From the moment I kissed her under the willow tree when we were kids, she always had been. She probably didn’t even remember it, but that had been it for me. And every summer when we visited, I fell more and more in love with her until I finally was able to enter the program at eighteen, leaving my father behind.
She thought none of the guys wanted her because of who her father was, but it was because of me. I threatened any of the boys at school who tried to lay a hand on her. After a few punches, they fell in line. It had been Hank who stepped in, stopping me from telling her my feelings back then.
“She has to prove she can make it on her own in a club before you can claim her. If not, no one will respect her. Do you understand? She has to show the others she’s rightfully their queen and didn’t get the position because of me or you. Darcie wouldn’t want it that way either. You know this.”
It had made sense at the time, and I vowed to help her with the program. If she passed, no one could deny her place in our world.
Hank had started the program when he became Pres, wanting the men in his club to be more than motorcycle hotheads looking for pussy and a good time. If they passed, then they got their patch. It wasn’t about killing or scoring drugs in the Mavericks, but respect. If you could hold your own and pass one of the most grueling tests around, then you belonged in the Mavericks.
I’d learned about the program when I was fourteen and I wanted nothing more than to go through it right then, but my father made me wait. He had his own club to run, after all, and it wouldn’t look good for his son to leave his. So, I bargained that checking it out would be a good learning opportunity, while not mentioning I never intended to return to his.
Hank had fashioned the Maverick Culling Defense after his time in the Marines, using the Bootcamp structure to test prospects on their fitness, ingenuity, and survival skills. It was a testament to their character if they could pass.
The Mavericks looked like your typical motorcycle club from the outside. They rode bikes, wore leathers, and were covered in tattoos. They drank, fucked sweet butts, and bent the law at times. We weren’t saints, not by a long shot, but there was something more to being a Maverick. Partially, it was due to the fact our operation wasn’t about guns, drugs, or sex, instead making the program a valuable part of initiation.
More men and women failed out the first week than made it through. Which was why the fact Darcie had finally passed was a big deal. She’d earned her spot amongst our ranks.
So, why had Hank sold her to Agonizer? It didn’t make sense. It went against everything we stood for, and I wasn’t going to let it go.
When Tank had come into her room, finding me standing over the asshole, he barely managed to get me off of him before I killed the scumbag.
“Stop! You can’t kill him, Maddox.”
“Like fuck I can’t!”
“There’s more at play, son. I want you to take Darcie away from here. Go, pack a bag. I’ll explain everything.”
It was those words that had me dropping the asshole and heading to my room, tossing a few things in it before I headed back. I didn’t need much outside of Darcie and my bike. She’d been my main reason for joining, so without her, it didn’t make much sense to stay, anyway. I’d come with two purposes, and at least one of them would come to fruition.
Her arms tightened around me, and I felt her body tremble behind me. The reassurance she was with me as the miles disappeared between us and the compound was the only thing that quelled the fire raging in me.
I’d driven for two hours when I decided it was safe enough to stop. I turned into a town and found a convenience store still open and pulled in. The bike clicked as I turned it off, and sound, outside of the wind and the engine, returned to my ears. Placing my hand on top of hers, I linked my fingers in one and stepped off the bike. I couldn’t let go just yet. Everything I wanted balanced on a precipice, and I didn’t want it to tip over in the wrong direction.
“Runt, do you want to go inside?” she blinked, looking up at me. Her pale blue eyes were shadowed, and I didn’t like it. “I’ll go with you if you want. I need to fill up, and then we’ll be back on the road. I want to put more miles between us before we stop.”
She nodded numbly, letting me pull her into the store. When the ding on the door sounded, she jumped, burrowing into my side. Wrapping my arm around her, I walked with her to the bathroom, glad it was the unisex one. Locking the door, I grimaced when I saw the state of the place. But it would have to do.
Taking her in, I looked her over, assessing all of her injuries. Taking a wet paper towel, I gently placed it against her lip. She winced but let me dab it to wipe the dried blood.
“Hold that there. I’m going to take off the hoodie so I can see more. Are you okay with that?” She looked up, her eyes vacant, but nodded. Gently, I took each arm out of the sleeves and pulled the neck to lift it over her head. Placing it on the sink, I took her in. There were some cuts and scrapes along her arms; red marks and bruises were already forming.
“You fought hard, Princess.”
Her shirt was torn, and I wished I’d thought to bring in a new one for her. It would have to wait. Bracing myself, I bent at the knees to inspect lower. Blood had trailed down her leg, and I swore. Standing up, I grabbed another paper towel and wetted it. As softly as possible, I trailed it up her leg to remove the evidence of Agonizer’s greed. She tensed when the wetness touched her leg, her body trembling more as a whimper left her lip.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I’ll be quick.”
Once she was clean, I placed the hoodie back over her and helped her wash her hands.
“Do you need to go to the bathroom?” I asked, clearing my throat.
She looked up, almost like she was trying to decipher my words. Finally, she shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. Pulling up the hood again, I pulled her into my side and exited. At this time of night, thankfully, there weren’t a lot of patrons to avoid being seen by.
Heading to an aisle, I grabbed a first-aid kit, a bottle of water, and a pack of Starburst. The clerk looked at us suspiciously, but he dropped his eyes when he saw my patch, scanning the items I’d placed on the counter.
“You okay, miss?” he asked, building up the nerve. “This man bothering you?”
“I’m good,” Darcie said, curling into my side more.