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  Twister holds his hands up and backs away. “Alright, go ahead and give her a call and let me know if this is a go. Just explain to her we all want to be successful here. One thing I didn’t say is after we make some progress with the cult, you can stay here. We just don’t want to jeopardize shit if we don’t have to. And make sure to let her know if she needs to call me and hash shit out, she can.”

  “I totally get what you’re saying, but I know you understand why I need to talk to her too,” I reply, and Twister nods. “I’ll take my call outside and then I’ll be back.” Walking away, I head to the door and go outside. Pulling my phone from inside my leather jacket, I immediately call Boss and she answers on the third ring.

  “You get there okay?” This is why I’m glad she’s my Prez. She’s always so concerned about everyone’s safety.

  “Yeah, yeah. The ride was long, but I got here not long ago. But, things aren’t the way I thought they’d be.”

  “What do you mean by that?” I can almost see the way she’s furrowing her brows together through the phone. She’s notorious for it when something has a wrench thrown in it.

  “Twister doesn’t want me to stay here at his clubhouse. Says it could alert the cult that I’m working with everyone, blow up our plans, all that. Wants me to stay with a friend who has a house full of women, says it’ll look like a normal college situation. I see his point, but obviously I wanted to call and let you know things were changing. Oh, and he said after things settle down and we know some shit I could come stay here at the clubhouse.” Okay, so I might’ve reworded some things, but I don’t want Boss to get pissed. She has quite the temper when things get changed without her authorization. She’s not a control freak or anything, but she is a planner and when things don’t go according to plan it really aggravates her.

  “Ugh, as much as I hate shit getting moved around, Twister’s right. Fuck, and you’re supposed to be there as a regent too. Whatever, we’ll worry about that shit after we make some progress. Nabbing those fuckers is a higher priority.” Boss’ lost so much that’s important to her at the hands of the cultists. I can’t imagine enduring what she went through and still coming out of it without hating the world. They’re the reason her dad’s dead . . . but . . . I sometimes wonder what will happen when she isn’t so focused on getting her revenge.

  “Okay, I’ll do what Twister says for now, and as always I’ll update you every day and let you know how things are going.”

  “Perfect. Text me and let me know when you get to that house and you’re safe,” Boss tells me.

  “For sure, I’ll chat with you later.” I end the call, slide my phone back into my pocket, and go back in the clubhouse, immediately walking up to Twister. “We’re good for the plan change.”

  “Perfect. I’ll get Strike to lead you out to the house in a couple minutes.”

  “If it’s okay, can we wait thirty minutes or so? I gotta charge my bike, then he can show me the way to this place.”

  Twister raises his brows and chuckles lowly. “Ah, you got one of them new Harleys huh?”

  I nod. “I sure do, and she’s a beast.”

  Chapter Four

  Finley

  “Hey, babe, you going to stick around the Fort today to welcome the newcomer?” Mara-Lee asks as I make my way into the kitchen. I glance to where she’s sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen, with her legs propped up on the chair next to her. A grin tips the corner of my mouth at the sight of her with her eyes glued to her Kindle.

  I swear whenever we’re not working Mara-Lee constantly has her nose in a book. Doesn’t bother me at all. We all have our own shit we like to do. Me, for instance, I like to go surfing when I have time. When I don’t, I’m normally out on one of my three bikes, or in the Camaro. I’m not one for sitting still.

  This means when I’m not out on one of my toys or at the club working, I’m most likely in the game room shooting pool with Cedric or some of the others when they’re over. Or I’m in my office here getting work done. In the line of business I handle, I’m never finished for the day. It could be four o’clock in the morning and I get woken up to go put a fire out.

  With Mara-Lee, Cedric, and I living in our Fort, we have plenty of space for each of us; however, you can usually find us in the same area at some point in the day. We have no less than two media rooms, eight bedrooms, and an enclosed yard that our house squares around, hence the name Fort.

  When I bought the place, it was the stone on the outside that drew me in, made me think of medieval times with kings and queens who lived in castles. As Cedric said the day I signed on the dotted line, ‘We might call it the Fort but you’re the queen. We’ll put a hurting on anyone who goes against us all.’

