Page 138 of Trick Knot Treat

“He will be back.”

“How do you know?”

“Because no one could stay away from you.”

“Harvest, I think, no, I know, I don’t want to go home.” I grip his T-shirt, staring up at him. “I can’t leave them.”

“Ah, yes. That. I wish I could help you, Key, but this is beyond my control. The President has summoned you home. We have to obey.”

“It would be easier if he were awful or a tyrant. Something vile. Evil. Someone I could hate. But making this decision hurts so much worse because I love him, and our home, and our club.”

“The Devil’s Drifters MC is home for us. It’s the only home we’ll know.”

Harvest sounds as happy about it as I am. But we love the club, we always have and always will. And loyalty is part of our genetic makeup.

“Wow, you two make our life sound so happy and cheerful. I can do all that, be vile and mean. Lots of people find me so. You just need to tell me, and I will put on my brass knuckles.”

I whip around. “Dad!”

He looks older, his hair slightly more silvered and his beard is longer, but he’s still Dad, still the same person I adore so much. He’s got broad shoulders, and he’s taller than me, but he’s the kind of guy people look up to, the kind they listen to. People trust him and want to please him.

Even I do. Which is why this is so hard. He looks every inch a biker, and he stands out like a sore thumb.

“Hey, kiddo.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask as soon as he lets me go. Where is Felix? Where is Zaire? Oh, God, please, please don’t let Jace come over.

“Well, you are past your date, and we got worried.”

Oh, of course. In the back of my mind, I knew he would come for me. Of course, he would, I was just hoping he wouldn’t. At least not yet.

“Wait, what do you mean, we? Dad! Did you bring the whole club into Sunshine Cove?”

He just stares at me with a half smile.

“DAD!”

I look around, seeing all the familiar faces spread among the clearly alarmed townsfolk. Whispers that I hadn’t noticed grow louder and louder as the leather-wearing club comes to collect their wayward children.

“Dad! I was just…I just needed a minute? Please, just give me a minute.”

I’m going to have to run. He won’t be able to stop me, and I just need to disappear and…what am I even thinking?

“How long is a minute, little omega? It’s been a year. You were due home four days ago. We thought something happened.”

I glance at Harvest, his expression is clearly asking what I want to do. Okay, let’s truth this out.

“Dad, listen, we need to talk. Harvest and I…we’re not going to bond. It’s just gross. We’re like siblings. You see? So, you know, it’s not going to work.”

Dad nods his head, listening intently, but I can see he’s shrugging it all off like he does sometimes.

“Dad, please listen to me. Please, I don’t want Harvest. I found people,” I say, trying to be brave. “I found a pack.”

Dad’s eyes sharpen, and he gets dangerous, I swear, the air around him gets cold. That was the wrong move. I won’t be able to convince him now.

“You’re coming home,” he growls.

“Dad, listen. We can talk about this.”