Reckoning
A Skulls Renegade Novel
Book #5
Available Now From
Elizabeth Knox
Series: Skulls Renegade
Reign
Redemption
Revenge
Relentless
Reckoning
Series: The Clans
Promised
The Trade
Series: Steele Bros.
Tough as Steele
Stripping a Steele
Series: Reapers MC
Blackjack
Coming Soon From
Elizabeth Knox
Scarred
(Demons of Hell MC #1)
Here Kitty, Kitty
(Demons of Hell MC #2/Reapers MC #2)
Protecting a Steele
(Steele Bros #3)
Cherished
(The Clans #3)
Booger
(Reapers MC #3)
Reclaimed
(Skulls Renegade #6)
Deceit
(The Clans #4)
Forbidden Love
(Mackenzies #1)
Reckoning
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.
Reckoning. Copyright © 2018 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/eknoxbooks
Cover design by CT Cover Creations
Editing & formatting by Cordially Chris Author Services
Proofreading by Brynn Burke, Knox Publishing
Teasers by CT Cover Creations & Decadent Designs
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Model: Jonny James
KEEP IN CONTACT WITH ELIZABETH
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STAY UP TO DATE ON WHAT ELIZABETH IS WORKING ON
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Acknowledgements
Christine – Over a year later, and here we are. Thank you so much for pushing me to run after my dreams. I tell you time and time again, but none of this would have been possible without you!!
My Author Tribe: Iris, GG, Jen, Auden, Michelle, Erin, Dee, Linny & JP – You have all been on the other side of the conversations when I feel like I am sucking at this whole author thing, failing as a friend, daughter, sister, and so much more. There are no words that can express how much I appreciate each one of you. Y’all are the best tribe to have, extremely supportive and honestly you are like family to me. That’s what friends are for, we lift each other up when we’re feeling down, and so much more. Thank you so much for everything that y’all do <3
My Amazing ARC Team – You guys rock. I’m pretty darn sure you’re going to hate me and love me for this one. let’s hope ya love me more….and only hate me a little bit. Ha-ha!
my beta bitchaZ: Laura, Tania, Jenna, GG, Chasidy & Michaela – The lot of y’all help me make my books better and better every single time. thank you so much for all your feedback!
My Bloggers: Jenna, Jen, Shannon, Chasidy, Angie, Heather, Lizzie, Jamie, Ana, Amanda, Deanna, Angela, Rebecca, Alicia, Jamie, Christiana, Christiann, Kristin, Valerie, Anna, Cia, Leanne, Linda, Emilie, Shasta, Nichole, Erika, Starr, Gwen, Nicole, Ashley, Keanna, Myn, Heather, Primrose, Jade, Dusty, Jen, Kristen, Lena, Caroline, Jes, Tracy, Ann, Meaghan, & Tina – You guys rock. Dead serious. I cannot thank you all enough for continuing to stick by me and supporting me with every new release and cover reveal. y’all blow my socks off. Thank you so much!
Clarise, My Magical Unicorn – This one must go down as one of my favorite covers you’ve done for me. I can’t wait to see what other beautiful creations we can make together!
Chas, Katie, & Laura, My Fabulous Pa’s – You guys keep me sane – most of the time, lol! Seriously though, you help organize my constant life of chaos and without you, I would be lost. Y’all basically bring me back down, handle my shit and help me have the time to get the words out. I not only appreciate it, but I know the book babes do as well. Thank you so much!
KBB, My Babes! – Here we go again. I’m sure y’all saw my warning to my ARCs and you’re probably biting your lips trying to figure out what hell is about to ensue. This is Katya’s story, so I can tell you it’s one wild ride. I hope you’re ready!
Dedicated to Tania
I’m wondering if you’re shocked yet? :P Nope, this is not a joke! This one is dedicated to you, babe! You have been an avid supporter of me since the very beginning, never holding back what is going on in that mind of yours. You ask me for what you want to know, which tells me what the readers need to know. You are a priceless part of my beta team and an even better friend. thank you so much for being my voice of reason…even when I don’t listen all the time. You truly help me make these books better each and every time.
Warning
This content contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, physical abuse, and extreme violence.
Playlist
Do You Love Me? | Escape the Fate
Bodak Yellow | Cardi B
Haunting | Halsey
Broken Heart | Escape the Fate
Mindfvck | Ghita
In the Dark | Camila Cabello
GRRRLS | AViVA
Beautiful | Bazzi
Undercover | Kehlani
Let Me Be | Escape the Fate
Table of Contents
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
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Free Chapter - Reclaimed
What’s coming soon from Elizabeth?
