“You should have locked the door, baby,” Were the words I said to my fiancé before I smashed my baseball bat into his face for cheating on me with my best friend. Or the bitch I thought was my best friend.

Of course, I destroyed his apartment, maybe even ripped up important certificates and whatever, but he fucking got that coming for himself. Three years pretending to even fucking like him.

Three years of pretending that I wanted to be normal.

Hell, I even quit smoking just so I could fit in more. Hid my tattoos. Faked all the moans I possibly could so he’d feel better and I’d stop feeling like a whiny, needy fiancée.

“Where to?” The taxi driver asked as I slipped into his taxi and slammed the door.

“The Iron Clad compound, please,” I pulled out a cigarette from my jacket pocket, placed my bat on the seat beside me and lit it.

He stared through the rearview mirror. “I don’t—”

“Everyone that owns a cab knows where the compound is, don’t lie to me, I’m not patient. Especially today,” I rolled my eyes as I placed the lit cigarette in between my lips. “I’ll pay you two hundred dollars if you drive me there. Five hundred if you shut up. Deal?”

Now, I didn’t have any money on me but he doesn’t know that. Plus, he agreed instantly and we were off before I could clarify that.

I cracked the window and bit back a laugh. Three years of being Remus Calloway. Like what kind of name was Remus? For a girl? But I did it. Because I wanted to be a civilian. For once in my life, I wanted people to treat me like I was human and nothing to be feared or treated like a baby.

And it worked. Until I saw my fiancé’s dick in my best friend’s pussy.

If I wasn’t so pissed, I’d laugh at myself.

“We’re… we’re here,”

I looked away, staring now at the big ass black gate with skulls hanging on the large big walls. I walked out of the car, blew out the smoke and said with my hands on my waist, “Well, fuck me, they’ve still not decorated this place,”

A gunshot rang through the air, hitting one of the tail lights of the taxi behind me. The man screamed, I raised my hand up to him, holding back a groan, “Baby, you don’t turn on your fucking lights at the iron clad gates. It’s like asking to get shot. Turn it off. Go on.”

He did as he was told. I nodded. “Good boy.”

I placed my bat on my shoulder and pulled out the phone in my purse to make a quick call. It took only five seconds. “Hey, your rookies are shooting at me in front of the gate. I do hope a bullet goes through me so my father rips them apart limb from limb but yeah, you should come save me or some shit. Or them. If that’s how you like to roll.”

Then I ended it.

“C-Can I go now?”

Ah, yes, the driver.

I walked back to him, lowered my head down to stare at his sweaty and panicked face, and smiled. “Look, I know you wanna get out of here before something happens to you which I can’t promise won’t happen but at the very least, you gotta get your five hundred dollars back, no?”

He shook his head, his hands on the steering wheel tighter. “N-No, I don’t think… I don’t think I want the money anymore—”

I grabbed his shoulders and squeezed gently. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with you not getting your—”

The sounds of the large gates opening cut me off as my attention instantly turned to it.

The Iron Clad gates took their time opening contrary to my legs, but when they did, I could feel something choke me right in my throat as a face I thought I had buried deep inside appeared.

Salt and pepper hair, sharp jawline and muscles for days with a leather jacket that read REAPER KING. VP of Iron Clad.

The man I had called personally to come pick up. My fathers second in command. Decker Kane.

And the reason I left three years ago.

I smiled and walked to him, “Before you ask too many questions, give me five hundred bucks. And I know you have it, because you walk around with a shit ton of money in your wallet for some reason. Hand it over,”

Decker Kane stared at me like he always did since the moment I could recognize his face. Exhaustion. But he gave me his wallet. And I returned to the driver, paid him off so he could go on his merry way and returned back to Decker. “You look… so much older than I—”

“Is he alive?”

I smiled at him. “Did you miss me? I missed you too—”

“Remy.”

“If he were dead, I’d get rid of his body the way you taught me how to, no worries,” I joked, trying to see if he’d crack a smile. He didn’t. My insides turned, my body burning.

Hell, all he had to do was stare at me and I was already getting turned on?

“You still act like a child.”

His words settled somewhere in my skin, burning me like fire branding it. I could feel the rage in my chest growing, demanding that I slam the bat somewhere on his face— or I try to, but that’d prove I was a child more.

And that’s the last thing I needed.

“I was one when I ran away, Kane,” I said, whispering now so only he could hear me. “I was hurt that you fucked all the girls your hands could reach and somehow decided I was just not good enough for you.”

“I don’t find you—”

“But that’s fine,” I cut in, smirking. “Because I’m not running away this time. I’m done with it. This time, you, Decker Kane, will make me yours, and you’re gonna be so irrevocably in love with me that you won’t remember what life felt like before me.”

I saw his jaw tighten, his grey eyes shift like a storm and his chest rise and fall like he was debating locking the gates and keeping me out.

