Runner: A dark enemies to lovers gang romance (Sapphire Duet Book 1)

Gray kicked the back of my knees, making me fall, and he shoved me into the back seat of the Camaro. I heard the door shut while I wrestled to get out from under him.

“You two really have a death wish, don’t you?” I grated out.

He captured my wrists, pressing them against my spine as he sat on top of me. “All we want to do is make sure you understand that you can’t undermine us in front of the public.”

“You think this was undermining you? No, this was me being nice.”

Kade must have gotten into the car because we suddenly lurched forward before sharply taking a turn. Gray stayed on top of me as we drove, and my rage was quickly building. It was time to rethink my Panther plan because there was no fucking way I was working with them anymore.

“I thought you wanted to talk,” I snarked when they both stayed silent.

“Once we’re out of the car,” Gray answered stiffly.

We didn’t drive very long before the car stopped. Gray finally climbed off me, pulling me out of the car with him as Kade held open the door. My eyes darted around, quickly realizing we were in front of their usual club.

“Now, we’re going to go sit at the bar and talk,” Kade told me as we walked toward the door. “And if you don’t, then we’ll go somewhere more private.”

I chuckled. “Don’t trust yourselves alone with me? Probably a good idea. Even without my weapons, I could kill both of you in five different ways.”

I held my breath when Gray’s lips brushed my ear. “I think we’ve all learned by now that the best way to talk to you is when you’re tied up. So if you don’t want a repeat of the hotel room, then be a good girl and sit at the bar.”

I was seeing red by the time Kade pulled open the door to the club. They had no idea what those words were doing to me. I’d spent years being a good fucking girl. Those days were long gone, and hell if they thought they could bend me to their will. I couldn’t kill them because I wasn’t stupid. Their crew members were everywhere, and I doubted I’d make it out of the club alive. But I had no plans to talk to them either.

The second we were through the doors, I dug my elbow into Gray’s ribs. I planted my foot in front of his before shoving him with my free hand. He went down, and I spun around, catching Kade’s wrist. He tried reaching for me with his free hand, but I was already twisting his wrist while kneeing him in the stomach. He choked out a breath as I swung him into Gray, making them both stagger to stay on their feet.

I weaved through the crowd, heading for the busy dance floor. They thought they could dictate who I spent time with? I was going to find the first semi-decent guy and walk out the back door with him. I spotted a guy standing by himself, and I sauntered up to him, wrapping my arm around his waist.

“Hey, you,” I said, shooting him a wicked smile. “Want to get out of here with me?”

His surprised grin melted when he met my gaze. “I know you. You’re the crew’s girl.”

My jaw clenched. “I think you have me confused with someone else.”

His eyes trailed down me as he gently pulled my arm away from him. “No. You’re definitely the girl everyone’s been talking about.”

The music suddenly died before Kade’s voice boomed over the mic. “Everyone out. We’re closing early.”

People scrambled toward the door, and the guy shot me a sheepish grin. “Sorry, but I really don’t want to be seen talking to Kade and Gray’s girl.”

“Oh my fuck. I’m not theirs,” I hissed, moving forward to get lost in the bodies that were cramming toward the entrance.

“I don’t think so, Rebel.” Gray’s arms banded around me, trapping my arms next to my sides. I whipped my head back, barely clipping his chin. He dragged me back toward the bar, and Kade popped up in front of me, reaching down and lifting my legs. I could handle myself against one of them, but without my weapons, they had me at a huge disadvantage when it was the both of them. Their hold on me was iron tight, and Kade released my legs before helping Gray smash my chest against the bar. I snarled with rage when a hand wrapped around the back of my neck, keeping me in place. My cheek was pressed against the bar top, and I saw Kade racing up the stairs to their personal room above the club.

“This is fucking done,” I screeched, my palms pressing against the wood. “The deal—the Panther job. It’s all gone. So have fun telling your bosses how badly you fucked up.”

“We’re nowhere near done,” Gray murmured, his fingers staying tightly around my neck. “You’ve knocked us on our asses again and again ever since you came here. I think you’ve forgotten who we are. We are not some low-life criminals. This is our city, and you’re making us look like fucking jokes.”

“I’ll fucking burn your city to the ground,” I threatened. “You have no idea what I can do.”

“If you would have listened to us the first time, then we wouldn’t be here right now,” Kade said as he came back down the stairs. “We only asked one thing.”

“I let you fuck me with the very clear understanding that it didn’t mean anything.” I kept my voice calm as every cell in my body raged. “No one fucking claims me.”

“People in this city recognize you now.” Kade leaned on the counter next to me. “They all think you’re ours. And being seen with any other guy makes us look like fools. And out of all fucking men, we hear that you’re with the mayor at one of our clubs?”

