Exiled (Anathema Book 2) (36 page)
Read Exiled (Anathema Book 2) Online
Authors: Lana Grayson
The
vineyard was lovely in October.
It
was one of those phrases I never thought I’d say, but, Christ, did it make me
feel classy.
The
rolling hills were covered in a decadent green, and the air hung heavy with a
natural sweetness. The rows and rows of vine-spiraled arbors bore grapes
bursting for harvest. The sun paused overhead, bathing the vineyard and winery
in golden light. Even it seemed to still, lazily trekking across the sky toward
the evergreen crested mountains far beyond the vineyard with its little dirt
roads, beautiful restaurant, and outdoor stone mosaicked patio.
Not
that I didn’t miss Pittsburgh, but the local news called for snow.
And
bloodshed.
Sacrilege
was lost in a night. Kingdom the next. The Feds dispatched from the ‘Burgh to
Erie, and, under Red’s orders, I was to stay on the other side of the country
in hiding.
Or
doing wine tastings.
Or
sampling decadent dinners and desserts paired with the perfect wine.
Or
spending my nights tangled in hotel sheets, sweaty and sating Brew’s every whim
while he rewarded me with my own pleasure.
I
sipped my wine. Red just meant for me to run, but it was my turn to determine
my definition of
safe
. And I chose to feel safe in the most beautiful
place in the world with a handsome and dangerous man leading me through its
secrets. I’d be a perfect tourist and love every moment of it.
The
motorcycle roared from a mile away. A few birds scattered along the rural,
country road as the Harley bumbled and purred to the vineyard. The driver
hopped off—his leathers and jacket far too aggressive for such a beautiful
location.
He
came for war, but I only meant to share a bottle of perfectly seasoned wine, a
vintage from five years ago that aged into a subtle fragrance. It wasn’t hard
whiskey and gin, but a girl could get used to the finer things in life.
The
blonde-haired, blue-eyed bandit stole to my table, glancing over the empty
patio and emptier winery.
“You
must be Luke.” I offered him my best smile. It came easier than I expected. His
patches read
President
and
1%
, but his regal confidence and
story-book blue eyes were much more prince charming than kingdom usurper.
“Yeah.”
“I’m
Martini.”
His
gaze surveyed the table, the grapes overhead in the trellis, and the creaking
wooden winery, but his attention never left me. I gestured for him to take a
seat. I offered him a tip of the wine bottle. He didn’t refuse.
“Thank
you.” He swirled the liquid too violently. “What is it?”
“Pinot
Noir.”
“Never
heard of it.”
“It’s
my new favorite.”
He
took a sip, but I didn’t picture him a wine drinker. The label on his cut said
Knight
.
He was probably more a tavern guy. Frothy glass of beer and a girl on his lap.
He gave me a full minute of peace. Then the sword came down.
“Why
am I here?”
“I
have something that might be useful to you.”
“I
don’t even know you.”
My
words charmed the frown from his expression, but it didn’t buy me his trust.
“We have mutual friends.”
“I
have to confess, honey. Your information is bad. I’m out of friends.”
“Then
we have mutual interests.”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “I’ve heard that before.”
He
matched my amusement with a bright, handsome grin with a perfectly positioned
dimple and mystical charm. I had no idea how this man ended up ruling a
splintered motorcycle club, or how he expected to defend himself from the
rampaging warlord stalking Anathema’s territory. But Brew once trusted him, and
he had once earned that trust.
“Lovely
as it is to meet you, Martini,” he said. “You didn’t organize this meeting. Who
did?”
“I
have something for you.” I pulled the USB drive from my pocket and slid the
item across the table. “I think you’ll need this.”
He
stared at the offering, like he read the stolen information on it—the names and
faces, dates and locations, weakness and vulnerabilities of Kingdom’s collected
surveillance on Temple. The data on the USB resulted in the deaths of too many
good guys and more than enough evil men. I was supposed to be traded for it.
Captured and caged away until the streets ran with blood.
I
shivered. Knight saw. I got the feeling he saw a lot of things.
“You
won’t tell me what’s on it?” he said.
“And
spoil the fun?”
He
flipped the USB along his knuckles—and old trick I watched Red do to improve
his dexterity when he was still in med school.
“Why
should I trust you?”
“It
seems like you could use a friend.”
“That’s
true.” He threw back his wine, but his eyes saw through me. “Answer me
something.”
“Go
for it.”
“Are
you in trouble?”
“Why?”
“You’re
not from around here. You’re calling me on a private number very few people have
and inviting me upstate to sample wine, without telling me anything about you
or why you’ve chosen me for your...” He tucked the USB in his pocket. “
Gift
.
I’ll tell you this much. I’m done tossing women in the middle of my wars.
Period. If you need help, I’ll get you out of here. No questions asked.”
“Are
you sure you drove in on a Harley and not a white steed?”
“Answer
the question.”
“I’m
safer and happier now than I’ve been in a very, very long time.”
“Right.”
He nodded. “Are we done?”
“Yep.”
“Nice
to meet you, Martini.” He stood, but looked into my eyes, tapping a finger
along the chair. “Sorry to hear about Sacrilege MC.”
