“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I whispered. “I’m just tired.”
“Come on, I know you better than that. What’s going on?”
I heaved out a sigh, closing my eyes, hating myself and my family for this. Why couldn’t I just tell him the truth? Weren’t we serious enough for him to know where I came from? Or was I so ashamed I couldn’t bear the thought of him knowing? When people thought of Motorcycle Clubs they thought of criminals, drug dealers, murderers, thieves and violence.
They were right, too. A lot of those things happened. I wasn’t supposed to know about it because I was a female. MC’s were boys clubs, always would be. I used to think it was unfair when I was a kid, knowing my brother and friends were going to join and I couldn’t. Hell, dad wouldn’t even let me get my own bike. He said women belonged on the back of a bike and no daughter of his would ride alone.
That was when the disillusion with the club set in. When I realized that even though my brother and our friends grew up with me, played with me, and went through school and all kinds of other shit with me, eventually they would leave me behind.
It started happening, them hanging out more in the bar and common room at the MC, a place my dad didn’t want me entering. I’d seen the looks in their eyes when they had let that door close on me. But it hadn’t stopped them.
When I left, I was heartbroken, confused, and so alone. My brother and Hudson were prospecting for the club, Connor already patched in when we were supposed to be leaving to go to college. Warren swore he would leave with me, even if he had to come backto the MC once he was done, because that was where he belonged. I’d foolishly thought if we got away for four years, I’d convince him never to go back.
Taking a fortifying breath, I cupped Declan’s face and looked into his eyes. The lie felt brittle on my tongue, but I couldn’t tell him the truth of where I was going. I was damn sure I wouldn’t be there long. I’d find out what my dad was into, then I’d leave and tell them to forget my damn name.
“My…aunt is sick,” I said, not able to bring myself to say the wordmom. I didn’t remember her. As far as people back home were concerned, I’d never had a mom. It was too hard to perpetuate a lie about someone I didn’t know. But I had a lot of aunts. The Old Ladies at the club treated us like their own. I didn’t feel too bad using that generalization.
“Oh shit, Wave, why didn’t you say something? How sick is she?”
“Car accident,” the lie came too easily. “She doesn’t have any other family. I need to go stay with her for a while, till she can get back on her feet.”
“Stay with her?” Declan sat up, leaning his back against the headboard, and he tugged me up with him. This wasn’t a conversation we could have all tangled up naked together. “Where?”
“Back home, in New Jersey.”
He huffed out a little laugh. “You don’t sound like you’re from New Jersey.”
“Don’t tar us all withJersey Shore,” I nudged his side. “I grew up in the suburbs.” It wasn’t a complete lie. We were out on farmland. Because a huge MC like the Devil’s Chaos couldn’t exactly have a massive compound and presence in the middle of the city.
“Is she gonna be okay?” he asked, pulling me into him, his hand stroking up and down my shoulder in a tender way.
“I…I’m not sure. I don’t want to go. There is so much going on here. You…” I looked up at him.
“Hey,” he kissed the tip of my nose. “If you have family you care about, nothing else matters, right?” Declan got a faraway look in his eye, probably thinking about the fact he had no family of his own. God, I didn’t want to go. “It will not be forever. And you’ll call meallthe time, right?” he grinned.
“Of course.” I kissed his jaw.
“When do you need to go?”
“Tomorrow, first thing. I need to call Lee about work. He’s gonna be pissed.”
“He’ll understand,” he said. “And hey, we can totally have what’s app sex till you get back,” he waggled his eyebrows and gave me a dirty grin.
“Oh really, I’m sure my sick aunt,” or the brothers of the MC, “would love to hear that.”
“I’m not asking you to do it with her in the room. I’d need to meet her first.”
I whacked him on the shoulder with the back of my hand and he jumped up onto his knees, grabbed my hips, then dragged me down the bed, pressing his body on top of mine, making me squeal.
“We better make the most of tonight, then, huh?”
“Damn right.” I pushed Declan over until he was on his back, then slung one leg over his hips. He stared up at me, his pupils dilated, eyes filled with lust. I reached for a condom from the nightstand and then gave him what he wanted, not giving two shits how tired I would be tomorrow.
Chapter 3
I packed enough to last a couple of weeks. I’d called my boss and promised I would be back soon. He begrudgingly allowed me some personal time, because the take the night before had almost doubled. He knew I was a good deal for business. He would call me before the two weeks were up, no doubt. I just didn’t know if I’d be able to come back.