I grinned, licking my lips. “He really is a gentleman. More than I can say about the two of you. And his kisses put your mouths to shame.”

“Mili, work with us,” Gray said softly. “We know you need us for the Panther job. Stay here and let’s plan. All we want is for you to keep up appearances.”

I laughed coldly. “What is this? Good cop, bad cop?”

“In the eyes of this city, you’re ours,” Kade growled.

“You know what I think? I think you’re possessive as fuck.” I stared at Kade, not fighting against Gray’s hold. “I should have known after the first night you fucked me and gave me that hickey. You can’t handle seeing me with anyone else—unless it’s your best friend.”

Even though I was looking at him sideways, I could see his jaw muscle tick. “That’s not true.”

“It’s not?” I questioned. “Then why do you want to make sure everyone thinks I’m yours?”

“We told you,” he ground out, “it looks bad for us—”

“I’m calling bullshit,” I cut him off. “Is my pussy so good that you want it all for yourself?”

I bit back a cry when Kade fisted my hair. Gray let go of my neck but moved his hand to my back to keep me pressed against the counter.

“You drive me fucking crazy,” Kade murmured. “But maybe you’re right. Because when I see another guy’s hands on you, I want to fucking kill him.”

“Like you did the other night?” I snapped. “Can’t control your temper, Kade? Killing one man because he touched me?”

“Two,” Gray said.

“What?”

“We’ve killed two men. We probably should have kept that guy alive in Roseville,” Gray replied, making my stomach flip. “No one even knows we did it. Not really good to send a message. But killing that biker? That was a clear message. That you’re ours.”

“Why do you want to get with the mayor so bad?” Kade asked, studying me. “You plan to use him for something?”

“No, I’m using you two.” I grinned. “You were nothing more than a way to get a job done. But your dick energy screwed that up. Our business is fucking done.”

“So, you’re leaving town?” Gray asked stiffly.

My laugh was cold. “Nope. I plan to stay and show Rylan exactly how much I like him.”

“That’s not going to work for us,” Kade said in a low voice. “If you stay in Ridgewood, then we’ll make sure everyone knows you’re ours.”

Gray gripped my wrists, keeping my arms on the counter as Kade leaned over me. Something cold touched my throat, and I thrashed when it got tighter. A small click had chills running down my spine, and they both released me. My hand went to my neck, and I tugged at whatever the fuck Kade had put on me. Bolting up, I spun around to see them both staring at me, their faces blank. Whipping back around, I jumped over the counter, shoving bottles to the floor so I could look in the mirror that lined the wall behind the bar.

Pressing against my throat was a thick silver chain. My fingers were shaking as I touched it, gripping the small padlock that rested on my chest. It had the crew’s symbol on it, and fire scorched my veins as I turned to face them again.

“I will fucking kill you,” I hissed, my glare darting between the two of them. “You think you can show the world I’m yours?”

Kade was tense as he answered. “Not the world. Just our city. We’re done playing by your rules. If you stay here, then you will do the one thing we ask.”

The weight of the chain felt suffocating, but I ignored it, advancing toward them. “The game we were playing was fun, but you just fucked it up. I’m done.”

“You won’t kill us,” Gray told me, his muscles flexing as I got closer.

I cocked my head. “Why do you think that? Because we did a job together? Or because we fucked? Let me tell you something—that doesn’t mean shit.”

“You won’t kill us because we’ll make sure everyone knows it was Sapphire who did it,” Kade answered. “We have videos of you from our club cameras. We know your tattoos. It’s not much, but it seems you try really hard to keep your identity a secret.”

My heart thudded as I stared at them. “You think I care if people find out who I am?”

“We do.” Gray crossed his arms. “And we’d let everyone in our world know who you are and what you look like.”

I clenched my teeth, attempting not to give them the reaction they were looking for. If any of Joel’s people got word that I was alive and in California, I was fucked. I’d have to hide, and doing the Panther job would be fucking impossible.

My eyes darted between them as I inhaled a deep breath, calming my shaking muscles. I’d never lost control before, but what they’d just done nearly had me at my breaking point. Not one man had tried owning me since I escaped Joel. This piece of metal around my neck was nothing compared to what Joel had done to me, but it was a reminder of why the fuck I never got close to anyone.

Without even realizing it, I’d begun letting my guard down around these two. That had been a fucking mistake. One they were going to come to regret. My gaze snapped to the bar, and I stared at a beer glass.