I
tensed. Luke said nothing else and returned to his bike, driving off into the
dirt road that separated the rest of the world from the slice of heaven we toured.
Brew
took Knight’s abandoned chair, brushing my hand as he reached for my wine.
“You
okay?”
The
drink buzzed my thoughts, though I hadn’t had more than a glass. “He knew who I
was.”
“He
did?”
“God.
What if he thinks you’re alive?”
Brew
quieted, but he shook his head. “Temple worked off my father’s assumptions.
They didn’t know for sure.”
“But
Blade invited him to the party at Sorceress.”
“It
doesn’t benefit my father to let the world in on the secret, especially if he
knew I was coming for him. Raises too many questions. It’d put Anathema into
the spotlight and ruin The Coup’s deal with Temple.” He shook his head. “No. To
the rest of the world? I’m as cold and stiff as my old man. Knight’s got no
idea, and it’ll burn him till we meet in Hell.”
I flinched.
Brew apologized, but the image stayed with me. Too many miles and too many close
calls. His dark eyes narrowed.
“Got
a room a few miles from here. Bed and breakfast.”
I laughed.
“Oh, they’ll love the leather.”
“You
do.”
“On
you.” I sipped my wine and shrugged. “And off of you too.”
Brew
saw through the act. “You’re worried.”
“Aren’t
you?”
He
gestured over the vineyard. “I promised you a trip here. Didn’t break that. I
promised I keep us safe. Haven’t broken that yet.”
“I
know.”
“Do
you still trust me, darling?”
I
didn’t hesitate. His strength washed over me, and I cherished his every
promise.
“Absolutely.”
He
hooked his foot under my chair, drawing me close and capturing my lips in a
kiss.
“Then
this isn’t an exile anymore,” he whispered. “This is just where we need to be.”
The
End
Coming
soon…
The
Anathema MC thought they recovered from The Coup’s betrayal, but now the only
man who can save the club is the traitor who started the revolution…
Coming
Late May 2015
Life isn’t a fairy tale.
Good men die, bad ones live, and the
worst frame you for murder.
What does a man do when the realm
doesn’t want to be saved and the princess refuses to be rescued?
He becomes the villain.
He forces them to obey, if only to save
their lives.
If only to save Lyn’s life.
Other Works By Lana Grayson:
Trapped...
For twenty-one years, Rose Darnell searched for a way out of the Anathema MC,
but the only thing more dangerous than the desecrated club is the rival chapter
manipulating Rose into starting a war.
Bound to a world of bloodied knuckles and drug money, Rose is determined to use
her musical talent to escape her abusive father and overbearing brothers. A
chance audition would free Rose from the outlaw 1%, but her brothers ensnare
her within Anathema’s shadow.
A rival club threatens Rose, and only Anathema’s President, Thorne Radek, can
protect her from the bloodshed.
Betrayed...
A traitor lurks within the brotherhood, and Thorne will burn the world to
scorch the rat. When an innocent diva with baby-bunny eyes and dark secrets
needs his help, Thorne volunteers to protect the girl and secures his ultimate
bait to lure out the traitor.
Thorne may be the only man who ever distracted Rose from her music, but his
obsession with the club's betrayal endangers the one woman easing his desire
for vengeance.
Helping Thorne find the traitor will damn more than the club.
It will tear Rose's family apart...
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Acknowledgements
I am so fortunate to have many wonderful
people in my life who have supported me through this whole publishing process.
Everyone who helped me with Warlord stuck by me while writing Exiled, and these
names might look the same. But it’s important I list them because, without
these people, I wouldn’t be the writer or woman I am today.
First off, I have to thank all my
readers out there. I am constantly amazed by how kind and wonderful you all are.
So many of you have reached out to me and talked with me about my books, and I have
more of you than I can count reading ARCs and helping to promote me. Thank you
so much for all your help!
I have to thank my husband. Not only has
he supported me and taken care of me when mydedicationobsession with
writing took over our lives, he’s given the courage to take the step and write
full-time. And that’s just awesome. He knows how much I love him.
To my beta readers: Kelley, Kaylee,
Jess, and Pepper, thank you so much for your help. I know I kept you on a tight
schedule, but your crits meant the world to me. And to my other writing buddies—Fiona,
Abby, Amy, Jamie, and my Romantica buds—thank you for listening to me and
helping me and sending me cute stickers in FB chats. You guys really do keep me
centered.
Sabrina—you answered my every inane
question, thank you!
Lizzy—I know these MC books aren’t your
thing, but you have no idea how great it was to have you as a sounding board
for my ideas and all the lines I had you read. <3
Also, I have to thank my friends: Ashley,
Brittany, Breann, Kati…Really. Dinners. I mean it this time.
And my family: Oh my, if you’re reading
this…let’s never talk about the shower scene with Brew and Martini.
I also have a big thank you to the people who are
helping behind the scenes. Rebecca Berto, thank you so much for
your beautiful cover design
—we
have a lot of work to do soon with the rest of this series. And
Xpresso Tours
,
thank you for helping organizing my tour and always answering my questions!
Thank
you all so much!