Time stopped.

Derek stood ten feet away, his smile cold and familiar. Behind him, Colt's gun was already aimed at Derek's head.

"Step away from her," Colt said. His voice was death itself.

Derek laughed. "Or what? You will shoot me in your own clubhouse? In front of your girl?" He looked at me, and I saw the madness in his eyes. "Tell him, Jenna. Tell him what happens when people try to protect you."

My mouth was too dry to speak.

"Jenna." Colt's voice cut through my terror. "Get behind me. Now."

"She is not going anywhere." Derek's hand moved to his waistband. "Are you, baby? Because if you do, I will kill everyone in this building. Starting with the blonde in the kitchen. Candy, right? Pretty name."

"You son of-" Colt started forward.

"Ah, ah." Derek pulled out a detonator. Small. Black. His thumb rested on the button. "See this? There are three more explosives planted around your compound. One near the garage. One by the dorms. One in the bar where all your brothers are having their little meeting."

My legs nearly gave out. "Derek, please-"

"Please?" His voice turned sharp. "You left me, Jenna. You stole my car. My money. You made me look weak." He took a step closer. "Do you know what happens to men who look weak? They lose everything."

"I am sorry." The words tasted like ash. "I am so sorry. Just do not hurt them. Please."

"Then come here." He held out his hand. "Come with me. Right now. And I will let your biker boyfriend and his crew live."

"Do not." Colt's voice was a command. "Jenna, do not move."

But Derek's thumb pressed down slightly on the button. Not enough to trigger it. Just enough to show he meant it.

"Ten seconds," Derek said. "Then I blow this place to hell."

I looked at Colt. Really looked at him. Saw the boy who kissed me under the bleachers after football games. Who held my hand through my mother's funeral. Who promised me forever in a voice that did not know how to lie.

And I saw the man he became. Hard. Dangerous. A king in leather and steel.

"I am sorry," I whispered to him. "For everything."

I took a step toward Derek.

"Jenna, no-"

Derek's hand shot out and grabbed my arm, yanking me against him. The detonator pressed into my side.

"Good girl." His breath was hot against my ear. "Now we are leaving. You try anything, biker boy, and everyone here dies."

Colt's gun never wavered. "Let her go."

"Not a chance." Derek started backing toward the exit, dragging me with him. "She is mine. She has always been mine. You were just a stupid kid with stupid dreams."

"Colt." My voice broke. "Please. Let us go."

His eyes met mine. Steel and fury and something that looked like heartbreak.

Then he lowered his gun.

Derek laughed, triumphant. "Smart man. See, Jenna? He does not really care. If he did, he would have fought harder."

We were almost to the door when Colt spoke again.

"You are right about one thing," he said quietly. "I was a stupid kid with stupid dreams. But that kid is dead." His smile was terrifying. "And you just made a mistake coming into my territory."

"Your territory?" Derek scoffed. "Your territory is about to be rubble."

"Is it?" Colt tilted his head. "See, while you were busy making your dramatic entrance, my VP was checking your explosives. Turns out, they are fake. Just road flares and duct tape. Real cute."

Derek's arm tightened around me. "You are bluffing."

"Am I?" Colt's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then smiled. "Razor just confirmed. No explosives. No detonator. You are just a coward with a fake bomb and a death wish."

The world tilted.

Derek's hand shook against my side. "You are lying. You have to be-"

The door behind us exploded inward.

Razor and four other MC members poured in, guns drawn. Derek spun, jerking me in front of him like a shield.

"Stay back!" His voice cracked. "Stay back or I will kill her! I swear to God-"

"With what?" Colt walked forward slowly. Deliberately. "You have no explosives. No backup. No plan." He stopped five feet away. "You have nothing."

"I have her!" Derek's arm crushed my throat. "I have her, and you want her. So here is the deal. You let me walk out of here, or I snap her neck."

"Derek, please-" I choked out.

"Shut up!" He squeezed harder. Black spots danced across my vision. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Colt's expression went blank. Empty. "You know what? Go ahead."

Everything stopped.

"What?" Derek's grip loosened slightly.

