Final Ride (Lords of Mayhem) Read Online Free PDF Page A

her libido had been all but dead lately. No man had piqued her interest
because quite frankly she’d had a one-track mind. The writing industry was hard,
and romance could be downright cutthroat. It’d taken every ounce of creativity,
determination and a shit ton of sacrifice to get where she was. Being stuck
here with everyone had shown her just how much she’d neglected. It was like
waking up from hibernation in a cave full of berries and honey.
    * * * * *
    She answered the door and found herself bombarded with hugs
and concern. She basked in the care of her friends.
    “Are you okay?” Juliette asked shakily.
    “Physically yes, other than a few scrapes and bruises.
Mentally? I’m walking on that thin line between anxiety and hysteria. If I
hadn’t had dropped my cellphone I’d be dead right now.”
    Her knees weakened, and she leaned into Juliette and Evonne,
who kept her standing.
    “This is getting more and more dangerous,” Joey said,
rubbing her baby bump as she rubbed Hil’s back. She soaked up the gentle touch.
    “They’re going to handle it,” Juliette said firmly.
    “At this point, it’s us or them,” Evonne said.
    “Good thing we’re on the winning team,” Juliette said. The
conviction in her voice gave Hil strength. Juliette’s man, Shooter, was
sergeant in arms. If anyone knew how hard the boys went, it was her.
    “I’m scared,” Hilary whispered.
    “We all are,” Joey said.
    “What are we going to do?” Hilary asked.
    “Whatever they tell us to. Hil, I know you. You’re
hard-headed and you buck the rules. Promise me you won’t this time,” Juliette
said.
    Hilary ground her teeth. “You know they placed me with Hawk,
right? They want me to go undercover as his house mouse.”
    “Shit,” Joey said.
    “Yeah,” Hilary said. Drolly.
    “Wait, what’s a house mouse?” Evonne asked.
    “Basically his bitch,” Joey said.
    “Wow,” Evonne said.
    “Yeah, you think you’re surprised,” Hilary mumbled.
    “I don’t care how uncomfortable it is as long as you’re
safe. I live with the knowledge that this all stems from me. No, I didn’t make
Peter crazy or pick his friends, but you’re all in danger because of your
association with me. So I take the overseeing of your safety seriously,” Juliette
said.
    In that moment, Hilary could see her husband coming through. Shooter’s rubbing off on her.
    “You’re the most vulnerable, Hilary. I support their
decision to bring you in deeper. I know it’s going to be hard. I’m asking you
to do this for me, please,” Juliette said.
    Hilary bowed her head. “Of course. I know I’m in over my
head, but I hate the feeling.”
    “That’s understandable, babe,” Joey said.
    “Come on, let’s get you a seat. We’ll make you some tea and
you can relax,” Evonne said.
    Hil surrendered herself into their care, walking to the
couch and allowing them bundle her in a blanket that smelled like Hawk. Wedged
into the corner, she clung to the calm that settled over her.
    “Here you are, love; it’s chamomile,” Evonne said handing
her a mug.
    “Thank you,” Hil said accepting it and bringing it to her
lips. These women had always been there for her when she needed them most. They
piled onto the couch beside her and she soaked up their silent support. Today
I stared death in the face. They say your life flashes before your eyes
before you die. What stretched before her wasn’t the success she’d gained in
her career or the time she’d spent with family and friends. It was a darkness.
A vast emptiness. The unfulfilled dreams she had given up due to circumstances
out of her control. At some point, she’d let the chance of pain outweigh the
possibility of greatness. Life was too short to allow the chains of fear to
bind her.

Chapter Three
     
    Hawk studied the silent woman in the passenger seat
carefully. She’d been subdued as they made their way to the police station. The
cage made his skin crawl, but it was necessary to