Slow Ride (Hell's Tribe MC Series) [Book 1]

Prologue: Six Hours

~Ronnie~

My cheek was searing with an angry burn as I fell to the tiled floor of my kitchen. The large man who had just struck me to the ground knelt down and grabbed a fist full of my blonde hair and used it to pull me closer. His smoky breath was hot on my cheek as he proceeded to whisper venomously in my ear. "If your old man doesn't come up with my money by tonight, I'll be back here, and then I'll be forced to take other forms of payment."

A shiver ran down my spine, my whole body going painfully cold at his touch. He brushed my cheek, the same place where he had delivered a brash slap and I recoiled. He chuckled wickedly at my reaction, but stood to his feet and backed away just slightly.

"You have six hours to get money," he announced, turning his back on me and heading toward the back door.

"My dad left weeks ago!" I cried. "I can't get you the money he owes in six hours, but if you give me some time I'll get it, I swear." I felt my voice waver with my fear, but I meant every word.

Growing up a Vegas native, I was no stranger to skeezy loan sharks who were willing to do just about anything to get back what they were owed. I witnessed first hand since my father had let his gambling addiction get out of control, just how persuasive they could be when they came around to collect, and this man was no newcomer. I had never met him before, but everyone in town knew Vlad. He was the last person you turn to for money in a town full of it, and he meant business. He didn't seem to care in the least that I wasn't the one who owed him anything or that my father had fucked off and left me with the responsibility of fixing this for him and myself.

All I needed was time and I knew somehow I would come up with the money.

I always did when my father's life was at stake and especially now that mine was at risk too.

"Your old man said he would pay me back weeks ago. You have it when I come back or there's gonna a real big problem here."

I felt my breath hitch in my throat because I knew I was not getting ten grand in six hours. There was no way.

Before I could even think it, Vlad voiced my only other option out loud.

"Before you even think about skipping town or calling the cops, you should know that I got eyes and ears everywhere. Don't even think about it darlin'. You try anything stupid and the debt doubles, and every day you don't get it to me, it will continue to double. Understand?"

I nodded my head weakly, but that didn't seem to satisfy him. He crossed his thick arms over his chest and waited with an impatient look on his evil face.

"Y-yes," I stuttered. "I understand."

"Good." He turned his back to me once again and proceeded to open the back door before turning back just once more. "Who knows, if you play your cards right, I might just take you to the bedroom after you pay up. That'll be a lesson to Ed. He takes what's mine, I take what's his. See you tonight."

I felt I might be sick at the mere mention of going near that man in any way, but especially that way.

A weight lifted off my shoulders when I heard the door slam shut behind him and his truck start a few seconds later. I got up from the ground for the first time since he had struck me down and confirmed for myself that he had indeed left. When I knew he was gone for good- at least for now, I went into a panic.

How was I supposed to come up with ten grand in six hours?

Dad had nearly wiped me clean a few weeks ago when another debt threatened his life, and at this point, my bank account had dwindled away to next to nothing. I had a hundred dollars to my name- if that, and that surely was not enough to bribe Vlad for more time to get him the rest of it.