PROLOGUE
Reese
Senior Prom Night
I didn’t want to go. I honestly couldn’t tell you why I agreed to go to prom with Jamie. He was a nice guy and he caught me on a good day. Before I knew what was happening, he had persuaded me to be his date. I had one condition and I repeatedly stressed it; we were going as friends only. Every time I brought it up, he smiled and agreed.
The actual prom was okay, I suppose. I wasn’t really into it, but I felt like it was something I might regret not doing later on in life, so I forced myself to go. Jamie was a perfect gentleman the entire night. I didn’t know him very well. We had one or two classes together, but we never socialized outside of class. Frankly, I was shocked when he asked me to be his date. When I asked him why he asked me, his reply was, “You looked like you could use some fun.” He was right about that, but I didn’t comment on it any further.
When the dance portion of the evening was over, the school was hosting an after-prom party in the school’s gymnasium. It sounded seriously lame and I had no interest in going. I made myself attend the prom, but the after-prom was off the table. Jamie and I were dancing the last dance of the night when he asked, “Do you want to go to the after-prom party hosted by the school or would you like to go to another party tonight?”
Another party? That got my attention. “Where’s the other party?” I asked, trying not to sound too excited.
“At a friend of a friend’s house. This guy has parties every weekend; it has nothing to do with prom.”
I agreed to go with him, hoping it would prove to be fun. Carbon was gone on a run for the MC and wouldn’t be back for two more days, which meant I didn’t have a curfew.
When the song ended, I quickly changed clothes in the girls’ locker room. I had bought a dress for after-prom in case we decided to go. It was a basic strapless bodycon dress in the same shade of green as my prom dress. Since I didn’t have to change my shoes or any accessories, I was in and out in less than five minutes.
Jamie was waiting for me in the hallway. He had changed out of his tuxedo into a pair of worn jeans, a black t-shirt, and motorcycle boots. All he needed was a leather cut and he would look just like my brother. His eyes widened when he saw me. “Damn, Reese. I know we said just friends, but you look fucking hot as hell in that dress.”
That caught me off guard. I wasn’t trying to look hot and sexy. Honestly, I got the dress because it was cheap and it matched my shoes. “Oh, thanks. You look like you belong on a motorcycle,” I said, hoping to redirect his attention away from me.
He smiled brightly, “One day soon, I hope.”
Nope, I wasn’t going there with him. If he asked me to prom because he had somehow figured out who my brother was, I didn’t want to know. If he didn’t know about Carbon, I wasn’t going to tell him. He was obviously trying to get in with the local MC and I wanted nothing to do with that.
The party was being held at a house out in the middle of nowhere. Well, Croftridge itself was in the middle of nowhere, but there were parts that weren’t completely secluded like this place. Nothing but fields and forest surrounded the rundown two-story house. A bonfire of sorts toward the back of the house had some people milling about while others were going in and out of the house at a steady rate.
I continued to survey the scene while Jamie parked the car. I didn’t have a good feeling about this party, but I couldn’t put my finger on what was unsettling to me. “How do you know this guy again?” I asked.
Jamie shrugged, “He’s a friend of a friend. I don’t know him that well, but my friends are here, so it’s all good.”
I followed him around the house to the bonfire. It didn’t take him long to find his group of friends. Some I recognized from school, others I had never seen before. He introduced me to all of them before he left me to get us drinks. I was uncomfortable with the group of strangers and trying to think of something to say when I heard my name.
“Reese!” That definitely was not Jamie’s voice, but it was one I recognized. One that sent a shiver down my spine.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Duke. Tall, sexy, panty-melting Duke with his thick, dark brown hair and his icy, blue eyes. He was all man and had starred in several of my late night fantasies, not that I would ever admit it.
I tried to pretend like I didn’t hear him, even though I had already jolted at the sound of my name. “Reese Walker! Get your ass over here right now, girl!” Oh, no the fuck he didn’t. Sexy or not, I wasn’t going to let him talk to me like that.
Duke
Phoenix sent me out to Ricky Reynolds’s house to check out these weekend parties he started having about a month or so ago. The rumors around town were that he came into some money when his father passed away, but Phoenix wanted to be sure that was all he was up to. He suspected there was significant drug activity going on at Ricky’s parties and wanted proof. Phoenix was hardcore against two things: drugs and abuse of any kind against women and children.
Sipping my beer, I leaned against the side of the house and watched the people around the bonfire. Thus far, I had only seen people drinking and a few smoking weed. What surprised me was that no one seemed to notice my presence. I walked into the house, grabbed a beer, and had been standing in the exact same spot for almost 45 minutes without a word from anyone.
My eyes landed on a girl with one hell of a body walking toward the bonfire. She seemed out of place in her short, tight green dress and strappy high-heeled sandals. Her caramel colored hair was a mass of curls that hung midway down her back. I desperately wanted her to turn around so I could see her face.
I kept my eyes on her and watched silently as she and a guy approached a group by the fire. I suspected the majority of that group was too young to be drinking, but kids will be kids and that’s not why I was there. They talked with the group for a few minutes and then the guy walked toward the house. The girl turned and looked back at him as he left. She didn’t see me, but I clearly saw her.
“Reese!” I yelled. What in the fuck was Carbon’s little sister doing at Ricky’s party? If Carbon knew she was here, he would be pissed as hell. Reese tried to act like she didn’t hear me, but I knew she did. I saw her stiffen when I yelled her name. “Reese Walker!” I yelled louder. “Get your ass over here right now, girl!”
