, brother. Hell Mouth won't be available forever.”

“You of all people know I don't need another bitch to deal with.” My bike roared to life.

“She'd be different,” Talon yelled over the rumble of our bikes. “I think you know this, and that scares the fuck outta you more.” With that, he kicked the stand up and took off.

Following him, my mind couldn't help but wonder off, thinking 'bout princess. Talon was right—she would be different, and that did scare the fuck outta me, because I've never felt the attraction I did for her for anyone else.

As if to prove the point, my dick hardened.

Christ, now wasn't the time to get a hard-on like some fuckin' little boy.

I got enough shit to deal with in my life than worrying 'bout her, but it had been too long since I'd seen her. For some reason, she'd been absent from everyone’s lives for the last couple of months. I often heard Wildcat complaining about it.

There had to be an explanation. Anyone could see the love Deanna had for Wildcat, so for her to keep her distance like she had been, there had to be a huge fuckin' reason.

Maybe if I could find out what crap she was dealing with and fix it, then I could stop thinking about her and worrying every minute of the damn day.

And my shit won't stink either.

We pulled up to her two-story brick home in fuckin' suburbia. I bet her neighbours had their blinds twitching, searching and wondering why Deanna had two criminal-looking bikers walking up her drive.

Talon didn't bother knocking; he walked right in and I followed to find Wildcat and Julian sitting on a couch with a ton of shit surrounding them.

Talon let out a low whistle as I took in all the crap, from toasters to books to—was that a fuckin' vibrator sitting on top of the desk? I was afraid to look.

“What the fuck is all this shit?” I asked.

“That's what we want to know,” Wildcat said. I glanced at her and could see the concern showing in her eyes.

“Where is she?” Talon asked as he made his way to his woman. He helped her from the couch and twisted her so she was in his arms.

“Once she knew you were coming, hunk, she took off to her room and locked herself in there,” Julian explained.

I seriously wished he'd quit with the damn pet names.

Talon looked back at me and I nodded. We made our way down the hall—which was also full of shit—and up the stairs to her room. I didn't ask how Talon knew which room hers was, 'cause I sure as hell didn't know, and it kinda already pissed me off.

It had to be because Wildcat told him.

It had damned well better be!

Talon banged on her door and barked, “Open the fuckin' door, Hell Mouth.”

“Just leave.” We heard with a groan of annoyance.

Talon started to say something else, but I was too occupied with my own thoughts to listen. What was going on with her? Why couldn't bitches just say whatever the hell was wrong with them, and then fix the fuckin’ problem instead of doing this childlike shit?

After Talon's speech, silence met him from the other side. I was sure I heard a sob, but then thought,
that couldn't be right.

But what if it was? I—we had to get in there to find out what was going down with her before she stressed the fuck outta us even more.

Talon turned back around and looked at Wildcat, who had followed us down the hall.

“See what I mean? Usually she'd be out here ranting and cussing like a sailor at us instead of this act,” she said with a sad tone.

“She even said please before,” Julian added, and Zara nodded in agreement.

Fuck. We all knew that word would never pass Deanna's lips unless it was serious.

“Do you reckon she'll let us have it if we break her door down?” Talon asked with a smile playing on his lips.

A shit-eating grin spread across my own.

“I don't think it'll be a good idea to poke Satan and test her,” Julian said.

I chuckled. “I think it's fuckin' brilliant. Step back.”

Eight Months Earlier

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Deanna

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I
'd made my way out to Pyke’s Creek, to the destination where Talon had told me they'd be. I pulled my Mustang up, turned off the engine and then made my way behind an old, run-down boating house. The night was cold and misty; I wore jeans and a hooded jumper. I wasn’t sure if this was killing clothes...what would one wear to kill someone in? I didn’t know. I knew why they had chosen this area though. It was secluded. Nothing surrounded it except for bush land. The only road in was the one I just travelled. They could easily tell if someone was approaching.

Four large vans were parked there, and about ten bikers where standing around talking. Talon must have spotted me, because he appeared out of nowhere right in front of me.

“You ready?” he asked.

I thought I had been, so I nodded. Talon gestured to someone, and the back door to one of the vans opened. One of his men dragged the beaten form of David out and threw him to the dirt ground.

“You can't fucking do this to me!” David shouted.

“Bullshit,” Blue laughed, “you fuck with Hawks, we fuck back harder.”

Talon took my arm and pulled me over to the bikers now circling David.

“What's she doin' here?” Griz growled from the other side of David.

“She wanted her chance. I'm givin' it to her,” Talon said.

Griz shook his head and hissed, “Jesus, Talon.”

Talon just ignored him and called, “Pick.”

My eyes widened as the bikers parted, and Pick shuffled forward. He looked tired, and seemed as though he was still in pain from getting shot. He was also showing signs of new bruising. I guess Talon hadn't been too happy with him after all. Though, no one could blame him.

“For the shit you caused, this is your payment. Do you accept?” Talon asked. “But realise this—if there are any blow-backs from killing this fucker, it'll all be on you.”

Pick met Talon's hard gaze, and then stood taller and said, “I accept.”

“He should fuckin' die like this piece-of-shit too,” someone shouted.

Blue chuckled. “No one can touch him, or Wildcat will have Talon's balls for it.”

Everyone laughed.

Pick winced. I bet he hated it was Zara and a couple of gay guys who saved his arse.

“All right. Let's do this so I can get home to m'woman,” Talon ordered, and then turned to me. “Hell Mouth, you get first shot.” He pulled a knife from the back of his jeans and held it out to me. “He stabbed Zara in the leg first, so I think it would be appropriate if we return what was done to her, to him.”

I took the light-weight, agile fighting blade and smiled down at it. I felt pumped and excited for the fact Talon had let me be involved with this, even though Griz was obviously disgusted by it—I could tell from the scowl upon his handsome face.

Gazing from the knife down to David, my stomach churned.

“Hell Mouth?” Talon questioned, but my eyes stayed focused on David. He looked scared; his body trembled and sweat-beads showed on his forehead, but there was a cocky glare in his eyes. He smirked up at me.