Vivienne's POV

Time seemed to slow to a halt, with everyone rooted in their spots. I really would have thought the world had frozen in place, until the next series of events followed.

The leader of the gang nodded behind me, and apparently, that was all the other members needed to act. One by one, they filed behind their leader, obviously on their way to go fight whoever had dared to interrupt them.

"What?" The stranger's voice again. "Isn't he going to fight me as well? I didn't exactly take him to be a coward."

The leader in question let out a low growl, and I took that as my opportunity to escape. I kicked him in the groin, and he staggered backwards, giving me ample time to duck out of his grip.

A wave of relief flowed through me, but it didn't last long.

"Get back here." He snarled, his hand digging into my shoulder and keeping me put. I yelped in pain, and I realized I wasn't the only one getting a rough time.

The mystery stranger was having a field day with the others. I watched as he shoved and kicked the other men aside, without lifting a finger.

While the others were panting like wounded lions, my savior was yet to break into a sweat and I found it incredibly sexy.

"Stay here." Something clawed at my throat as handcuffs came down on my wrists immediately. Their leader gazed around for a while before cuffing me to the door handle. 'ill deal with you later."

"No!" I thrashed, pulling the handcuffs as furiously as I could. Of course, it didn't help. All it did was press the cold steel into my skin. "Let me go! Get me out of here!'

"I'll deal with you." The leader took a pathetic glance at the rest of his men who had been beaten and sprawled to the ground. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"You'll see." The stranger shrugged, a sly expression on his face. The sun was setting already, thereby taking its light with it, but I still caught a glance at my Savior.

A mop of blonde hair sat at the top of his head. A couple of strands fell across his face from time to time, but it did nothing to hide the emerald pop of his eyes. His nose was arched upward a bit, but you could tell it had been broken one too many times. A lip ring grazed his lower lip, and when his lips lifted into a smile, not only did I catch a dimple on his left cheek, I felt my heart going into overdrive too.

With his perfectly cut jaw and black ink that swirled around both arms, it was safe to say he looked like sin itself, and I didn't just want a taste, I wanted all of him.

He must have noticed me staring, because his gaze flickered towards me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't mesmerized. I knew I should look away, but I didn't.

"Arghhh!" The leader growled, pulling both me and my rescuer back to the present. I had no idea how long had passed, but when I caught sight of the wooden baton in his grip, I just knew that wasn't a good sign. "Come and fight me."

"Gladly." Mr Hot and tattooed grinned. In the blink of an eye, he landed him a punch to the face, causing the leader to fall flat onto the pavement.

A yelp bubbled at the base of my throat, but it didn't get out. Not even as he continued to pound more and more punches into his face.

Only when he'd passed out, did he finally let go of him, and even at that, i didn't miss the sticky trail of blood that clung to his fingers and the hem of his tank top.

A shiver ran down my spine as realization hit me square in the jaw. He might have beaten my captives to unconsciousness or worse, but now we were alone.

I had no idea who he was, and what if he suddenly decided that he was no better than the animals who'd decided to attack me? If he wanted to, he could take advantage of me right now, and it made my skin prickle.

All of my thoughts came to a hold as he walked towards me. Each of his steps were painfully slow, and when he finally stopped in front of me, I flinched.

My breath hitched in my throat as he leaned towards me, forcing me to take a couple of steps back. There was only so far I could go, thanks to the handcuffs holding me back.

Goosebumps raced down my spine as he held my gaze, his eyes boring deeper and deeper into my soul. His cologne wasted no time in wafting through my nostrils, and I took in the musky, yet tangy scent.

A loud snap pulled me out of my daydream, and I popped my eyes open to the sight of the handcuffs falling away. Without so much as a word or another glance in my direction, he spun on his heels, and started walking away.

I stood rooted in my spot, and I had no idea why. The murmur of a thanks hung on the tip of my throat, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

As he walked away, something caught my eye. At the back of his leather jacket was a huge drawing of a vulture and something scribbled underneath it.

"The Iron Vultures." They were one of the most influential biker clubs in the city.

No, scratch that. The entire state, and only a fool would willingly cross them.

They were known for their ruthlessness and constant thirst for blood, so why did he help me, and their president at that too?

When he'd come closer, I'd caught sight of a small name tag.

Ronan Reaper Calloway.

His reputation definitely preceeded him because, up until this moment I had no idea who he was.

Or how hot he looked either.