"Snap her neck." Colt shrugged. "She left me once. Destroyed me. Why would I care if you kill her? Go ahead. Do it."

"Colt-" My voice was barely a whisper.

"In fact, you would be doing me a favor." He looked at me, and his eyes were dead. Completely dead. "One less problem to deal with."

Derek laughed, but it sounded wrong. Uncertain. "You are bluffing."

"Try me."

For three seconds, nobody moved.

Then Derek made his choice.

His arm loosened completely, reaching for something in his jacket. A gun. A real one.

And Colt moved.

Fast. Brutal. Perfect.

His fist connected with Derek's jaw. Derek stumbled back, and I fell forward. Razor caught me as Colt descended on Derek like a wolf on wounded prey.

"You want to hurt her?" Colt's voice was inhuman. "You want to put your hands on what is mine?"

His fists rained down. Again. Again. Again.

"Colt, stop!" I screamed. "You are going to kill him!"

"That is the plan."

Derek's face was already pulp. Blood everywhere. He was not even fighting back anymore.

"Colt, please!" I broke free from Razor, grabbed Colt's arm. "Please stop!"

He froze. First raised. Blood dripping.

Slowly, he looked at me.

And what I saw in his eyes made my soul ache.

"You are defending him," he said softly. "After everything. You are defending the man who beat you."

"I am defending you." Tears streamed down my face. "If you kill him, you will go to prison. And I cannot lose you again. Not like this."

Something flickered in his eyes. Then died.

He stood, leaving Derek broken and bleeding on the floor.

"Lock her in the room upstairs," he told Razor. "Post two guards. She does not leave. She does not talk to anyone."

"Colt-"

"And get that trash out of my clubhouse." He looked down at Derek with pure disgust. "Take him to the warehouse. I will deal with him later."

"You cannot just-"

He turned on me so fast I flinched. "You made your choice ten years ago when you ran. You made your choice tonight when you went to him. You do not get to make choices anymore, Jenna. I do." He leaned in close. "And I choose to keep you alive. Whether you like it or not."

Razor's hand closed around my arm.

As they dragged me upstairs, I looked back at Colt one last time.

He stood in the blood-soaked hallway, looking more alone than any person I had ever seen.

And I realized that coming back to Redemption Creek was not a mistake.

It was a curse.

One that might destroy us both.

The room was small. Clean. A bed, a dresser, bars on the window.

A prison with decent furniture.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my shaking hands. Derek's blood was still on my sleeve. Colt's words echoed in my head.

You do not get to make choices anymore.

The door opened. I expected guards. Instead, an older woman walked in carrying a first aid kit. She had gray hair pulled back tight and eyes that had seen too much.

"I am Mae," she said. "The club mom. Let me see your ribs."

"I am fine."

"That was not a request, honey." She sat beside me, opening the kit. "Lift your shirt."

I did. The bruises were worse now-purple and black, spreading across my left side like poison.

Mae's jaw tightened. "That man did this?"

"Derek. Yes."

"Colt should have killed him." Her hands were surprisingly gentle as she examined me. "Nothing broken, but you will hurt for a while. You need ice and rest."

"What will they do to Derek?"

"Does it matter?" She met my eyes. "He hurt you. In this world, that is a death sentence."

My stomach twisted. "I do not want anyone to die because of me."

"Too late for that." Mae started wrapping my ribs. "The second you walked back into Colt Richardson's life, people were going to bleed. The question is, whose blood do you want spilled? Your abuser's or your protector's?"

"Colt is not my protector. He hates me."

Mae laughed. It was not kind. "Honey, if he hated you, you would be dead already. Or thrown out on your ass." She finished wrapping and packed up the kit. "That boy loved you more than life itself. You broke him. And now you are back, and he does not know whether to save you or destroy you."

"I never wanted to hurt him."

"But you did." Mae stood, heading for the door. "Now you have to live with it. Same as he does."

She left, locking the door behind her.

I lay back on the bed, every breath hurting. Outside, I heard engines. Voices. The club is going back to normal.

But nothing was normal anymore.

Hours passed. Maybe days. I could not tell. No clock. No phone-Razor had taken it.

