The pieces don’t fit.
And that realization both terrifies and relieves me.
But that can wait.
Because right now, as I watch Sin spin Queenie in a careful circle while she laughs like a young girl, I feel the most relaxed I have in ages. The tension that’s been my constant companion since starting this assignment seems to ease, if only for a moment.
And I don’t want to let that feeling go.
Not yet.
Chapter Eight
ELIZABETH
The Next Day
The familiar rumble of Harleys echo through the lot as I arrive. But today feels different somehow. Yesterday at Sunset Manor shifted something in my perspective. Watching those hardened bikers become gentle caregivers, seeing Nitro and Ro play classical music with the skill of a concert musician, it was like discovering the club has layers I never imagined, and I’m not sure how to process it all.
Sin is nowhere to be seen when I walk through the main doors, which seems to be becoming a pattern. Ever since our encounter in the desert, he’s been conspicuously absent whenever I arrive. I tell myself it doesn’t bother me, but the flutter of disappointment in my chest suggests otherwise.
“Elizabeth!” Millie’s voice cuts through my brooding thoughts, and I turn to see her practically bouncing toward me with a brightness that’s infectious. “Perfect timing! We’re doing gift-wrap duty today, and I could really use another set of hands.”
I follow her toward the main area, where I’m surprised to find the space transformed into what looks like Santa’s workshop. Tables are covered with colorful wrapping paper, ribbons, and tape dispensers. Boxes of toys are stacked everywhere—dolls, action figures, board games, art supplies.
The sheer volume is staggering.
“This is incredible,” I exclaim, taking in the organized chaos. “How many kids are you providing for?”
“Two hundred and fifty this year,” Ro chimes in from where she’s wrestling with a particularly stubborn piece of tape. “We’vebeen collecting toys for months. The guys hit up every toy store in Vegas, and some of the brothers have connections with wholesalers.”
Jessa looks up from where she’s carefully wrapping what appears to be a deluxe art set. “It’s one of my favorite things about this place. These men act all tough and scary, but put them in a toy store picking out presents for kids they’ve never met? They turn into the biggest softies you’ve ever seen.”
I settle at the table, picking up a package containing what looks like a robot action figure. “Do you actually know the families, or is this through an organization?”
“Both,” Millie explains, expertly folding wrapping paper around a board game. “We work with several local charities and schools to identify families in need. But some of these gifts are for kids the guys have encountered personally, families going through rough times, single mothers struggling to make ends meet.”
As I work, wrapping present after present, I find myself drawn into the easy camaraderie with the group. These women chat and laugh with the comfort of sisters, including me in their conversations like I’ve been part of their circle for years rather than a few days.
“Speaking of struggling…” Millie says with a sigh that catches my attention. “Can I get some girl advice?”
“Always,” Ro replies immediately, leaning forward with interest. “What’s going on, babe?”
Millie’s cheeks flush pink as she fidgets with a ribbon. “It’s Will. Ever since the casino incident, he’s been… I don’t know. Different. Hot and cold. One minute he’s protective and sweet, the next he’s pulling away like I have the damn plague.”
I pause in my wrapping, recognizing the frustration in her voice. It’s not so different from my own confusion about Sin’s behavior. “How so?”
“Like yesterday, he walked me to my car after we finished here, made sure I got in safely, and asked me to text him when I got home. Very caring, very attentive.” She wraps the ribbon around her finger absently. “But then this morning, when I saw him, he barely looked at me. Just grunted hello and walked away like he had better things to do with his time.”
Gia snorts. “Men are idiots, sweetie. Especially bikers. They think showing emotion makes them weak or some macho bullshit.”
“But it’s more than that,” Millie continues. “When we were at the casino, when Lorenzo called me Amelia and threatened Dad, Will was ready to tear the place apart. He held me like I was precious, told me nobody would ever hurt me again. And I believed him. But now…” She shrugs helplessly.
I set down my wrapping and really look at her. This sweet girl who bakes cookies and lights up rooms with her smile is clearly hurting, and something protective rises in my chest. “Can I ask you something?” I say gently. “How do you feel about Will?Reallyfeel?”
The blush spreads from her cheeks down her neck. “I… God, he makes me feel safe in a way I haven’t since before the Alliance took me. When he looks at me,reallylooks at me, it’s like I’m the only person in the world. But then he disappears, and I’m left wondering if I imagined it all.”
“You didn’t imagine it,” I say firmly. “I was there. I saw how he was with you. The way he couldn’t take his eyes off you, how gentle he was. How protective he was of you.”
