Page 36 of Dark Surrender

“You should be. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

“About what?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re a Sacred Sinner?”

“I didn’t think it was relevant.” Why would it be? Not everyone knows about motorcycle clubs, much less the Sacred Sinners. It doesn’t matter that we’re the biggest club in the nation. Our worlds don’t always cross everyone else’s, and those who know of us often fear us.

“Dark. You’re Kali’s ex-husband.”

“How do you know Kali?”

“I don’t know her. I know of her. I’m friends with Cell.”

“Cell…” The familiar name hangs between us as I haphazardly shove what I can of the puzzle together, trying to figure out why Cell would be involved. When I’ve got a solid theory, I speak again. “I think I get it now.”

“Get what?”

“You take care of traffickers and scum like that, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you remember when I said I’m a cheater?”

“Yes.”

“I cheated on Kali for years and married Penelope. It’s a whole fuckin’ thing.” I wave off all the ins and outs I’ve done. It’s not important right now. “I’m not proud of any of it. But through all this shit, we ended up findin’ out that Pen had been sendin’ stalkers to mess with Kali for about a decade. Real whack jobs.”

“And you think Cell sicced us on you because of that?”

“On Penelope and Harold. For sure. She’s loyal. Maybe she wanted me dead, too. I dunno. I wouldn’t put it past her. I’m far from her favorite person.”

“This is such a mess. You’re… a mess.”

“I’ve been a mess for a long time, beautiful. A few new scars aren’t gonna change that.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“It kinda is.”

“No. It’s not. Dee almost killed you.”

I hum.

Almost, but she didn’t, and now I’ve got a warm body next to me, her damp hand folded in mine, and I need a nap, or two, or twenty.

Fuck. It’s exhausting, almost dying.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Iris

Standing between the road and my car, in the only place I have full signal out here in the boonies, I make a call.

The bitch answers on the third ring.

“Cell,” I growl her name.

“Hey, Iris.” Her tinkly, upbeat tone grates on my nerves. It usually doesn’t. She’s usually a breath of fresh air, but I’m not in the mood today.