An idea popped at the back of my mind, and I decided to jump on it immediately.

By the time I had gotten a hold of myself, Ronan had walked quite a distance, but I didn't let that stop me.

My feet wobbled as I trailed after him, and only when we stopped in front of a bar did I pause to catch my breath.

A neon sign that read The Iron Vultures cast a warm glow against the almost empty street. The lights in the distance flickered on and off, but the sign remained still, almost like a sanctuary, but I knew better.

The bar wasn't exactly run down, and from my spot on the outside, I didn't miss the rock music, and the loud cheers from the patrons inside.

"You can do this,Vee." I muttered to myself, before summoning the courage and pushing open the doors.

Dim lights barely lit up the room, and I felt humid the moment I walked in. The air was mix of sweat and smoke, and I briefly wondered what I'd just gotten myself into.

The stale stench of whiskey hit me square in the jaw, and I fought the urge to gag. Heavily tattooed men of different sizes littered the place, and if there was anything they had in common, it was the many beers and drinks in front of them. They all turned to me, their gazes making my skin crawl, but I ignored it, making my way to the front.

"I'm looking for Ronan." I blurted out the words to the bartender up front. He was an old lad, but it didn't make him any less dangerous. "I want to talk to him."

"Who do we have here?" One of them whistled from behind me. "Did Ronan bring in a new toy for us to play with?"

"She is a little different from what we're used to." One of the men slid into an empty seat beside me. He reeked of cigarettes and whatnot, but what I didn't expect, was him tracing a finger down my arm. "But she'll just have to do."

"Unhand her, Marcus." Someone growled from the corner, and I recognized the voice immediately. "You already have women waiting for you."

I turned, and even though I knew who to expect, the sight of him wasn't something I would be getting used to anytime soon.

Ronan sat in a secluded corner, his back against a comfy couch. Wisps of smoke danced across his face, but I didn't miss the piercing gaze he threw my way.

I never liked cigarettes, but now, I was inclined to say I did.

Ronan made smoking hot. In fact, he made me hot.

"Are you going to stand there all day." He drawled. "Or actually tell me why the fuck you're here?"

"I need you help." I took the empty seat in front of him. "I need you to..."

"I didn't ask you to sit." He cut me off. "You have quite some audacity coming in here."'

"I didn't ask for permission either." The words tumbled past my lips before I realized it.

"Ouuu, she's feisty." Catcalls filled the air. "I want her."

"Shut up!" He hissed. "What do you want?"

"I need you to protect me." I let out. "My life is in danger and you're the only one who can help."

"And what do I get in return?" His arms fell across the table that separated us. He'd lost the jacket somewhere in between his and my arrival, and his tattoos looked way more sexy up close. "I don't run a charity organization here."

"Marriage." I puffed out the words. "You get to marry me."

A wave of silence settled all around us. Anxiety gnawed at my sides, and I wondered if I'd just made the wrong decision.

Before I could get an answer from myself though, an uproar started.

They were laughing.

Loud and obnoxious laughs echoed around me, with some of them sputtering and choking on their drinks. My cheeks burned in embarrassment, but they burned even brighter when I realized Ronan had joined them.

"This isn't funny." I knew I sounded desperate, but I really was. I had no money, no property, no one to call and if I didn't act fast, I could be dead in the morning.

It would be stupid of me to think that whoever has targeted me today would just lay low.

"I'm serious." I hissed. "I need your help."

"And you're going to get this by marrying me?" Ronan smirked. "Interesting."

"Just..."

"Let me think about it." He made a fuss of rubbing his fingers along his jaw, and in a loud octave, he finally let out. "No."

"No?" I was stunned. "What do you mean no?!"

"The last thing I need is a liability." He snarled. "Get out."

Shit. I was cooked.

Ronan's POV

I didn't know much about the woman in front of me, but one thing was certain; she wasn't pleased with my response.

I held her gaze, and as time slowly ticked by, I held back the urge to laugh.

Her wide blue eyes looked like a deer caught in headlights, and her pink cheeks made her nothing short of an embarrassed high schooler.

Against my better judgement, I found my eyes trailing down her neck, before settling on her cleavage. The line didn't leave much to the imagination, and her perky boobs were strained against the thin layer of cotton she was wearing, and I struggled to figure out if she was stressed or something else.

"Did you hear that fellas?" Damien, one of the guys wheezed. "Boss, is getting married! We have a wedding to plan!"

