Dangerous Ignition: Enemy Territory

By Elizabeth Hollows

AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS STORY FROM EXCITING AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA ROMANCE ELIZABETH HOLLOWS

An Enemy Territory story

Sleeping with the enemy is bad enough, but now they're adding bondage and domination. How can they trust a person they're supposed to want dead?

Rico Hanthorn is a member of the Angels of Mercy bike club. His father is the leader and groomed him from a young age to join them. Rico has been an enforcer for years. When rivals encroach on their territory, he is sent to deal with them. He knows his enemies—if not by name, then by face.

And there's one enemy he knows better than most, thanks to a stupid mistake in his youth. Rico has endeavored to forget about it, something only helped by his most recent task of keeping an eye on his younger sister. Angelica is rebelling, and his father wants her kept in line. He's a glorified babysitter, but his father's word is law.

Across the city, Pearce Walton is one of the Demon Riders, the rival gang which, despite being smaller, has grappled with the Angels for decades. Raised by his uncle since he was four, Pearce lives and breathes the club's culture. He's only ever had one cause for regret, and he has spent years hiding and learning from that mistake. No one knows his secrets, especially his cousin Benny, whom Pearce has been tasked with monitoring to make certain he'll be ready for initiation.

But when Pearce finds Benny entangled in an affair with Angelica, both Pearce and Rico are forced to face their past head-on. Rico and Pearce are gay men in straight biker clubs, as well as rivals and enemies—but for a few days more than ten years ago, they had been lovers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pride Publishing
• Release date: Apr 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839431913

Elizabeth Hollows

Elizabeth Hollows is an Australian writer of LGBT love stories specializing in homosexual or lesbian romance. Her preferred genres are fantasy, science fiction and contemporary/modern. She has been writing since she was twelve, but has spent the last few years writing romance stories and discovering a passion for LGBT romance. When Elizabeth is not writing she embroiders, reads and plots her next novel. She is a fan of the winter months and always has a book in her handbag and a cup of tea nearby.

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Pride Publishing books by Elizabeth Hollows

Single Books

Return to Duty

Rising Heat

Anthologies

Hard Evidence: Ticket to Freedom

Collections

Naughty or Nice: Twelve Dates of Christmas

Love’s Bloom: Garden of Cupid

S.W.A.L.K.: The Real Thing

Enemy Territory

DANGEROUS IGNITION

ELIZABETH HOLLOWS

Dangerous Ignition

ISBN # 978-1-83943-191-3

©Copyright Elizabeth Hollows 2022

Cover Art by Claire Siemaszkiewicz ©Copyright April 2022

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Pride Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Pride Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Pride Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2022 by Pride Publishing, United Kingdom.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

Pride Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Enemy Territory

Sleeping with the enemy is bad enough, but now they’ve adding bondage and domination. How can they trust a person they’re supposed to want dead?

Rico Hanthorn is a member of the Angels of Mercy bike club. His father is the leader and groomed him from a young age to join them. Rico has been an enforcer for years. When rivals encroach on their territory, he is sent to deal with them. He knows his enemies—if not by name, then by face.

And there’s one enemy he knows better than most, thanks to a stupid mistake in his youth. Rico has endeavored to forget about it, something only helped by his most recent task of keeping an eye on his younger sister. Angelica is rebelling, and his father wants her kept in line. He’s a glorified babysitter, but his father’s word is law.

Across the city, Pearce Walton is one of the Demon Riders, the rival gang which, despite being smaller, has grappled with the Angels for decades. Raised by his uncle since he was four, Pearce lives and breathes the club’s culture. He’s only ever had one cause for regret, and he has spent years hiding and learning from that mistake. No one knows his secrets, especially his cousin Benny, whom Pearce has been tasked with monitoring to make certain he’ll be ready for initiation.

But when Pearce finds Benny entangled in an affair with Angelica, both Pearce and Rico are forced to face their past head-on. Rico and Pearce are gay men in straight biker clubs, as well as rivals and enemies—but for a few days more than ten years ago, they had been lovers.

Trademark Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Harley: H-D USA LLC

Zippo: Zippo Manufacturing Company

Chapter One

Rico Hanthorn found few pleasures greater than riding his Harley. He loved his bike as much as he loved his family. The purr of the motor beneath his thighs defied words as she rumbled with power with every rev of her engine. The feelings and the freedom it gave him were unmatched. She was his pride, and she carried him through the city with the respect and fear gained by his station.

