My chest burns.

I guess a lot has changed in the last hour while I was sitting in the room like a good little girl waiting for Arrow to return.

Rake notices the woman kissing Arrow’s neck, his expression turning deadly.

“You gonna let some bitch touch you when you have my sister waiting for you?” he asks loudly, his fists clenching.

Tracker looks confused and a little pissed off. “Arrow? What the fuck, man?”

“What the fuck are you doing, Arrow?” Rake asks. “After everything? I will fuckin’ beat the shit out of you!”

“Don’t fuck up and lose her,” Tracker says. “You will regret it.”

Arrow laughs without humor. “I’ve already lost her, so what’s the point?”

Rake and Tracker exchange glances. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“What do you mean you’ve already lost her? You need to explain now, before I lose my shit,” Rake growls.

I step forward, revealing myself. “Yes, Arrow, what do you mean?”

Arrow glances up at me, guilt etched all over his face.

I look at the woman on his lap. “Get out of here.”

She looks to Arrow, who looks at her as if he’s only just realizing she’s there. Without a word, he pushes her off him.

Bit fucking late for that, isn’t it?

“What the fuck, Arrow?” I ask, my hands shaking with anger.

And pain.

And fucking confusion.

He doesn’t say anything, so I leave. I don’t want anyone to see how much this is affecting me.

I hear the men yelling at him. He calls my name, but too fucking bad. I don’t get him! He was fine before, even though I know something has been bothering him, then I find him with some woman sitting on his lap? Why didn’t he push her off? What the hell is going through his mind?

He’s hiding something.

I don’t need this shit.

I don’t need a man who isn’t sure of his feelings. He knows I love him. He knows.

Apparently it’s not enough.

I’m not enough.

Fine, then. I can’t stay here tonight—I pack a bag and head to Lana’s house.

I step out into the cool air and take in the scene, a shitload of motorcycles and a few men standing around and talking. I frown when I see no other than Slice, Talon’s friend. What is he doing here? I walk straight up to him, smirking at the almost nervous look that passes in his expression. He’s dressed in all black, no cut. Sneaking in maybe? What is he up to?

“You’re a little close to enemy headquarters, don’t you think?” I ask quietly so only he can hear.

His eyes narrow. “What do you want?”

“What are you doing here?” I ask him. “You better not plan to hurt anyone.”

His lips tighten. “What do you want?”

“I want a ride. I need to get out of here. You owe me, and don’t even think of taking me anywhere else other than where I want to go.”

I left my car keys in my room and I sure as hell wasn’t going back into the clubhouse.

He calls Talon.

Talon tells him to do it.

“Let me speak to Talon first, so I know you’re not going to murder me or something,” I say.

He hands me the phone. “Hey, Talon.”

“You okay, Anna?” he asks, sounding concerned.

“I need a quick escape. What is Slice doing here, anyway?” I ask him.

“Never mind about that. You can trust him. I trust Slice with my life.”

“And what does that mean to me?”

I hear him sigh. “You and I both know we need to talk. Why don’t you let Slice bring you here?”

We do need to talk. I need answers.

“All right,” I tell him, then hang up the phone and give it back to Slice.

“Take me to Talon, please.”

He grits his teeth. “Get the fuck on my bike, princess.”

He says princess in such a mocking way I want to punch him. But I don’t, because I need him right now.

I get on his bike.

I could feel my heart breaking the whole way home.

*   *   *

I don’t like Slice.

He takes me straight back to their clubhouse. On the ride over I had time to think, to go over what happened and to try to figure out the puzzle that is Arrow’s recent behavior.

I realize that recently two things happened.

One was when Arrow spoke to Talon, and two was my telling him that I loved him.

I thought it had to do with the former, and hoped it wasn’t the latter.

Talon was somehow the key in all of this, and I was glad to be at his clubhouse, so I could demand some answers.

I needed them badly.

I slide off the back of Slice’s bike, eager to get away from him. Handing him his helmet, I mumble a thank-you. He nods his head to the door. “Talon is through there.”

He walks to the door and I follow behind him.

“Where is everyone?” I ask him, looking around the empty place.

“Out,” he replies, stopping at a door and knocking twice.

“Come in,” I hear Talon call. Slice opens the door, but only I walk in. Talon looks up, his white-blond hair falling across his forehead. He pushes it out of his face and flashes me a small smile.

“Nice to see you, Anna,” he says quietly. “Take a seat.”

I lower myself into the seat and stare at him expectantly.

He smirks. “Nothing to say? No kidnapping accusations?”

“Not this time. I have a feeling that you know things, and right now I want some answers,” I tell him in a strong, even voice.

He laughs without humor. “I knew Arrow wouldn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?” I demand. “I’m sick of all this. Just tell me what’s going on!”

He sobers. “I never wanted to hurt you, Anna, I hope you believe that.”

I don’t like the sound of this.

“What did you say to Arrow that day?” I ask.

Talon expels a heavy sigh. “It’s more what I showed him.”

He reaches into a drawer and pulls out a piece of paper. He stares at it once before sliding it across the table. I pick it up with trembling hands and read it from top to bottom.

“Who is Samuel Pierce?” I ask him, my bottom lip trembling.

Talon suddenly looks unsure. “My stepfather.”

I swallow hard. “What? I don’t—”

I was looking at a birth certificate.

My birth certificate.

I didn’t even know I had one. I just assumed my mother had lost it.

It said that my father’s name was Samuel Pierce.

All I felt was confusion.

“My mother married your father. I was a baby at the time, and your dad raised me like I was his own,” he says gently. “This is what I showed Arrow. I knew it would break him—and he fuckin’ deserved it after what he did.”

I swallow hard after hearing the name of my father for the very first time in my life.

“I can’t believe this,” I murmur.

“Why did you tell Arrow and not me or Rake?” I blurt out.

He cringes. “I wanted to kill Arrow. But I didn’t, because of you. So I guess it was my fucked-up way of revenge.”

“How is this revenge?” I ask him, brows scrunching in confusion.

Talon takes a deep breath then. “Anna, you know how my dad died, right?”

“You call him your dad?” I ask, not knowing how to feel about that.

He nods. “I do.”

I was Samuel’s daughter, but I didn’t know him; neither did Rake. Yet Talon, who wasn’t of his blood, got to be raised by him and call him Dad.

Talon’s dad was the president of the Wild Men MC, I remember being told that.

My mind races trying to figure everything out, but then it hits me.

The Wild Men MC killed Mary. Faye told me they broke in one night when all the men had gone on a run, leaving only women and prospects in the clubhouse.

Arrow got his revenge . . .

By killing their president.

My father.

I cover my face with my hands, struggling to breathe. My chest burned, the pain so strong I’m surprised I wasn’t in flames.

I’d never met my father, and now I’d never get the chance. A feeling of loss overwhelms me. Losing something I never actually had in the first place.

I don’t know how to process this. I am confused; I am hurt. I still want Arrow. Why didn’t he tell me? This should have come from him. He knew everything this whole time and kept it to himself. Instead, he slowly pushed me away, knowing the second the truth surfaced he may lose me. I shake off my thoughts of Arrow and decide to ask the other questions that I need answers for.