Inflamed — Kiki Leach

"I'm nothin' but danger, darlin'. I'm no more than death. I'm somebody that you don't wanna f***in' mess with in the middle of the goddamn night or even in the daytime. I'm your worst f***in' nightmare - your greatest enemy. I'm every f***in' thing you never wished I was and every f***in' thing you ever wanted me to be." Their worlds collided like a pair of rocket ships in midair. Eight years ago, Mia Sullivan was known in and around her small town just outside of Crescent Beach, Florida as the 'good girl'. The 'preacher's kid'. The one who never stayed out late, always turned in her homework on time and never, ever said a word in front of anyone else that she couldn't say in front of her parent's first. She didn't drink. She didn't smoke. And sex before marriage was completely off the table. Her world was perfect. Her life plans were laid out in front of her. Everything was set in place. Until one night with the wrong man sent a girl well on her way to the top of the hill, sinking straight down to the bottom of the river like a stone. Eight years ago, Jacob 'River' Hawkins was just a man looking to finally catch a break in his life. Born into a world of drugs, booze, sex and bikes, he had long ago given up on his dream of winning the UFC World Championship title after snapping his opponent's neck during a staged cage fight. As a result, his mother encouraged him to finally become an official member of the only family he ever knew growing up, the Shadow Riders MC. A few years in was all it took before he was made VP and forced to help make decisions about a club that while saving him from the streets, was also draining away parts of his soul day by day. Parts he never thought he'd get back until the morning he found a girl almost half his age beaten, broken and laying half dead right outside his club. Eight years ago changed the course of two lives forever, connecting two souls that never believed in needing someone else until they had a desperate need for each other. Neither of them knew just how much that need would eventually turn to lust, followed by love. Neither of them knew just how much that kind of love would almost destroy them both.