Everyone joined in on the laughter again, well everyone except the lady in front of me.

"We'll need a flower boy." I grinned widely. "What do you say Justin? Will you do the honors? I think...."

"You might think this is funny." She leaned in, cutting me off just at the right moment. The embarrassment she was sporting was nowhere to be found, and I wondered if that was a bad sign. "But you and I know you both need an alibi. And your men, they have no idea why."

Again, the room fell silent, but not for the reason I wanted to.

I didn't have a mirror, but my reflection in her eyes was enough for me to see my amusement disappear, just to be replaced by something darker.

How the hell did she know that?

The air was thick with tension, and I didn't like it one bit. She'd lowered her voice to a dull lull, but it didn't make it any less hard for the others to pick up on it. They'd heard her, and as clear as day too.

Fuck.

"You've got a big mouth, sweetheart." I leaned back with a smirk. There was no other option than to play it off, and I'd be damned if I did otherwise. "You sure you wanna keep running it?"

Someone snorted from one of the tables, and I just knew I'd done a good job. They were beginning to think I was calling her bluff, and that didn't sound so bad right now.

"You can try to intimidate me all you want, Ronan." she wasn't backing down. "But if I was bluffing, you wouldn't look so pissed right now."

How did she know all that? My need for an alibi was top secret, not even the people involved had realized I was going to be needing one, so how the hell did she just....

"So what's it going to be?" Her voice cut through my thoughts. Earlier I thought it was sweet, but now, I didn't miss the thorn sticking out the side.

"Say I do need an alibi." If she wanted a game, then I didn't see any harm in playing along. "That's all I get? Nothing more nothing less? Who are you?"

"Vivienne Carter." She scrunched up her face as she spoke. "or more accurately, Vivienne Weston."

"What?" It was impossible to hide my shock this time, and she knew it. "Why do you need protection from him?"

"That's all you need to know." She huffed. "Marry me, and you get the rest."

She pursed her lips, and I just knew there was no negotiating past this. I hated to admit it, but she had the upper hand here and there was nothing I could do, but wait.

"Fine." I spat, my eyes never leaving hers. With a tone that was bound to send shivers down her spine, I added. "I just hope you know what you're up to."

"Boss?" Someone called out again. My mind was a mess, and I was too occupied to figure out whom the voice belonged to. "Are you serious? You can't be serious."

"Oh but I am." I smiled. "I'm now a family man."

The boys looked confused, but I didn't dwell on that.

Instead, I got out of my chair and turned to Vivienne.

"Tomorrow evening." I let out slowly. "At the church down the street. Make sure you're...."

The rest of my words disappeared into thin air as gunshots pierced the nights. The glass windows of the bar shattered immediately, littering the bars wooden floors with shards of glass.

The smell of gunpowder filled the air, a confirmation of what was about to happen I didn't know I needed.

"We're under attack!" Marcus yelled, and that was the signal to pull out his gun. While a good population of the club scurried to safety, an even greater number ducked for cover, just to pull out their weapons.

"What's going...." Vivienne had barely gotten any more words out, before I pushed her behind me, knocking her to the ground.

"Stay the fuck down." I covered her body with mine. As she scrambled around, I forced myself to ignore how perfectly she fit underneath me.

Marcus led an open fire, shooting at no one in particular alongside the boys. For the next couple of minutes, gunshots hitting rogue targets filled the night, and it would have continued, had something not happened.

A lone rocked flew through the gash in the window, just stopping right on front of Vivienne and I.

On instinct, I grabbed it, but not before sneaking a glance at her first. There was a note taped to the rock, and I unfurled it as quickly as I could.

"You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into." The note read.

"Start talking. " I growled. "Now."

"I don't know who's after me." She quivered, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the shift in the attitude. Just a couple of minutes ago, she was a badass babe, and now, she could hardly get a word out without shivering. "It could be Grant or ..."

"What the fuck did you do to him?" I watched my eyes darken in hers. " Speak."

"I might have seen something I shouldn't." She whispers. "Something he'd kill to silence me."

I allowed her words wash over me. I knew she was trouble when I'd first laid my eyes on her in that alleyway. I should have walked away when I got the chance, but what did I do? I agreed to get married, and now, I had no idea what I'd gotten myself into.

"Well, sweetheart." I huffed. "Looks like you just became my biggest problem."

Vivienne's POV

I sucked in a deep breath as I stood at the entrance to the church. I wasn't an overly religious person, but even I knew there was something wrong here.