The door opened again around what I thought was midnight.

Colt.

He looked different. Cleaned up. Fresh clothes. But his knuckles were wrapped, blood seeping through.

"Get up," he said.

"Why?"

"Because I said so." He waited, and when I did not move, he crossed the room and hauled me to my feet. "You want answers? You want to know what happens next? Then move."

He dragged me downstairs, through the empty clubhouse, and out a back door I had not seen before. We walked in silence toward a building at the edge of the compound.

The warehouse.

My blood turned cold. "Colt, what are we doing here?"

"You are going to see what happens to men who touch what is mine." He pulled open the door. "After tonight, you will understand exactly what world you walked back into."

The inside was concrete and shadows. A single light hung from the ceiling, illuminating Derek.

He was tied to a chair. Face swollen. Blood everywhere. But alive.

Barely.

"Jenna." His voice was a croak. "Help me. Please."

I tried to pull away from Colt. He held me firm.

"Look at him," Colt said. "Really look."

"I do not want to-"

"Look." His voice was iron. "This is the man you defended. The man you tried to save."

Derek's eyes found mine. "Baby, please. Tell them to let me go. We can disappear. Start over. I will never hurt you again, I swear-"

"Like you swore the last ten times?" Colt walked forward, circling Derek like a predator. "How many times did you hit her? How many times did she beg you to stop?"

Derek's mouth opened. Closed.

"Answer me." Colt's fist slammed into the chair beside Derek's head. "How. Many. Times."

"I lost count." Derek's voice broke. "But she always came back. She always forgave me. Because she loves me."

I wanted to vomit.

"She does not love you." Colt leaned in close. "She is terrified of you. There is a difference."

"You do not know her like I do." Derek laughed, wet and broken. "You think you can save her? You think she will stay with you? She is weak. Broken. She needs someone to tell her what to do. What to think. That is why she came to me in the first place.

"Is that true?" Colt turned to me. "Is that why you left? Because you are weak?"

"I-" My voice failed.

"Answer the question, Jenna."

"I left because I was scared!" The words exploded out. "My father threatened to kill you. To burn down your family's garage with your mother inside. He showed me pictures. Plans. He said if I did not disappear, everyone I loved would die."

Colt went very still. "What?"

"He had it all planned out." Tears streamed down my face. "The fire. The accident. How he would make it look natural. So I ran. I ran because I thought if I was gone, you would be safe."

"And you never thought to tell me?"

"I was eighteen! I was alone! My mother was dead, and my father was a monster, and I did not know what to do!" I was sobbing now. "So I ran. I ran until I met Derek, and he seemed nice, and I was so tired of being alone that I did not see what he was until it was too late."

Silence.

Then Colt moved.

He crossed to me, his hands framing my face, forcing me to look at him.

"Your father is dead," he said quietly. "Whatever threats he made, whatever plans he had-they died with him. You understand? You have been running from a ghost."

The words hit like a physical blow.

Five years. I ran for five more years after my father died, and I did not even know he was gone.

"But Derek-"

"Derek is going to pay for every bruise. Every tear. Every sleepless night." Colt's thumb traced my cheek. "And then you are going to stop running. Because you are home now. Whether you want to be or not."

"Colt, please-"

A gunshot shattered the air.

I screamed, spinning around.

Razor stood in the doorway, gun smoking, his face grim.

But Derek was still alive. Still breathing.

The bullet had gone into the wall six inches from his head.

"Boss," Razor said. "We have a problem. The Serpents just rolled up to our gate. Twenty bikes. Fully armed."

Colt's expression went cold. "The Serpents? What do they want?"

"They are asking for Jenna." Razor's eyes found mine. "By name. They say she belongs to them now."

My heart stopped.

"What are you talking about?" Colt demanded. "She has nothing to do with the Serpents."

"Actually," Derek wheezed from his chair, blood bubbling on his lips, "she does." He smiled through broken teeth. "You think I worked alone? You think I did not have insurance?" He laughed. "I sold her, Richardson. Two days ago. The Serpents paid fifty grand for her. She is their property now. Legally and otherwise."

The room spun.

