Jen_C’s Reviews > Payback > Status Update

You’ll be safe. Just stick with me, Shye, and we’ll pull through. I promise you that. We will destroy this club. No one will hurt you ever again.” And as much as I knew they were just words, I had to believe him. Because he’d never given me any reason not to. And I had faith in him. “I love you, Alder.” “I love you too, honey. So f-ing much.

They whipped you.” “Thirty lashes or thirty men. That was the choice I was given to pay for the damage I’d wreaked on the club. When you owe a debt, you have to pay it back, and my only currency was flesh or sex.” She turned, showing me the brand on her hip. Two shallow, sharp S’s side by side—Soul Suckers. “I chose flesh again the second time, not because I wanted to, but because I had no other way to do it.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.” My time in the barn was over, which meant I needed to throw myself into a deeper level of hell. As much as I hated what I knew needed to be done, I turned and headed for the house. It was time to rip my own heart out.

I’m sorry I attacked you. I was just so worried.” “I’m not even close to sorry. If you want to greet me that way every day, I’ll die a happy man.” He pulled back, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. “C’mon. Let’s go to bed.” Reality slammed back into me, and I froze. I couldn’t sleep with him, couldn’t let him see me naked. See the scars and the proof of who owned me.

Never figured you for a murderer, but we all do what we have to do.” I had to do was eliminate the threats to my town and my girl. “Thanks, man.” “I got your back. Now go take care of your girl, and don’t leave her alone again. I’m not picking your sorry ass up off the floor if they get to her.” “Not happening.

Serious Stockholm syndrome, obviously. Because if I compared him to the Soul Suckers, looked at how they’d taken away my free will and put that up against Alder’s actions, there wasn’t much difference at first glance. Sure, I had no fear of Alder. My body was safe with him. My heart, my mind, my independence…not so much. The Soul Suckers would kill me; Alder would die trying to save me if he could.

I’d liked her, the Kennard family had practically adopted her, and Cam had loved her. Her death would be a dark moment for the entire damn town. “I want them dead,” I said, my voice low and quiet. “We handle the investigation, we track the f-kers down, we kill them. No f-ing sheriff or DA. No lawyers. Right?”

My experience with men—what little I had—had always been about pain and punishment. I’d never been kissed the way Alder kissed me, never gone farther than a simple boob grab that hurt more than aroused. But I’d try, I’d learn. For Alder, I’d figure this whole sex thing out for the first time. So long as he wanted me the way I wanted him.

I had nothing but a debt I doubted I’d ever finish paying off, a body no one would want to touch if they saw the damage to it, and a rental agreement for a trailer older than I was, sitting on a rocky, scrubby mountainside. Used to have that trailer, at least. Now I had nothing. Except the scars and the debt that led to them.

Shye may not have known it, but she was mine. I’d do whatever it took to protect her. And if this f--king motorcycle club had threatened my girl? I’d gut them and leave their bodies for the predators.