Kade lunged forward, as if reading my mind. Losing my last thread of common sense, I lashed my arm out, snagging the glass the exact second Kade’s fingers latched around my wrist. Gray came up, grabbing my other arm before my fist could meet Kade’s cheek. My spine dug into the edge of the counter as I fought to get my wrist out of Kade’s grip while still gripping the glass. His jaw ticked, and he pressed his body into mine to keep me pinned against the counter.

“You think you can threaten me?” I murmured, my voice steeped in danger. “I could kill both of you here and leave town without giving either of you a chance to expose me.”

Kade’s other hand went to the glass, forcing my arm down. My anger boiled over from not being able to fight my way out of this. My strength wasn’t even close to theirs when combined. Gray pressed my arm against the wood while Kade finally got the leverage he needed, forcing the glass from my hold. It rolled to the floor, the shattering glass only making the tension in the room worse.

“You won’t kill us,” Gray said stiffly, tugging me away from the counter. He moved behind me, pulling my arms together and holding them against my ass. Before I could even think of breaking his hold, Kade was in front of me, his hand wrapping around my throat, right above the fucking collar they’d locked on me. My pulse thrashed under his hold as his grip tightened, stopping right before I lost the ability to breathe.

“So many secrets. Mili. Milina. Sapphire.” Kade’s voice was as cold and ruthless as his stare. I’d gotten to know them so well; it was easy to forget who they were. What they were. They were just like me. Monsters in the dark who would do anything to hold on to their power. And right now, I was a threat to their livelihood.

“You have no idea who I am,” I spat out, my voice trembling with rage.

“You’ve given us some clues, even without meaning to,” Gray whispered against my cheek. “Going on that job with you revealed a piece of your past.”

Chills ran down my spine, even though I had been expecting this conversation. I never should have fucking brought them. I never wanted them to hear Joel’s name. To know I used to be a weak girl who couldn’t fend for herself. They saw me as someone other than Sapphire. And I fucking hated it. Sharing pieces of myself with them was never supposed to happen.

“Joel,” Kade spat out the name as if it burned his tongue. “Was that the ex-boyfriend Andy was talking about?”

I pressed my lips together, having no intention of giving them anything. Kade’s eyes bored into mine, as if staring hard enough would draw out my secrets.

“Caleb,” he murmured in a softer voice.

Panic clawed at my chest, making me struggle against them. My reaction gave them the answer they were looking for, and I cursed at myself for not being able to rein in my emotions. Kade’s eyes widened a fraction at my response before confusion saturated his features. While Gray kept my wrists captive, Kade released my throat, only to tug on the chain around my neck.

“He’s your weakness,” Kade grated out, resentment in his tone. “Whoever he is, you care about him. You have someone to protect.”

“And what does any of that have to do with me not killing you?” I hissed, my stomach roiling at this conversation.

“You seem to forget that it’s not just Gray and me. We’re part of a much larger organization.” Kade grasped my chin. “We have silent partners. People you have no fucking idea about—even with all the digging you’ve done on us. We’re not easy targets like you seem to think.”

His words sounded like they held truth. Maybe with all the research Caleb and I had done, we’d still missed something. I doubted they’d ever get to Caleb, but I wasn’t going to chance it. At least not until I was sure their crew couldn’t touch us.

“Here are your two choices. Leave town for good. Or stay here.” Kade finally stepped back. “But if you take the second option, then you better remember that as long as you’re in Ridgewood city limits, you’re ours. You don’t interfere with our jobs. Or fuck around with anyone. Especially the goddamn mayor.”

I choked out a sarcastic laugh. “Holy shit. That’s it, isn’t it?”

Gray’s rapid breathing fanned over my hair as I held Kade’s gaze.

“You didn’t do all this after I got in the way of your job. You did this after seeing me with another man.” I tilted my head, knowing I was right when Kade’s eyes darkened. “It’s cute. Trying to claim me out of jealousy. I was right earlier. You can’t stand seeing me with anyone else after fucking me.”

“Leave town,” Kade ground out. “It’s best for all of us.”

Gray reluctantly let go of my arms, and I casually stepped away from him, a half-smile plastered on my face. I was back in control now. They wouldn’t see the storm they created until I was ready to show them.

With a sinister grin, I snatched my purse from where it had fallen on the floor. “I’ll see you boys later.”

I didn’t miss when Gray swallowed hard as I sauntered past them. At least he was smart enough to be worried. Kade didn’t say another word as I turned my back on them and strode toward the exit. I resisted the urge to try and rip the chain from my neck, pretending it didn’t bother me at all.

I rushed outside, scanning the street for a car I could take. My mind was racing with my plans. I was leaving Ridgewood. There was no doubt about that. But I had a few things to do first. And I couldn’t wait to show them exactly why fucking with me was a mistake.