Six years earlier.......................................

Ivan was sitting at the large oak table in his clubhouse, he was in the middle of a meeting with another club when his phone rang for the third time in as many minutes. He glanced at the screen, it was Ezra his cousin and Sargent of arms.

"Can you excuse me one second?" He asked.

"Of course."

He turned slightly in his chair and flipped his phone open.

"Ezra, this better be important."

"Ivan.....you need...to come home," The way Ezra's voice wavered make his heart stop.

"What's wrong?" Ivan asked, forcing a calm he didn't feel.

"It's Laurel....I found her....she....you need to come home, now."

He felt his hands start to shake slightly, a sweat breaking out on his body. His wife Laurel was home alone all day and already every possibility was burning in his mind.

"Is.....is she," He swallowed passed the lump in his throat.

"She's alive," Ezra confirmed.

"I'll be there."

He hung up and stood, pushing to his unsteady feet. His chest hurt and he wasn't sure he should be driving but all he cared about was getting to his wife.

"Gentleman, there's a serious issue and I have to go home."

He hurried out of the room and through the clubhouse. He reached his bike and swung on speeding out of the parking lot and down the road, praying to whatever God that would listen that she wasn't hurt too bad and that it wasn't as terrible as the images in his mind.

He reached his house and saw Ezras bike out front, the door hanging open. As he rushed up the sidewalk he tripped once and stumbled in the door.

"Laurel! Baby!"

Ezra stepped out of the living room, his face whiter than snow. Ivan froze, nothing rattled Ezra but he almost looked as if he'd been sick.

"Ivan....."

"Where is she? What happened?"

"I came over for dinner and I found her in the kitchen floor...."

Ivan shoved passed Ezra rushing to the kitchen, when he reached the doorway he froze. The table was upturned and everything that once sat on it was all over the floor, the chairs were knocked over and grocery bags had spilled onto the floor. A dozen of eggs and a carton of milk lay smashed on the tile and there was blood, a lot of blood.

"She said they were waiting when she came inside, there were five of them," Ezra said softly behind him.

"Where is she?" Ezra asked, taking a deep breath.

"In the living room, she has said a word since I found her."

Ivan turned and moved through the house to the living room, stopping in the doorway. Laurel sat on the couch, her hair disheveled, her right eye as black and swollen, her lip was busted open and blood ran down her chin. She was wrapped in a blanket but was obviously naked underneath and he could only imagine the wounds on the rest of her.

He paused only a second then hurried, intending to take her in his arms. He crossed the floor and when he reached for her she flinched away. He stopped arms outstretched at the opposite end of the couch.

"Laurel...honey."

She looked up at him but her beautiful blue eyes weren't focused and her lower lip was quivering.

"How long ago did you find her?" He asked Ezra.

"I called you as soon as I had her in here."

He gave a small nod then took a few steps closer, slowly, tentatively. He eased onto the couch beside her making no move to touch her.

"Baby....this is so important I need you to tell me, what colors were they wearing."

She swallowed, the sound echoing in the house and sounding harsh. Wetting her lips she took a deep breath.

"Blue......blue and green," She said softly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

He gave a slow nod then carefully leaned over kissing her on her temple.

"It's going to be okay," He promised.

She managed a stiff nod in reply and he stood turning towards Ezra who was leaning against the door frame.

"Take her to the hospital, get her help." Ivan said.

"Wait, what? Ivan."

"Take her and stay with her."

"Ivan....."

"Ezra do this for me. Just take care of her."

He brushed by Ezra before he could protest anymore, heading out of the house and down the sidewalk and swinging onto his bike. Blue and Green could only be one club and he knew exactly where they were hiding.

He parked in front of the bar they hung out at the most and swung off his bike, reaching into his saddle bag he pulled out his revolved and shoved it in the back of his pants. Then he dug in his other saddle bag for the mini, wooden baseball bat he kept there.

He walked in the door and saw five bikers wearing the right patches sitting at the bar the one closest to him was sporting a black eye and several scratches on his face and neck. He turned and locked the door behind him, swinging the bat at his side as he approached. The bartender smartly backed away and then turned and fled. The man nearest him turned on the stool and Ivan swung, his bat connecting with the mans face, he felt the mans cheekbone give and teeth fell to the floor the larger man following him.

"You think it's fun to gang up on a girl!?" Ivan demanded as the other four stood.

"Five to one against a woman!? Come on!" he swung again his bat connecting with a second mans groin.

He fell to the floor howling in agony, the other three went for their guns but so did Ivan and he was faster. He dropped the other three with three shots the two who were still a live and bleeding

all over the floor glanced up at him. He shot the man whose jaw he shattered first, the other one still holding himself as he rolled on the floor. He leaned down the mans level.

"Mark my words this is just the start, you were the first five but you won't be the last."

"Don't please, don't kill me!" The man begged.

"Too late."

Ivan pulled the trigger and when he walked out of that bar not a single man was standing. He drove to the hospital and stayed with his wife until she was well enough to go home.

Seven broken ribs, a fractured eye socket, two missing teeth, a broken wrist and several cuts and bruises were the most notable of her injuries. As many times as she told the story it was obvious to everyone that had Laurel not put up such a fight her injuries may have been less severe, but Laurel was a fighter and beating her to submission had been their only option.

Thanks to the help of Ezra the next few months Ivan wiped the other club off the planet and by the time Ivan and Laurel divorced not a single one was alive.

Unfortunately his marriage didn't survive either.

AuthorNote; If you haven't check out my other books including my collection of shorts, heavenly beast and teachers secret!