His father, John Hanthorn, was the leader of the Angels of Mercy bike club. Their club had run the west side of the city for forty years. The Angels had fought bloody wars when he had been a child—his father disappearing at odd hours only to come home with the smell of oil on his hands, soot on his clothes and grim satisfaction in his eyes.

The Angels had hard control over the import and export of weapons, while high-quality drugs were theirs to disperse. Rico was one of their best enforcers and well regarded to eventually take his father’s position. Leadership wasn’t a blood right, but Rico had the respect of his peers. He had sacrificed his time, body and life to the Angels. He’d more than proved his worth, and no one would ever doubt his allegiance to the club or his fellow members.

Through years of toil and grit, they had squashed any incursions into their borders. The west was theirs. But on their eastern outskirts, an unending rivalry had waged. The Demon Riders had a Chapter on that side of the city. They were slightly smaller, but they traded in the same enterprises and were just as ruthless in maintaining their power.

The Angels’ most violent altercations had occurred with the Demons.

In more than ten years as part of the Angels, Rico had only faltered once when faced with the rival club.

It wasn’t during a bloodied battle or a moment of unexpected compassion. It was during a cease-fire in a part of the city controlled by neither club. Rico’s job, like many at the time, had been to stand quiet and menacing behind their leader. The Demon Riders and the Angels of Mercy had been clashing so often and so ferociously that the police were not only arresting sizeable numbers of their members but also manipulating their animosity against them.

The clubs had always hated each other, but they’d always detested the cops more.

Utilizing a tentative truce, they’d met in the dead of night in an empty parking lot to discuss options and territory boundaries. Rico had only been three months initiated but had been eager to be involved and please his father.

He’d felt confident and calm—until he’d scanned the Demon Riders and seen a familiar face. Their gazes had locked, their eyes widening, Rico had felt the sinking realization of a grave mistake. As an Angels of Mercy member, he shouldn’t have felt fear when surrounded by his club—but he had. Rico had felt certain everyone would realize what he had done.

Although he had escaped the encounter without the revelation of his youthful stupidity, the terror had lingered under his skin for months, sinking into his dreams and everyday life. It had hammered home the need for discretion and to keep his liaisons within the safety of his territory.

It was a lesson Rico had hoped to never need to teach his sister.

Angelica was ten years his junior—seventeen, arrogant and reckless. At his father’s request, she was to be kept as far from the club as possible.

"She’s young and impressionable," his father had insisted one evening.

John Hanthorn’s bald head had shone under the porch’s backlight. He’d held a smoke in one hand and a beer in the other. Even when at rest, with no club members to control or impress, John Hanthorn had a barely leashed ferocity.

Your mother wants her behaving. I want her nose out of business that doesn’t concern her. You’ll get her back in line?

Yes.

Good. He’d taken another long drag, letting it out in a heavy cloud. And, for God’s sake, get her hair back to normal.

That’s more difficult.

His father had turned his head slowly, his gaze flat, his voice cold. Did I stutter on my order?

No, Rico had immediately corrected. It will happen.

Good.

His job had been made clear. Unfortunately, Angelica had refused to listen to him. His sweet, brunette sister had turned platinum blonde. Her dresses, floral shirts and jeans had become revealing crop tops, ripped pants and a tight-fitting leather jacket.

Rico had spent more time chasing after her than at the club’s headquarters or doing work with his fellow members. He was a glorified babysitter, and it was only fear of his father’s anger and retribution that kept him from complaining about the situation.

Every day, Rico waited to hear a tale about her stupidity. She acted like an unruly child who wouldn’t stop until she’d made her point. He had enough faith to believe her actions wouldn’t be life-threatening. His goal was to keep the extent of her rebellion and the fallout from their parents.

Today, he hoped, would be a little bit peaceful.

He’d dropped his sister at the house of another club member whose daughter was a friend. It meant he had most of the day to focus on other more important tasks for the club. He’d ridden across town and parked his bike outside Carson’s Gym. He had one arm resting casually on his leg while the other stayed on the handlebar of his bike. He stared into the establishment.

