"What's wrong, kitten? Am I getting you riled up?" he asks teasingly. I turn away from him, hoping he won't see how much he's pissing me off.
He knows I hate that f*****g nickname, but he hasn't stopped calling me that since we were little.
"I told you to stop calling me that," I murmur, trying to keep my voice steady.
"And I told you that I would never stop calling you that."
I grind my molars, feeling my frustration rise. "You're such a dick. Why is that my nickname anyway?"
"Because you always have your claws out, but when it's time to scratch and bite, you're practically harmless."
A bitter laugh bubbles out of me as I turn back to him. "F**k you. I could claw your damn eyes if I wanted to."
"Sure, you can, Kitten," he says again, grinning just to piss me off more. "But just in case those claws don't sink deep enough, keep in mind that you can always call on me, Niko, and Mace if you're in trouble."
Why does he keep saying that? I don't need them, I never have. Not even when my dad was murdered. I never let anyone see me cry and wiped my own tears in private.
Just like Daddy would have wanted from his tough girl.
"He's right, sweet girl. You can call us if you ever need us," Nikolai adds, emerging from the house and joining us. Mace appears right behind him.
Oh, great. Here are all three dumbasses.
*****
At twenty-three, Alyssa Bennett returns to her small hometown, fleeing her abusive husband with their seven-month-old daughter, Zuri. Unable to contact her brother, she reluctantly turns to his a*****e best friends for help-despite their history of tormenting her. King, the enforcer of her brother's motorcycle gang, the Crimson Reapers, is intent on breaking her. Nikolai aims to claim her for himself, and Mason, ever the follower, is just glad to be part of the action. As Alyssa navigates the dangerous dynamics of her brother's friends, she must find a way to protect herself and Zuri, all while discovering dark secrets that could change everything.