  Sure enough if it wasn’t the truth. We’ve had some of my girls stay here on more than one occasion so they would feel safe. Something about this place does that. Makes you feel a sense of safety.

  “Nope, leaving that job up to you. Got shit to do at Night’s Bliss. New chick is starting behind the bar and I wanna see how she does. Plus, all the girls have a full night schedule ahead of them,” I say, moving to the counter and pulling myself up to sit on top of it.

  “Great, I get to play babysitter,” Mara-Lee mumbles. “Do we know who it is Twister’s sending? Male, female, I mean, damnit, I need to know if I’m going to have to be bitchy or sweet.”

  Grinning, I shake my head at her. “Mara-Lee, you gotta behave regardless of who it is. This person is coming down from New York and I’m betting they can throw as much attitude around as you can. Anyways, all I know is Twister told me Striker was about to head out with Vex. That’s all I know about the person.” I shrug, leaning back on my hands with my legs crossed.

  “Well, I hope this person doesn’t expect me to be a servant to their every need, if you know what I mean,” Mara-Lee says exasperatedly.

  “Babe, you’re not servicing any motherfucker who comes in here,” Cedric chuckles as he steps into the room. The both of us treat Mara-Lee like a sister ‘cause the three of us, we’re family.

  “Cedric, please. You can’t say a word considering I’m constantly finding random skanky underwear in the den and I know for a fact they’re not mine or Finley’s. We don’t go for the cheap material that chafes when you get waxed.” Of course, Mara-Lee would go there.

  “As much as I’d love the laugh of this argument, Cedric and I need to get to the club.” I snicker.

  “Don’t forget we need to meet up with Landon to get the money from collections. He and the boys only had a small issue with one of the people who borrowed from us. Dude didn’t want to give up the five grand he was sitting on. Well, more or less the bitch who was lying on it,” Cedric says with a look of disgust contorting his features.

  “Ew, was she really?” Mara-Lee asks.

  “According to Landon, yep. Bitch was naked with a plug stuck in her ass.”

  “Okay that’s all I need to hear. Hope he ran a hose over the cash, I’m not touching that shit,” I sneer. Some people can be disgusting.

  I’m no prude, I love experimenting but to fuck on a pile of money, money other people will touch is just gross to even think about. And we all know there are some unsanitary bastards who’ll lick their fingers after touching it, or before . . . gross.

  “Damn you, Cedric, now I’m going to have that vision in my fuckin’ head all night,” I snap.

  “Don’t worry, Fin’, I’ll see if I can’t find you some chick to your liking and bring her to your office.” He grins.

  “Asshole, better make sure she’s hot,” I grumble and climb off the counter. “I’m taking the Triumph tonight.”

  “Does that mean I get to take your Harley?” Cedric jokes.

  “Fuck you if you even attempt to touch any of my bikes. You have your own. You want me to take the Sportster?”

  “Touch it and you lose a finger,” he says, losing the smirk on his face.

  “That’s what I thought dickhead.” I laugh. />
  “Bitch,” he grumbles.

  “You know it. I’m the top bitch and that’s the way I like it,” I say and look at Mara-Lee. “You gonna be good here alone with our new roommate? I could send Hutson or one of the other boys over.”

  “I’ll be okay, as you know being top bitch and all you made sure I knew how to put someone in their place if need be,” she says, waving a hand to the side as she moves her legs to stand up.

  Nodding, I walk out of the kitchen and grab my boots from beside the front door and slip them on. Once I have them in place, I pick up my helmet from the table along with my key to the bike. No reason to carry them all so we always leave keys to everything right there.

  Shit.

  What if the person coming here decides to take one of my babies for a spin?

  “Don’t worry, babe, no one will take any of the vehicles,” Mara-Lee says, she must have sensed my fear.

  “Thanks, hun, do me a favor and put them up for now until we know who we’re dealing with staying in our house. Just because they’re friendly with the Devil’s Riot doesn’t mean they’re friends of ours,” I state.

  “You got it.” She nods.

