Amara
Reapers MC Book 12
Elizabeth Knox
Contents
Available Now
Coming in 2020
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
Chaz
Available Now
By: Elizabeth Knox
Series: Skulls Renegade
Reign
Redemption
Revenge
Relentless
Reckoning
Reclaimed
Reckless
Regret
Reclusive
Retribution
First Generation: A Skulls Renegade MC Boxset
Series: Steele Bros.
Tough as Steele
Stripping a Steele
Protecting a Steele
Steele her Heart
Stolen Hearts: The Complete Steele Bros Boxset
Series: Reapers MC
Scarred
Here Kitty, Kitty
Booger
Widow
Kade
Hawk
Bull
Cobra
Mouser
Dixon
Zane
Amara
Series: Iron Vex MC
Enraged
Series: Royal bastards Mc: Baltimore/Knights of retribution mc
Bet on Me
Series: The Clans with Iris Sweetwater
Promised
The Trade
Cherished
Deceit
Love is War
Defiant
Shattered
Ruthless
Covert
Heretic
Venomous
Sin City Fets with Linny Lawless & Aubree Valentine
Switched
Surrender
Full Throttle with Erin Trejo
Against All Odds
Coming in 2020
By: Elizabeth Knox
Grim
(Reapers MC #13)
Rely on Me
(Royal Bastards MC: Baltimore #2 / A Knights of Retribution MC Prequel)
Flawed
(The Clans #12)
Forbidden Love
(Mackenzies #1)
Chaz
(Reapers MC #14)
Coming in 2021 From
Elizabeth Knox
Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology
(Second Edition)
The Elites: A Dark Secret Society Collection
Amara
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Amara. Copyright © 2020 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E. Knox.
https://www.facebook.com/elizabethknoxbooks
Cover design: Clarise Tan, CT Cover Creations
Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing
Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing
Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Photographer: James Critchley
Models: George RJ & Jessie
Created with Vellum
Playlist
Why Don’t You and I — Santana & Chad Kroeger
Joke’s On You — Charlotte Lawrence
Young & Sad — Noah Cyrus
Heartless — Julia Michaels & Diplo
Ghost — Noah Cyrus
Bitter — Fletcher & Kito
Live or Die — Noah Cyrus & Lil Xan
Team — Noah Cyrus & MAX
Again (Acoustic Version) — Noah Cyrus
Back to you (Feat. Kiiara) — Ekali
Sad Together — Olivia O’Brien
Broken Glass — Kygo & Kim Petras
Praying for Me — Chloe Mk
Phobia — Savannah Sgro
Killing Me Slowly — Bad Wolves
I’m Sorry — Diamante
Acknowledgments
My Alpha Team: Courtnay, E.C., Jai, Chas, Tania, Janet, Taneesha, Kim, Isabelle, Heidi, Cynthia, Jojo, Vikki, & Lisa— I really relied on you all so much during this book. When I was nearing the end I grew so uncertain, but y’all reminded me how this was perfect for Amara, and I appreciate your support more than I can ever put into words.
My Cover Designer, Clarise— You’re a beast. You made me fall in love with our glitter effect for the women in the club. I can’t freaking wait to do more of this.
My Blogger Team— I say this every time, but thank you so very much for believing in me. Thank you for constantly helping me promote my work. It means more to me than you’ll ever know.
My Editor, Kim and Proofreader, Jackie— We’re really rocking this entire process when it comes to editing. Thank you both so much for helping me make sure my books don’t have nearly as much mistakes as they do before they release. Lord knows I miss some pretty basic stuff every now and again.
Gloria— Thank you for going through this entire manuscript to help me ensure the Spanish was absolutely correct.
Heidi— Thank you for reading Amara the night before I was finished. I needed someone who wasn’t part of my alpha team to go through and give me their input as well. It’s because of y’all that I think this book will be one of the best.
Rae B. Lake, E.C. Land, April Canavan, Jen L. Grey, and Iris Sweetwater— Thank you all for your friendship and support. I’ve known some of you for years, and others for only a few months. Regardless of the time we’ve known one another, I consider you all to be amongst my closest friends. Thank you all for being here in the moments where I need you the most. I love y’all dearly.