A week ago, the Angels had gained word that a dealer had been working from inside the gym without permission and with no dues being paid to the Angels. His operation had only been small, but the Angels had never tolerated competition. He’d been found by enforcers who had left him bloodied but alive. Rico’s presence outside was a reminder to the owners that they were no longer trusted.

He’d been there for almost an hour, his gaze following everyone who came in and out. He’d seen the son of the owner flinch at the sight of him before rushing inside. Rico was almost ready to leave when his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket, seeing his sister’s number.

What? he demanded.

I’m sorry! she said, sounding panicked. Her voice was thickened with tears. I’m sorry, Rico!

What happened?

She gave a tearful, fearful sob and Rico heard a muffled sound as something covered the speaker. Rico was on edge, his teeth gritted as he tried to hear anything to give away what was happening. When the noise stopped, Rico’s every muscle was tightly coiled.

Angelica? he asked.

The answer didn’t come from his sister.

Hanthorn.

He knew the voice. It sent a complicated rush of emotions through him. Pearce Walton—a Demon Rider and someone who had been causing Rico grief for more than a decade.

Walton, he bit out, what have you done to my sister?

You should come here.

Where is she?

"Pine Hotel on York Street. Room 6A. Come alone."

The call ended.

Rico turned on the engine and swung his bike around, going toward York Street. He felt a tight ball of anger and worry form in the pit of his stomach. Their gangs notoriously fought over York Street. It was currently on the Demons’ side, and while it wasn’t the heart of enemy territory, it was still far from a safe zone.

Why the fuck is Angelica in a hotel room with a rival gang member?

Rico would kill Walton if he’d laid a finger on her.

He sped and cut corners to get to the street quicker, his tension only mounting as he crossed their borders. He expected to see Demon Riders lining the street or to ride into a trap and have numerous guns pointing at his face, but the streets remained free of enemies, and no one stopped him. When he arrived in front of the Pine Hotel, there was only one Harley present. He came to a stop beside it. The bike was in prime condition and accented in red. He knew it was Pearce Walton’s.

Rico climbed off his bike and walked into the hotel lobby. He scanned the space, his hand twitching with the desire to grab a weapon. The receptionists were busy behind the counter and a few guests sat with suitcases. No one seemed suspicious, but his worries didn’t ease.

He crossed the lobby to the elevator and hit the floor number. The hotel was simple enough that he didn’t need a key card to access the upper floors. Rico cracked his knuckles in the lift while running through a plan. He had a knife and a handgun. If he needed to, Rico could shoot Walton and get Angelica back to their side of the city. The consequences could be dealt with once his sister was safe.

The elevator doors opened, and he scanned the room numbers before walking toward the letter he needed. Not far down the hall, he spotted Pearce Walton leaning against a door. The man had a slimmer build than Rico, and although his enemy was slumped, Rico knew the Demon Rider was as tall as he was. His sleeveless black vest had many patches displaying his allegiances. His heavily tattooed arms were crossed, but the bright colors of his skulls and flowers were unmissable. His blond hair, which stopped at his shoulders, was brushed and slicked back behind his ears. His beard was thick but well-trimmed and maintained.

This brings back too many memories.

Angelica was in danger. The past should have been the furthest thing from his mind, but Pearce Walton had always been complicated. He was entangled in things Rico couldn’t easily pull apart. He was a cold, standoffish Demon Rider now, but ten years ago, he’d been clean-shaven with his hair falling loose. His smile and touch had been rife with flirtation, and his moans had been unguarded and interspersed with Rico’s name.

Hanthorn, Pearce greeted.

He then turned, opened the door and walked inside the room. Rico placed a hand on his gun but followed warily. The room was small, and the sheets of the bed disturbed. Angelica was sitting in the middle, while at the foot was Benny Walton. He was Pearce’s cousin and the son of the Demon Riders’ leader. He had an eyebrow and ear piercing. His jet-black hair was spiked, and his leather jacket had no insignias, making it clear he wasn’t yet fully initiated. Benny looked cautious. Angelica, despite her tear tracks, looked stubborn. She reached out and took Benny’s hand in her own.

Fuck, Rico thought.

We have a problem, Pearce stated.

No shit.

"We’re not a problem, Angelica exclaimed. We’re a couple."

Rico knew that tone. He’d been dealing with it for the last few weeks as he’d argued with his sister and told her to stop sneaking into the