  Opening the front door, I head to my bike with Cedric next to me. I’d already taken the Triumph out earlier in the day so it was sitting pretty in the driveway. As I straddle my bike the sound of motorcycles head in our direction.

  “Guess our person is here,” Cedric says as Mara-Lee joins us.

  Glancing in her direction, I meet her gaze. “Behave, babe. Don’t need to come home to blood splatters and having to explain to Twister that you killed someone of theirs.”

  “Yes, boss.” She smiles with an eye roll causing me to shake my head at her. I know Mara-Lee all too well and if she gets a hair up her ass, she’ll make this person want to pull their hair out one strand at a time.

  As two bikes pull up in the circled driveway, I keep my gaze on the riders as they park near us and shut both bikes off. I grin at the sight of Striker as he removes his helmet quickly. “Yo, Fin’, you buying me a drink tonight?”

  “Come by the club, it’s on the house,” I tell him.

  “Fuck yeah,” Striker chuckles, giving a fist pump.

  “You’re a dork,” I say, lifting my helmet to put it on. My gaze moves to the other person who pulled into the driveway with Striker and end up doing a double take as I take in the similarities of the chick as she smiles at me.

  “Finley . . . long time no see. Eh?” she says with that fuckin’ accent. She pauses about midway through what she’s said . . . but I can’t handle this right now. I can’t handle seeing her—Ainslee.

  Oh fuck. I’m getting out of here.

  Giving a jerk of my chin, I adjust my helmet, start my bike, and hit the throttle.

  Fuck, I haven’t seen her in years. Not since the one night we spent together. A night where at first light she vanished without a trace.

  I haven’t thought of her since and I’m not about to rehash memories of that night I spent with her. Not when they still burn like the strongest liquor.

  Chapter Five

  Ainslee/Vex

  I stare in complete and utter shock at Finley racing off like I’m some sort of ghost from her past. We had one night of fun together and it wasn’t anything more than that, but I don’t think seeing me was cause for acting like some heartbroken woman, speeding off and causing a scene like she did. Now the woman and men are staring at me like I’m their enemy.

  “So, you know Finley?” the man questions. He has blondish red hair, a beard, and tattoos that span down his neck in various colors. But that doesn’t interest me as much as the necklace he’s wearing, a paperclip next to some sort of crystal. If he doesn’t pass judgement on me from the way Finley just darted off, I might have to ask him about the meaning someday.

  “Shit, I wanna know the same thing,” Striker pipes up from beside me. He narrows his eyes, reminding me of the girls I went to school with back home. You know, the mean, preppy type who want nothing else than to know shit so they can go spreading it around.

  I take in a deep breath and sigh, running my hand along the back of my head. “Yeah, we knew each other about five years ago, give or take. I was here in the States for a while.”

  “Huh, didn’t know that,” Striker mumbles.

  “Probably because it wasn’t your business.” I smile widely, silently telling him where to shove it. There’s nothing more I loathe than when people go digging in other people’s business. It’s pointless and aggravating. It’s like people don’t understand what private matters are these days. Instead, they want to blast it to everyone they know or on social media. Nothing is sacred anymore.

  “Shit, I think I’m going to like you,” the man who asked me if I knew Finley comments with a devilish smirk, extending his hand to me. “I’m Cedric, and you’re Vex?” I take his hand and we both shake.

  I nod as we pull our hands away from the other’s. “That’s what they tell me.”

  “And she has the jokes too,” the woman from the porch speaks up, coming down the stairwell she struts right up to me. She also extends a hand like Cedric did a few moments ago. “I’m Mara-Lee and I’d say it’s nice to meet you, Vex, but I’m not sure if that’s true or not.” Even though she slightly insulted me, I shake her hand.

  “Mara-Lee, play nice,” Cedric warns, but this woman isn’t going to listen to him. She’s on guard and it’s obvious as hell.

  I look over to Cedric. “It’s no big deal. I can handle myself.”

  “Well, I’m gonna get my ass back over to Night’s Bliss to get that drink, since Finley said it was on the house and all,” Striker adds, mounting his bike he turns it on and he’s gone in no time. He’s a funny guy, but it’s because of the irony. He’s a man who doesn’t like drama, yet he’s in a biker club.