To the ones who make mistakes.
Just kidding. We all make mistakes because we’re human.
If someone ever tries to make you feel imperfect in any way, accept it, but don’t let it tear you down. None of us are perfect. Not one of us.
Life is about making mistakes and learning from them. This is the sole reason I wrote Amara’s story, because she was either very loved or very hated. She is just as human as you and I are in our decision making.
You are worthy of redemption, even if people say you aren’t.
If you’re doubting that right now, I hope this book will change your mind.
‘Cause I wrote this book for you.
Trigger Warning
This book is intended for mature audiences only. If darker books are not for you, please do not move forward. After re-adjusting my trigger warning system, I will not be giving any spoilers. Please understand that this is not your run of the mill romance and tough subjects will be spoken about in this storyline.
Gone But Never Forgotten:
Fist — Former Prez (Deceased)
Cracker – Former VP (D
eceased)
Saffron — Fist’s woman, Sakura’s sister, Sydney’s mom. (Deceased)
Billings, Montana Charter
Zane – Prez — Ol’ Lady— Octavia
Blackjack – VP– Ol’ Lady – Ashley
Children: Dex (Blackjack’s previous relationship) & Noelle
Bull – Enforcer — Ol’ Lady – Alexa
Grim – Sgt. at Arms
Tex – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Kat
Dracus – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Nova
Bolt – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Jordyn
Zorro – Full Patch
Axel – Full Patch
Hammer – Prospect
Frost — Prospect
Turmoil — Prospect
Las Vegas, Nevada Charter
Damon – Prez – Ol’ Lady – Kat
Dixon – VP — Ol’ Lady — Indra
Booger – Enforcer – Ol’ Lady — Camila
Widow – Sgt. at Arms – Ol’ Lady – Tania (A Jackal)
Children: Zoe (Widow’s previous relationship)
Chaz – Full Patch
Cobra – Full Patch — Ol’ Lady — Izzy
Hawk – Full Patch — Ol’ Lady — Raven
Amara – Full Patch
Kade – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Ivy
Children: Orion & Fate
Mouser – Full Patch — Ol’ Lady — Sakura
Ripper — Prospect
Jolt — Prospect
Spark — Prospect
Poison — Prospect
Glossary/Definitions:
Capos— highest position of the drug cartel.
Tenientes— second highest position of the cartel.
Sicarios— armed group within the cartel.
Halcones— eyes and ears of the streets.
Prologue
Even the Devil was once an angel.
~ Unknown
Amara
One Year Ago . . .
My back burns from the nape down to my lumbar. Lucien dragging me against the floor pulled my shirt up, but the rough flooring scraped against my skin. Even now I know it’s only the first of many wounds I’ll have, thanks to the man who took me.
I’m on my back, unable to move an inch. Hell, I can’t even move my fucking hand. He jabbed a syringe filled with something in my arm after he slapped me around back at the warehouse. I had managed to stand up, but sadly it didn’t do me any good. I fought as much as I could given the zip ties restraining me. If they hadn’t been on I’m sure I would’ve had a chance. Within a moment of injecting the liquid it was like my body became dead weight, and I staggered to the ground.
When he saw I was down for the count, Lucien was sneering down at me, mocking the fact I couldn’t move an inch. He made it a point to tell me exactly what he’d be doing, carting my body across the border to Mexico which leads me to my current predicament.
I’m in the trunk of a sedan. I’m not sure of the make or model, but I was shoved underneath where the tire usually is. It’s typically carved out specifically for the tire, but not this time. It was almost molded for a human body.
Lucien tossed my body in the alloted area, fastened the liner over me and locked it somehow. Now I’m hearing Santana’s albums play on repeat, blasting through his radio. It’s so loud I can barely even think.
I’ve tried to hum, to speak, though nothing I’m trying is working. In my head I’ve been counting the seconds I’ve been in the back of this car. I’ve just counted to 4,325, which translates to a little over 72 minutes. Over an hour into this trip and depending on his route we could be there in five hours or eight. I have no idea which way he’s using to get across the border.
Counting might be useless, yet I know it’s the only thing assisting in helping keep my sanity. I can hope and pray the brothers will come for me, but with the way I pissed Damon off he might just say fuck it. I’m his sister, but . . . I really know how to push the man’s buttons.