The entire building looked run down, like it had seen better days. The stained glass windows didn't catch the light, instead,they seemed to block it all out. Litter and overgrown bushes were scattered around, and for a quick moment, I was reminded of my fear of snakes.

What if one was hiding in the bushes, or lurking around, just waiting to strike...

"There's no time." Someone called from behind me, before breezing past me and into the church. "Get in.'

I didn't so much as catch a glimpse of his face, but he was one of Ronan's men. One of the many men that didn't like me.

I sighed. After counting down to ten, I inhaled and exhaled, before forcing my legs to move in the direction of the church.

The inside was nothing like I'd expected. I held no expectations when I'd woken up this morning, but this, this was way below par.

The floor tiles were filthy, and with each step I took, I felt something sticky glue to the bottom of my shoes. The pews looked liked they'd seen better days, and the people sitting on them didn't help matters either.

Ronan's men were scattered around the pews in the church. With how weak the pews looked, I feared they would collapse underneath them.

The lighting inside was nothing to write home about either. It was dingy, and a strange smell filled the air.

If this wasn't a sign that this church was probably run by Ronan or one of his men, then I had no idea what else would suffice.

The priests eyes fell on me, and I hastened my steps. Unlike other brides at their weddings, I didn't have to worry about a flowing wedding gown.

Mine was short, simple and bunched up at the waist. While it wasn't my style, Ronan had picked it and I doubted he would appreciate me bitching over his choice of clothes. That, and the fact that this was a contract marriage.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"You're here." The priest's voice reached my ears. "we can start, if it's okay by you."

The last statement was obviously directed at Ronan, and I would be lying if I said he hadn't caught my eye all this time.

He was the first person my eyes had caught when I walked in. I didn't expect him to dress the part, but neither did I think him showing up in a pair of black pants and a black shirt would turn my insides into mush.

He was gorgeous, and that was a gross understatement.

"Yes priest." Ronan's voice was too commanding , and the priest didn't exactly take it too well. "Let's get this over with."

"Let's start with the vows." I didn't miss how his fingers shook, and the slight break in his voice. "Miss..."

"Vivienne." I let out slowly, and with a small smile.."my name is Vivienne."

"Yes." He nodded.

"I, Vivienne Carter." I started. "Take you, Ronan for better or worse. Though, let's be honest, it'll mostly be worse. Do you?"

A string of laughter followed, and from the corner of my eyes, I watched Ronan's lips lift into a ghost of a smile.

"Yeah sure." Ronan didn't look the least bit bothered, but he still went on. "Ill take her, for as long as she can handle me."

"Perfect." The priest stuttered. I watched him fiddle around his pockets for a while, before he pulled out two rings. "Please exchange rings."

I held Ronan's gaze as he slid the ring onto my finger. The moment his thumb came in contact with my finger, a jolt of electricity rushed through me, but I pushed it to the back of my mind.

"Is that all?" Ronan asked once the ring was on his finger.

"Um.." the priest's face ashened immediately. His gaze jumped around the walls, until they couldn't. "You may kiss the bride now."

It was my turn to pale now. I knew this was just a contract wedding, but I didn't expect this part to be real.

My mind whirred, and I felt my heart drop to the ground. In a moment of weakness, I snuck a glance at my husband.

"Alright." He was in front of me in a second, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.

The kiss was nothing like I expected. His lips were soft, but I didn't miss how needy and rough it was. He moved his tongue over my bottom lip, and it took everything in me to stop my toes from curling.

I had no idea how to react or what to do, but before I could, the kiss was broken, pulling me back to reality.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife."

**********

My heart slammed in my chest as I waited for the results to show. I hadn't wanted to check, but I just knew delaying it would only complicate things for me.

I counted down the seconds that made up two minutes before picking up the test. What I didn't expect, were the two straight lines staring back at me.

The bathroom was dimly lit, but I saw it really clearly.

A wave of panic raked through me, and I found myself holding onto the sink for balance. Fear nipped at my bones and my stomach churned in anxiety.

My fingers trembled, but no matter how hard I blinked, the pink lines just wouldn't disappear.

I was pregnant.

I couldn't believe my eyes. There was no way this was possible. This had to be a sick prank, and at the worst time possible too.

What was I going to do with a baby?

I was already doomed, and now, I had to bring a child into the world?

This was going to change everything as I knew it.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?