Chapter 1
Once upon a time there was a little girl… Then she grew up and turned into a monster. -Anonymous
Katya
There are times throughout your life where no matter what you do, you will always be viewed as the monster. This is something that I know very well. I have been a monster since I was nothing but a child. Most people wouldn’t accept such a word, they wouldn’t want to openly admit that this is what they are.
I know what I am and am not afraid of it.
Others, well you see – they will try to find ways for me to cope with what I am. They will search and search and try to blame it on my mother or maybe even my father, that my experiences shaped me into what I am today. Fuck, they may even say that it was my husband and that I suffer from Stockholm’s Syndrome, and that would give them reason enough to accept what I am.
I don’t give a fuck about anybody,
so disappointing someone does not upset me.
The only person who molded me into the monster I am today is the one I have to face in mirror every morning, like I am at this very moment.
I look into the crystal clean mirror before my eyes, picking up on every detail that is shown before me. The entire bathroom is on display, from the black tile floor with the bronze grout that my husband insisted we added, to our walk-in shower and separate tub that is lined with excavated rocks from the carnallite mines back in our home country of Russia, to the floor to ceiling windows overlooking New York City, giving me a breathtaking view of Central Park and everything around it. Every small detail of this bathroom has been a meticulous, calculating choice made by one person. My husband, Sergei Kolosov.
Sergei is an interesting man, and I use the word interesting lightly. He has a way of maintaining order and making sure that everyone around him knows exactly who he is. Those are some of the smallest reasons on why I love him, scars and all.
Sergei may indeed be a monstrosity, but he is the monster that I belong to.
When life happened, and we ended up with Sergei, I made sure that Ksenia and I would stay safe, doing anything that I had to do. I would have done anything for my little sister and still would to this very day. Above all, my family means everything to me, even if they don’t think that they do.
The story of how I came to be with Sergei is a long, dark tale, but nonetheless, it is my story. It is my life, and maybe one day, it will be my legacy.
Now, I can’t help but think of what he had done, and how the events of that night shaped my very future.
I’ve been here for a few weeks with Ksenia, they don’t speak to us very much, and I suppose this is a good thing. We have been thrown around so much, sold to another and another. It makes me wonder if we are defective, why would we be sold this much? Is it because we are Petrovs? Are we valuable, somehow? Or, will they end up killing us because they know who we are?
Every thought that can surge through my mind has come and gone, and yet I am still left with only one thing – the unknown.
“Sister…,” I listen as Ksenia whispers next to me, finally, I take in a deep breath in and brace myself, turning towards her and seeing the fear that is obvious in her large eyes. She reminds me of Bambi; something so defenseless and weak. There are things that Ksenia does not understand, and if we were in any situation but the one we were – Well then, maybe I wouldn’t mind it if she were so weak, so fragile, so fucking innocent. But here we are; living a fucking nightmare. They make movies about the things we have to go through, and I say we, but what I really mean is I. What I have to go through, so these foul beasts don’t lay a hand on her. I have done horrible things, things that I shouldn’t have done. If we had a normal life, I would be called many names, I would even shame my family… I simply must remind myself that I have no ordinary life, and by doing what I have to I am assuring one thing, the most important thing – our survival.
“Girl!” I startle, jumping up at the sound of one of the guards, one who I have become very familiar with, in both good ways and bad. His name is Egor, and I do things for Egor that assures not only my safety, but Ksenia’s as well. I look into his eyes, trying to see what it is he wants. He either wants to fuck me, or I am in trouble – it could be both. I am bound to find out sooner or later. “Come.” His words lace with venom and hatred, he does normally speak to me in this way, however I know that something isn’t right.
I look down to Ksenia who is practically shaking at the sight of Egor. If she only knew what I did, then she would have reason to rest a bit easier. Fuck. What am I even saying? There is no reason for her nor I to rest easier. We are as safe in this place as we are anywhere else. Meaning, that we aren’t. We will never be safe.
We will never be safe ever again, our mother guaranteed that.
I take a few slow steps towards Egor, until he gives me one distinctive look that makes me stop dead in my tracks. He is giving me the very look that he gives the others when they are about to be branded, like a cow, or even a horse. Being sold has never been something that I thought would happen. I thought that if I would simply just… please the guards that they would keep us safe. I didn’t anticipate this, nor expect it. Fuck. What in the world have I been doing?
“Come. We don’t have all day!” he snarls at me, yanking me towards him as he latches his hand with a firm grip in my hair. He tugs and leads me out of our small cubby of a room and down the hall.