If they do try to find me I don’t know where they’d start. It’s not like our father was close with his family, the Ramírezes. As a precaution most members of the Cartel had a GPS tracking chip inserted in their forearm somewhere. I know my uncle Alejandro had one inserted, yet my uncle Rafael had his cut out if I remember the story correctly. My father is Roman Raines, the half-brother to the Ramírez familia.
We were never too involved with our uncles, although my father was particular in that decision. He ended up admitting he didn’t want us around our uncle Rafael, but it’s only because he was the most corrupt and vile man on the planet. Thankfully, he met his maker a couple years ago. I have no doubt the world is a much better place with his passing.
I’m trying so desperately to think of anything to keep my mind focused. I don’t want to feel the beads of sweat on my forehead, the heaviness in my chest that somehow slowly crawls up my throat and makes me feel like I’m choking. To be honest, I’m terrified because I have no control of the situation at hand.
I can’t even open my mouth to speak, or clear my throat. I’m here, but I’m not here. I don’t know the woman taking control of my mind right now. Actually, that’s a lie. I haven’t seen this woman in years, since I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life that cost me so much. I lost my best friend because I was stricken with fear and sought comfort in the wrong person’s arms.
I’m not a good person, in fact, I’m the one people don’t want to be around. No one makes a choice to put themselves in the position to be in my company, and I can’t blame them. I’m the bitch. I’m the cruel one. I’m so many things rolled into one, but I’ve accepted it. I’ve accepted my fate because my decisions are what brought me here.
Maybe this is my penance for the things I’ve done. I could try to list them from worst to the most miniscule of my mistakes, but I know what’s put me here. I was the other woman. I was the one who tore a family apart, not knowing it at the time.
Sometimes before I drift off to sleep I wonder if I kept Widow and Melody apart. Internally, I debate on whether or not they would’ve been together, or if their break-up was inevitable. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter, because I was the one who ruined it. I suppose I’m good at fucking things up.
If they don’t come for me, I wouldn’t blame them. How could I? Not with everything I’ve done.
I hurt far too many people and I’ll continue to be a black cloud on others’ lives for the rest of my life— no matter if I have three hours or three years.
No matter what happens, I need to make peace with it.
I’m Amara Raines, and I’m no angel.
Chapter One
Choke them on the ashes of the dreams they burned
~ Unknown
Dante
Present Day . . .
“Hard to believe it’s Independence Day, no?” Gia slurrs, stalking towards me. She’s on her third or fourth drink. To be honest, I’ve lost count.
“No, I simply pay attention to the calendar. Unlike you.” I retort.
“Oh stop being a party pooper, hermano.” Gia whines, switching from our second language to our native tongue.
“I’m not, simply being accurate.” I attempt to poke the bear, making my way toward the balcony of the new home I’ve purchased here in Chihuahua. Our father had acquired a home here a couple years ago, then underwent the legal ways to make it his and sold it for an incredible profit. Though, he resides in Mexico City and wants a liaison here. I offered to stay behind and so I’ve purchased this lovely abode.
My younger sister Gia lives in Las Vegas most of the time because she’s the owner of a multi-million dollar company called Crave, LLC. She owns it with a few of her close friends. That being said, she isn’t one to discuss familia business.
“Why do you always have to be a dick whenever I come to visit you, hmm?”
I turn to face her head on and cock a brow. “You don�
�t come here to visit me. You only want the free drinks down in the city!” I hiss.
My dear sister and I were so close growing up, but over the last ten years or so we’ve both lost touch. It was my fault. Ten years ago I decided to support my father in his cause to get Rafael Ramírez out of the Capo seat. He was the corrupt individual in charge of leading the entire industry. Thankfully, he’s been removed from his duties for a couple years now. We had some help with a few allies and were successful. Now my father has gone above and beyond to right the wrongs of his predecessor.
Now don’t get me wrong. We’re not angels. We’re very much involved in drugs, murder, and much more . . . however, we don’t cross lines unless we have to. Rafael would slaughter children in front of their parents for fun. He didn’t give a flying fuck what he did, and faced no repercussions for it.