"You did what?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"I sold you, baby." Derek's smile widened. "And they have come to collect."

Colt's gun was in his hand before I could blink, pressed against Derek's forehead.

"You are lying."

"Am I?" Derek's eyes gleamed with madness. "Go check. They have the contract. Your signature, Jenna. I forged it real nice."

Razor's radio crackled. "Boss, they are getting impatient. What do you want us to do?"

Colt lowered his gun slowly. Look at me. And I saw something in his face I had never seen before.

Fear.

"Lock down the compound," he said. "Full alert. Nobody in or out." He grabbed my arm. "You are staying with me. Close. Understand?"

"Colt, what does he mean? What are the Serpents?"

His jaw clenched. "They are the most dangerous MC in three states. They deal in guns, drugs, and trafficking." He met my eyes. "And if they think you belong to them, they will burn this place to the ground to get you."

Outside, engines roared.

And I realized my nightmare was just beginning.

Colt dragged me out of the warehouse on a run. Razor followed, speaking rapid commands into his radio.

"How many?" Colt demanded.

"Twenty-three now. More coming." Razor's voice was grim. "Viper himself is here."

Colt cursed. "Get everyone armed. Women and prospects to the safe room. I want snipers on the roof in two minutes."

"Who is Viper?" I gasped, struggling to keep up.

"Their president. A psychopath who thinks he owns the world." Colt pulled me into the clubhouse, slamming the door behind us. The room was chaos-men grabbing weapons, women being herded toward a back hallway, everyone moving with military precision.

Candy appeared, her face pale. "Colt, what is happening?"

"The Serpents are here for her." He shoved me toward her. "Take her to the safe room. Do not let her out of your sight."

"No." I yanked my arm free. "I am not hiding while people die for me."

"You do not have a choice."

"Yes, I do." I stepped closer, my voice shaking but firm. "If they want me, I will go. I will not let you start a war over-"

His hand shot out, gripping my throat. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make his point.

"You are not going anywhere." His voice was deadly quiet. "You think I fought this hard, bled this much, to hand you over to a monster worse than Derek? Not happening."

"But-"

"No buts. No arguments." He released me, turning to Razor. "Get her in the safe room. Chain her if you have to."

A knock echoed through the clubhouse. Slow. Deliberate. Mocking.

Everyone froze.

"Colt Richardson!" A voice called from outside. Smooth. Cultured. Wrong. "Let us talk like civilized men. No need for violence. Yet."

Colt's jaw clenched. "Hammer, you are with me. Everyone else, stay alert."

"Colt, do not go out there," I pleaded. "Please."

He looked at me one last time. "If something happens to me, Razor is in charge. You do what he says. Understand?"

"Colt-"

He was already gone.

Candy pulled me toward the back. "Come on. Now."

"I cannot just-"

"You can and you will." Her grip was iron. "You think you are being brave? You are being stupid. Men like Viper do not negotiate. They take what they want and burn everything else."

She shoved me through a doorway and down concrete stairs. The safe room was underground-reinforced walls, cameras, enough supplies for a siege.

Six other women were already there. They stared at me with a mix of fear and anger.

"Is this because of her?" one hissed. "The Serpents are here because of the runaway bride?"

"Shut up, Crystal." Candy locked the door behind us. "We have bigger problems."

A monitor on the wall showed multiple camera angles. I saw Colt and Hammer walking toward the gate. Beyond it, twenty-three motorcycles. And standing in front, a man who made Derek look like a child.

Viper.

Tall. Silver hair despite looking only forty. Expensive suit. And eyes that were completely empty.

Colt stopped ten feet from the gate. "You are on my property. State your business."

"Business?" Viper smiled. "I am here to collect what was purchased. A transaction was made. Fifty thousand dollars for one Jenna Marie Carter. I have the contract right here."

He held up papers.

"I do not care about your fake contract," Colt said. "She is under my protection. Leave. Now."

"Protection?" Viper laughed. "From what I hear, she was your runaway bride. The girl who destroyed you. Why would you protect her?"

"That is none of your concern."