I take in slow, deep breaths, for I know what is coming. I have heard the others scream, and I have seen how the metal burns their flesh. For a moment, I am afraid, and rightfully so. There is nothing that I can do to control what is about to happen to me, and my only concern is for my sister. If I have been sold… where will she go? What will happen to Ksenia? We have been together for far too long for us to be split apart now. Yet… that is the only thing that has happened to our family.
We have been torn apart.
My brother was sold as a young boy, ripped from our lives and somehow… someway, we stayed with our mother for a few years, and then it was our turn to be discarded. That’s what she did. She discarded us as if we were nothing. I still don’t understand why, but one day I will – if I live long enough to see that day.
Egor shoves me against the wall quickly, I feel everything as he pushes his body against my own, gliding his nose and mouth against my shoulder. “You. I don’t know why, but you always smell so good. You are different than the others, so very different. This makes you special to me, you see this, yes?”
“Yes,” I agree with him, my mind running in circles, trying to understand what is going on.
“I know you are a smart girl, Katya. If you weren’t smart you would not be sucking my cock and fucking me at every beck and call. We both know this.” He flips me around harshly, my shoulder blades digging into the concrete behind me. “I will have you know that I do no favors, this is not in my nature. You are something, and you are nothing. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I tell him, lying straight through my teeth. I just want him to cut the bullshit and get to the point.
“You are something because you are different than all the rest who have come here, to this place,” He moves his hand around in a circle, “You, girl, are smart, and because of this I know you will accomplish much, even being a slave – I do not see you as one for long, especially with the man I have talked into purchasing you.”
I do not utter a word. I am simply breathing, processing what he just told me.
“My cousin, Sergei, has been looking for someone like you, for a long, long time. He is older, and he will beat you until you turn black, he will violate and destroy you in every way you could ever imagine. He is a monster, sweet, sweet Katya. I think that you both will get along well, don’t you?” Those were the last words that were uttered to me before everything went black.
The last thing I remember is Egor telling me that my husband was as monstrous as I know him to be. Yet, Egor didn’t tell me everything. No, and even Sergei didn’t. I had to find out things the hard way, and I always did.
Egor was right about one thing, though.
Sergei and I did get along, very well.
Maybe we got along too well.
Chapter 2
I feel like I’m waiting for something that isn’t going to happen. -curiano.com
Slasher
“You can’t keep doing this forever you know. One day you’re going to have to get out of this phase and face the world. Nothing has changed, okay? Nothing. The only thing that has changed is how you look physically and how you view the world. We all love you, Junior.” I listen to Bellamy’s voice replay on my voicemail over and over again. It’s been seven months since shit went down, since my face was ripped apart by that motherfucker, Chuckles.
Ever since that day, my life has changed. He marred much more than just my skin that day. He was right, you know. I killed Veronica. I took the life from her very b
ody. That branded me a monster, a traitor, and so much more.
The only two people who will know what really happened that day are her and me, and since one of us is dead, they chose to believe the worst. I’ll take the blame. There is no denying that I’m the reason she’s dead. My carelessness lead to her death, even if I wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger.
Veronica was a beautiful girl, how she ended up with that fat fuck Chuckles, I have no damn idea. She was a vision, one of the sweetest women I’d ever met traveling from club to club. Out of every club I’d stayed at when I was Nomad, the Skulls Renegade and the Iron Vex were my favorite ones. The Skulls quickly became my home when I was no longer welcome back in New York. I steered clear of New York for quite a while, knowing that I was a dead man if I dared to venture too close. Boss knew the whole story, she’s the only one who believed me. Veronica had been suffering for months, going to chemo and doing god knows what in order to please Chuckles. He wanted her to live, and she wanted to give him everything that she could, even if that meant preventing her to die the way that she wanted to.
Cancer consumed her body quicker than any of us could’ve imagined. It seemed like one day she was fine and the next day she looked like a bag of bones. She fought a hard fight, giving it her all. I remember the moments when she’d be sitting in the basement of the Iron Vex clubhouse with me and a few of the guys, how she’d lean against Chuckles and confess to him that she didn’t want to do this anymore.
For fucks sake, the docs had told her she wasn’t going to get any better. The cancer had spread, and it was just a time game, but no, Chucks didn’t want to believe it. He wanted his girl to fight. Now, I’ve never had an Ol’ Lady, and who knows if I ever will, but if I ever get one, I can guarantee that I will never allow her to suffer the way that Veronica was suffering. I would do everything in my fucking power to make sure she was happy, even if that meant I had to let her go. You know what Chucks did? He screamed at her in front of all of us and left her alone. In those moments I would sink onto the couch next to her, holding her close. She wasn’t my woman. Veronica was much like a sister to me.