Free Edge of Chaos by Brynn O'Connor

Kings if they were to lose their president, vice president,
and possibly their Sergeant at Arms. That’s the last thing Luke wants. He is willing
to die but not if that means the club will die as well. He has to find a way to
diffuse the situation before someone accidentally or purposely shoots another brother.
    Luke takes a deep
breath. “Look, obviously we have some issues to work out here, but is this
really the way to do that?” He looks over at Mack, their Sergeant at Arms.
“Mack, you’ve been like an uncle to me. Some of my earliest memories are of you
teaching me how to ride my mini bike.” Luke looks across the table at a very
big, ugly-looking brother. “Big Joe, you took a bullet for me even before I was
a brother and I’d gladly take one for you.”
    “You’ve always
been my brother, Luke,” Big Joe says, and he stuffs his weapon back in his
waist band. “This ain’t right, Kings. We talk it out, not shoot it out.”
    Luke puts his
H&K away and so does Brian. Mack follows but Carter keeps his trained on
Gunnar, waiting for the president’s next move. Gunnar looks around him. The
mood has changed and there’s no way anyone present will back his play to murder
his own son; at least not today they won’t. Later, he’ll have a talk with Mack
and Big Joe. They should have never backed down, no matter what Luke says and
no matter what their history is with his son. That was weak and weakness has to
be punished; today's not the day.

Chapter Twelve
Home Invasion

     
    There’s a loud
knocking on the front door.
    Kayla jumps up
from her recliner and hurries to see who it is. She opens it without thinking
and steps back to the side.
    “You’re early—” she
begins, but stops mid-sentence.
    Standing in the
doorway is her ex- boyfriend, Harbinger biker, Dillon. He’s brought company as
well; a rather nasty-looking brute and fellow outlaw biker she’s seen only once.
She has no idea why they’re standing on her doorstep.
    “Aren’t you going
to let us in?” Dillon asks, as his eyes take liberties with her body.
    Her shorts are far
too short and flimsy to withstand the scrutiny from Dillon’s prying eyes.
Suddenly aware that she is lacking a bra, Kayla crosses her arms in an attempt
to cover herself.
    “Well, are you or
aren’t you?” Dillon presses.
    “What the hell are
you doing here? And no, I’m not letting you guys in.”
    “Look, I just
wanted to talk and I brought Kurt here as a witness to my very honorable
intentions. I feel like we left things…a bit strained if you will…”
    “If I will?” Kayla
asks with a laugh. “If I will? Honorable intentions? Since when do you talk
like that Dillon?” she asks.
    “Since I've
decided to make some changes in my life,” he replies.
    “Look Dillon, I’m
glad you’re making changes, I really am, but it’s time for me to move on.”
    “I don’t
understand, Kayla. I am doing everything you wanted. I’m a different person
now, completely.”
    “Yes, I’m sure you
are,” Kayla lies. “Now I really need to be going.”
    She starts to shut
the door and nearly succeeds but for Dillon’s boot preventing complete closure.
Instead of moving his foot out of the way, Dillon lowers his shoulder, takes
one big step and all of a sudden Kayla is sprawled out on the floor of her
hallway with Dillon and Kurt looming dangerously over her.
    “Look,” Kayla
says. She takes a deep breath, trying to keep her voice from shaking in fear.
“Someone’s coming over. In fact, he’ll be here any second, so you should leave
now.”
    “Who?” he asks. An
ugly look is starting to come over his face. “Who’s coming over? Is it a guy?
You’d better not be seeing other guys or it’s gonna get real ugly, real fast.”
    Kayla’s heart is
pounding in her chest. Icy cold fear is beginning to seize control over her
mind as images of her last encounter with Dillon come unbidden to her mind. She
scoots backward, trying to put some distance between herself