"But it is." Viper stepped closer to the gate. "See, I did my research, Richardson. I know all about your tragic love story. And I am willing to make you a deal."

"I do not make deals with traffickers."

"Not even to save your club?" Viper's smile widened. "Give me the girl, and I walk away. No blood. No war. You keep your territory, and I get what I paid for. Everyone wins."

"Except her."

"Does she matter?" Viper tilted his head. "Really? After what she did to you? You could have your revenge. Hand her over, and she gets exactly what she deserves."

I watched Colt's face on the monitor. I saw something flicker there.

Doubt? Temptation?

My chest tightened.

"No deal," Colt said finally.

Relief flooded through me.

"Pity." Viper sighed. "I really hoped to avoid this." He pulled out a phone, tapped something, and held it up.

The screen showed a woman. Older. Gray hair. Tied to a chair.

Colt went rigid. "Mom."

"Found her at her house about an hour ago." Viper's voice was casual. "Nice lady. Made me coffee before we tied her up. Very polite."

"You son of-"

"The deal is simple, Richardson. The girl for your mother. You have five minutes to decide." Viper checked his watch. "After that, your mother starts losing fingers. Then toes. Then we get creative."

Colt's hands were shaking. I could see it even through the camera.

"One minute has passed," Viper said cheerfully.

Hammer leaned close to Colt, whispering something I could not hear.

Colt shook his head violently.

"Two minutes."

I stood up. "I have to go out there."

"Sit down," Candy ordered.

"They have his mother! I cannot let them-"

"You go out there, you will be sold to the highest bidder." Crystal's voice was sharp. "Used until you break. Then killed. That is what the Serpents do."

"I do not care." I moved toward the door. "Unlock it."

"No."

I spun on Candy. "He is going to trade his mother's life for mine. I can see it on his face. And I will not let that happen."

"Colt gave orders-"

"I do not care about his orders!" I was screaming now. "That woman raised him. I loved him. She does not deserve to die because of me."

On the monitor, Viper spoke again. "Three minutes. Tick tock, Richardson."

Colt's shoulders sagged. "If I give you Jenna, will you let my mother go? Unharmed?"

"You have my word."

"Your word means nothing."

"Then what choice do you have?" Viper spread his hands. "This is business, Richardson. Nothing personal. The girl was purchased legally. She belongs to us now."

"Four minutes."

Colt looked back at the clubhouse. Directly at the camera.

And I knew.

He was going to do it. He was going to trade me.

"Candy, please." Tears streamed down my face. "Let me out. Let me choose this. It is my life. My choice."

She stared at me for a long moment. Then slowly, she reached for the lock.

"Candy, no!" Crystal shouted. "Colt will kill you!"

"Probably." Candy opened the door. "But she is right. It is her choice."

I ran up the stairs, bursting into the clubhouse. Men shouted. Tried to grab me.

I was faster.

I threw open the front door and ran toward the gate.

"Jenna, no!" Colt's roar echoed behind me.

But I was already at the fence. Already climbing over.

Already making my choice.

I dropped to the other side and stood before Viper.

"I am Jenna Carter," I said, my voice steady despite the terror flooding through me. "Let his mother go. I will come willingly."

Viper's smile was terrible. Beautiful. "Smart girl."

He snapped his fingers.

One of his men handed him a phone. Viper tapped the screen, and I heard a woman's voice. "Colt? Colt, what is happening?"

"Let her go," I repeated. "Now."

"Done." Viper pocketed the phone. "She is being released as we speak. See? I am a man of my word."

Behind me, Colt was screaming. Fighting against Hammer and three other men holding him back.

"Jenna! Jenna, do not do this!"

Viper's hand closed around my arm. "Time to go, sweetheart. You are going to make me a lot of money."

They dragged me toward a bike.

I looked back one last time.

Colt had broken free. Was running toward the gate.

Our eyes met.

And I mouthed two words: "I am sorry."

Then Viper's men threw me onto a bike, and we were moving.

Away from the compound.

Away from safety.

Away from the only man I ever loved.

And toward a hell I could not even imagine.

Behind us, I heard one last thing.

Colt's voice, raw with rage and grief, screaming my name into the night.