But I ignored all of that and slithered past him, fighting the urge to slap him in the ass before stepping fully into Iron Clad soil, raising my bat up in the air and screaming, “Remy Calloway is back home! Who missed me?!”

They missed me so much, it was almost unbelievable.

“Jesus Christ, did you get surgery? When did your ass get so big?!” Buggy said, his gold teeth gleaming at me.

“You look so fucking hot, Remy!” An old rookie and friend, Slink, chipped in.

“Hope you're staying forever this time. Almost got the entire pack looking for you. Can't trust those other weak men to treat our princess good, can we, boys?” Wolf Kane, baby brother of Decker Kane, raised his alcohol glass, his eyes glistening at me.

They all cheered loudly in return.

Decker Kane, on the other hand, was keeping his distance. The entire gang had been super excited to see me again and had taken me to their bar.

The women were usually never allowed in there except on rare occasions, so here I was, in my teeny shorts and tight top with all of these men who were drinking for my return.

He's lurking somewhere. I know it.

“But it's good to have you back, though. Not everyone knows how to fix a motorcycle the way you do,” Wolf slid another glass of alcohol to me.

I caught and downed it in seconds. “Glad to be back. Wasn't sure I could stay away any longer, honestly.”

“Not sure how your Father would feel knowing you're back, though.”

Cole Calloway. President of the Iron Clad Kings. My Father, who was so fucking smothering I was sure I'd kill myself.

He didn't want what happened with my Mother to happen to me, so he should have taught me things as protection. But he hid me away from everyone.

Decker Kane was the only reason I survived the real world.

“He missed you, but he really just wanted you to have a normal life, you know? Not being shot at, for once,” Slink said, then winked at the bat still in my hand. “But I guess Calloway's blood is stronger than he thinks, yeah?”

“By the way, how much damage did he get? Do we still need to rough him up?” Buggy asked.

Wolf's eyes lowered. “Buggy.”

“What? Everyone wants to know!”

My hand reached for Buggy's face as I leaned in, my breasts dangerously close to his face as I whispered, “I can even do you one better. Open your mouth.”

Buggy opened with the speed of light.

I picked up my glass and shot down the burning alcohol. Didn't swallow. I positioned my mouth right over his, but before I could spit it back, a rough hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me so hard I almost kissed the floor.

But I strategically let myself fall into his chest, a wide smile flashing across my lips. “Oops.”

Decker Kane was so much taller than I remembered. And larger. I felt like a tiny butterfly in front of a mountain. I wanted to have him pinning me down and on top of me right now. “Enough.”

My hands moved up his chest. “I know what it looks like, but I'm not the bad guy here. I'm the drunk weak one. I'm innocent.”

“Boss, she wasn't—” Slink started, but then he let out a groan, which I was sure came from Wolf elbowing him in his ribs.

Such a good wing man, honestly.

“But maybe I'm not drunk, and you could punish—”

I didn't get to finish the sentence. Decker dragged me like I weighed nothing away from the bar and the eyes of the other guys. We passed so many rooms, and then we were in an office.

He flung me in and shut the door.

I grinned and turned around. “Well, well, well. I didn't think you wanted me that badly, but if you're going to be so rough—”

“This is your Father's office. He'll be here in ten minutes.” So gruff. So cold. “Sit.”

I didn't. I moved even closer. “I promise you, a minute inside me, and you'd have the best orgasm of your—”

“Remy.”

That voice. He said it in that same tone that made me realize how madly obsessed with him I was at nineteen. Decker Kane was a quiet man, but for some reason, with me, he talked like I was his property. His to ruin and keep.

I liked the idea of it too much.

I scoffed and moved back to one of the seats there. “Whatever. Ruin my fun. See if I care.”

He said nothing.

“So what? You're gonna stand there brooding like a turkey? At the very least, get the fuck out and leave me alone if you're not gonna have a conversation with me—or take out your dick.”

“Is that all you learned outside? Sex? Is that all you care about now?” He cut in, his eyes hard. “The Remy I knew had dreams. She wasn't… this way.”

My heart stung. “Fuck. You. You don't know shit about me. You fucking abandoned me for three years. Didn't look for me. Didn't even fucking call. I'm sure you were as glad as my father was that I was gone, weren't you? Problem child finally out of your hands. Could take your early retirement now.”

He might have given you all of his attention as a kid, but you're grown now. No one wants you. No one gives a fuck about old Remy Calloway. She's just loud and silly and such a burden.

His eyes hardened into rocks. “Are you done?”

Hurt thrummed through my veins, but I knew better than showing it. “You can't win this, Decker, and you know it. You can avoid looking at my tits for as long as you want, or clenching your hands into fists, but you're gonna want me. And when you do, you're going to beg and crawl for it. I'm gonna make you pay for every single emotion I felt. Maybe not now. But so very soon. Hold me to that.”