  Mara-Lee clears her throat and motions for me to follow her. “Since you’re going to be staying here with us, you’d better get whatever luggage you brought and bring it inside. I need to do my tour and all that.”

  I open the back of my bike and grab the small duffel bag with my bare necessities. Slinging it over my shoulder, I follow Mara-Lee up the stairwell and she leads me into the massive home. I can’t help but notice the beautiful stonework on the outside of the building, but as we venture inside the craftsmanship of the wood is astonishing. Hardwood floors with deep chestnut brown trim and beautifully painted walls. This place is magnificent. “We call this the Fort, by the way,” Cedric comments as he walks by me.

  “The Fort?” I question while furrowing my brows, looking between Cedric and Mara-Lee.

  Mara-Lee clasps her hands behind her back and nods. “Yes, our house squares around a nice sized yard, which is the reasoning for the name. Add in the fact we have a couple media rooms, elaborate kitchen, eight bedrooms, and all the other bells and whistles. And, well, let’s just say we’re not suffering here.”

  Cedric walks up the stairwell and disappears out of sight as Mara-Lee starts talking up again, going over house rules and everything else. Everything isn’t too interesting until she says something I’m a bit confused about. “Cedric, Finley, and I are pretty easy to deal with, but we all have a few pet peeves. Like, Finley hates it when the trash isn’t taken out, and Cedric hates it when we run out of milk and no one tells him. Me? I hate when there are random items of clothing being thrown around the house from the bitches Cedric brings home,” Mara-Lee yells her last sentence so loudly Cedric can hear her from upstairs.

  Through the walls we can hear a muffled, “Fuck you!” coming from the direction he just went. While these two are definitely amusing, my confusion plagues me a bit.

  “I thought I was living with quite a few women. At least, that’s the impression I was given.”

  “Nope, you’re here with us. And speaking of that, let me take you up to your room.” Mara-Lee leads the way up the stairwell and we go down a long hallway. She leads me to a bedroom that’s the second room on the left and
pushes open the door.

  The first thing I see is the pleated beige headboard and the light-colored sheets. The wall behind it is a medium gray stone pattern, but it doesn’t look as crappy as it did in the school cafeterias from when I was a kid. Then again, those were cinderblock and I have no idea what kind of stone this is. It definitely isn’t the stone from on the outside of the building.

  “Wow, this looks really nice,” I whisper lowly, taking in the room from the small, miniscule details, to the modern gold chandelier above the bed. I’ve never seen a chandelier above the bed . . . but I can imagine some fun stuff going down with it.

  “Yeah, it is nice, so don’t go fucking it up or breaking shit.” Mara-Lee smiles in a bitchy manner and I instantly know I’m going to get along with this woman. I love it when a woman can handle sass or attitude, so I doubt I’ll have to watch my tongue around her.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t. But I do want to get some shut eye if you don’t mind. It’s been a long day of traveling and I’m ready to crash.”

  “For sure. If you need anything just come find one of us,” Mara-Lee says and I give her a nod, and then she walks away and heads down the stairwell.

  Chapter Six

  Finley

  Flying down the road, I try to wipe the image of seeing Ainslee again from my head. The worst part is knowing she’s staying in my home. I shouldn’t be fuckin’ livid at seeing the woman, but I am.

  Sure, what we had was one night together but it still would’ve been cool if we’d stayed in touch. Better yet if she hadn’t tainted our short time together by creeping out of my apartment in the early hours of the morning. I might be a tough bitch and can take a lot of shit, but what she did was fucked up. To make matters worse the very next fucking day my world completely changed. I shut down all my emotions while I took my rightful place, the same place I am today.

  I went from being the chill surfer chick to one of the most powerful people in the area. Shit, politicians call me personally to get access to my club on the downlow wanting a couple hours with one of my girls. Now I’ve also got the loan shark side of things I’m handling alongside the Devil’s Riot MC. If my mom were still alive, she’d be shaking her head at me. Too bad my father finally got his hands on her right after I turned eighteen.