Fortunately for me, I didn't have to hear his response because the door to the office slammed open and a too-familiar voice said, “Remus Lou Calloway.”

Fuck. Full name. Double homicide.

I winced. “Hi, Daddy.”

I looked much more like my father than I did my mom which wasn’t too disappointing especially since he was still a stud at fifty. Gray hair that made him like a silver fox in his prime. And those dark eyes that spelled trouble.

Made sense why mom fell for him.

Also made sense why I fell for Decker.

“Kane.” His voice was low. “Out.”

Mhm. Should not have run my big mouth to a certain man.

The second Kane left, my father spoke, “Sit.”

I crossed my arms. “No ‘baby girl, I missed you?’ Or ‘welcome home, there’s always a place for you in my court?’ Cause that’s what I need right now after what Travis—”

“Everyone knows you hated that coward so the pity party you desire won’t work.”

I sighed. “I’ll take my losses.”

The second I moved to sit, my father had reached me in three strides and wrapped me up in his arms. He smelled masculine, but with a mix of engine oil and the sun and all those things I liked about getting hugs from him when I was six. “You look like shit.”

I didn’t hug him back. “It’s because I look like you.”

When he pulled away, his dark eyes roamed my body. “Is the bastard dead?”

I shrugged. “Hopefully not. I got too mad to ask why he was fucking my best friend so I’ll need to ask later— and he needs to be alive, Daddy. Stop glaring at me like that. You can kill him later,”

He reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I never said I was gonna kill him.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Are you staying, Remy Lou?”

I wanted to. Fuck, I wanted to. But my father’s already staring at me like whatever answer I give will break him, and I… I don’t think I’ll stay too long if what I came for doesn’t work. “Who knows? I’m gonna test the waters. Hopefully return with a fish and shit,”

“You always had a way with words. Ever got that arts degree you wanted?”

“Yes, actually.” I said quite proudly. “Graduated with honors too.”

He made a face. “You didn’t invite me for graduation?”

“Pops, I didn’t do that shit. I was pretending to be normal but I couldn’t pretend for too long, that shits exhausting.”

“I see. So we are throwing you a party as soon as we can.”

“Dad—”

Cole Calloway made a face. It was something of a ‘dare me’ and ‘I will slap you hard across the face’, and if he hadn’t changed too much, then a slap was coming my way if I didn’t shut up. “Understood. Under one condition.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see how you are in a position to have conditions,”

“You don’t have to see it.” I shrugged. “I wanna get patched in.”

Silence, then him walking to his leather seat. “No.”

“I’m twenty two years old—”

“And you could be fifty,” He cut in. Seeing my father in that leather swivel chair after these three years was a strange sight. I used to be so afraid of him on that thing but I wasn’t anymore. “You said you got your degree, you can—”

“With all due respect, I already lived a civilian life. I didn’t fucking like it. That’s the point.”

“You don’t have to like it. Look, you’re going to have to pick your poison. You stay here and you’re the princess as you’ve always been, or you can leave and I don’t imprison you—”

“I’m your kid. Yours, for crying out loud,” I cut in. “You gotta give me a chance. If it… if it doesn’t work, then you can… I don’t know, ground me or whatever, but we’re family. I know you want me here. When are you gonna stop being a big baby about it?”

The Cole Calloway I knew as a teenager would have had me counting rice seeds for my insolence… but this time, he stared at me with this same old look he’s had recently and said ever so quietly, “Alright. Six months. But you’re gonna have to earn your kutte like everybody else,”

“Six months? But I know the entire rule book already. I’m also a Calloway—”

“And that's exactly why it's six months.” My father leaned back in his chair. “You think I'm gonna let you waltz in here and get special treatment? You wanna be one of us, you earn it. No shortcuts. No daddy's girl privileges.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand.

“Six months, Remy. You follow orders. You keep your mouth shut when you're supposed to. You prove you can hang without me pulling strings. You’re also keeping the bat down,” His dark eyes pinned me in place. “And you stay away from Kane.”

“He's the VP. How am I supposed to—“

“Figure it out.”

“Fine. And my sponsor?”

“Decker Kane.”

“What in the actual fuck—?”

“Leave my office, prospect,” He flipped through the files on his table. “Some of us have real jobs,”

I wanted to scream at him, or at the very least, break his table, but I didn’t. Instead, I walked out of his office with a fire in my belly that threatened to turn into a full blown out rage party—

Until my face fell on Decker Kane who had apparently heard the entire conversation and was already looking like I had stolen his soul.

I grinned and walked up to him. “Well, hello—”

“You’ll regard me with respect, Prospect,” But he looked like he was using all of his might to hold back something.

I could push. I should push. But I wasn’t sure I would survive staring at the look on his face without taking my panties out and presenting it to him on a gold platter so I backed away. “Understood, sir. See you tomorrow,”

Then the moment I found my old room, bit hard on the headrest and rode my fingers thinking of him inside me instead.