The eyebrow crinkle is back and joining the party, as is a small bulging vein in his forehead. “Seriously? He just left his fuckin’ kid.” Jerking upright, Gunz’s shoulders tense as he growls his contempt on Adam’s behalf. I’m grateful for the outburst more than I should be. It’s more than I deserve.

  “Yes.” Picturing that awful night in my head, as if it happened just yesterday, I scratch the top of my jeans, rocking in my seat, hating the way Jeremy’s loss unearths ugly, catastrophic feelings I don’t wish to relive. “It was bad. I didn’t know Adam wasn’t his until he did. After that, Adam just… Well, he started getting into a lot of trouble. He was always different from the rest of us. Always tinkering with things. Always moving. Too smart for his own good. A daredevil of sorts.”

  The once anger is replaced with a cool biker nod as Gunz repositions himself on the stool—relaxing. “Okay… Go on.”

  “I had to pull him from school his sophomore year for hacking the school’s computer system and planting a virus that made the bells go off every sixty-nine seconds. They only agreed not to press charges when they needed him to fix the issue, since they couldn’t.” Homeschooling took precedence after that, but he did graduate with passing grades. I made sure of it. Long nights were spent at the kitchen table.

  Gunz chuckles and strokes his goatee in a way that suggests he likes what he hears. “Smart guy.”

  “Too smart, like I said.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Are you sure you want to hear all this?” I didn’t come here to take a stroll down memory lane. Not this soon anyhow.

  “He’s my son, is he not?”

  My heart warms at his admission. “Yes. But I didn’t mean to rehash his messy teenage years. Only ask that maybe you could visit him in jail and talk him into getting his life together.” Anything to keep him out of trouble. When you’re a kid, things aren’t taken as seriously as they are now. Adam’s adult record is already sprinkled with misdemeanors. Can you imagine what it’ll look like in three years, or ten, if he keeps going at the rate he is?

  “What’d he do this time, and how long is he down for?” Gunz sounds genuinely concerned.

  I open my bottle of water and take a swig. Elbows on the table, I cup both hands around the chilly container. “Sixty days. He’s served almost half already. It was stupid, like it always is. He thinks it’s funny to do stupid stuff.”

  “What kind of stuff?”

  If only he knew the entire, colorful, and illegal laundry list of Adam’s stuff.

  Might as well give him a taste of what’s to come, if he ends up wanting to meet his kid. “The receipts at every store within twenty miles of where we live printed fuck you, have a nice day below the total.” Pressing my lips together, I stave off a smile. To be honest, it is kind of funny. Not legal. But a Jackass-worthy prank. Adam was proud of himself, even when they raided his friend’s apartment to find his computer and the programs he used to hack into the systems. I wish I could say it was this well-thought-out plan. That he’d been setting up shop for months to pull this scale of a prank. Unfortunately, I can’t say anything of the sort. The dumb kid decided the day before it went down. Like with most things, Adam is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants troublemaker, who gets sick joy out of the weirdly stupid shit he pulls.

  Gunz’s head rears back, eyes blowing wide. “Oh hell, that was him?”

  “Yes.”

  A devastating smile passes over his features. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it’s one of pride. “I heard about that.” The tiniest of chuckles breaks free.

  I bet he did, it was all over the news.

  An attractive woman, twentyish years my junior, saunters into the room through a doorway at the rear of the space. “Gunz,” she calls to him, an erotic lilt to her voice.

  Messy brown hair brushes the tops of her erect nipples as she approaches, wearing nothing more than a lace thong and a smile. She doesn’t pay me any attention when she climbs into Gunz’s lap with her perfect body and straddles him. Perky tits press against his chest as the curve of her back kisses the edge of the table.

  I stare with bug eyes and a closed mouth. It’s impossible not to. This isn’t my scene. The biker life is so far from my wheelhouse that it might as well be another planet. Sure, I have tattoos everywhere, and I dye my hair. That doesn’t mean anything more than I like ink and the color purple. I’m a boring online college professor—coding is my specialty. Unlike my son, I abide by the law. I don’t ride motorcycles or wear leather vests. My truck is jacked up and has Boss speakers because I like it that way. When Jeremy left us, I embraced my real self. Stripping away years of sundresses and polite smiles was what I needed to survive the aftermath. I found me in the rubble he left in his wake, and I like me… despite the guilt I live with for the twenty-three hours I spent with a man who made my pussy sing like a canary. If it wasn’t for Gunz and that dashing smile, I wouldn’t have Adam… And I’ll never regret that. Not ever.

  Gunz

  Fuck. If it’s not one thing it’s another.

  I grip Niki’s hips to keep her from grinding against my cock. The dumbass in my pants is already prying at the zipper, hungry for a hole to hide inside. It’s not all my fault. Her naked body isn’t helping matters. Nor is the strong scent of sex coming from her soft, silky skin. The twinkle in those naughty eyes turns my crank hard. Just not hard enough for me to forget Kit… Mel… whatever her name is.

  “Niki, what’re you doin’?” I scold, unable to decide if I wanna bury myself in her cunt and forget about today—about Kit and Adam, about what Bink had to do, about the clubhouse in flux—or, if I wanna shove her off my lap, ’cause I’m worried how my son’s mother will perceive this display. For all Kit knows, she’s my old lady. Not that I should care. But I do.

  Niki toys with the collar of my shirt, running a finger back and forth along my skin, dipping a nail inside to scratch my collarbone, knowin’ exactly what that does to me. “Come back to bed,” she purrs, batting those sexy lashes for added effect.

  If only it were that simple. Trust me, I’d love to go to bed, but that’s not possible.

  “Can’t you see I’m busy?” I lift my chin at the purple-haired hottie. Though my eyes are otherwise occupied with Niki’s killer body—mapping every inch of skin I’ve tasted and came on countless times.

  Not caring about the other woman present, Niki nips at my chin. “So?” A soft tongue laves across my lips, tasting the sweetness left by my sucker. She hums in pleasure, her nipples grazing my pecs through the cotton of my t-shirt. The seductress is good, too damn good.

  I bite back a groan.

  “Didn’t Viper take care of your needs?” We know he did. Niki’s here ’cause she heard I’m with another female and wants to stake her claim. If I didn’t wanna fuck her every day for the foreseeable future, I’d lecture her on how I’m not her property, and she’s not mine.

  Growing impatient, Niki delivers a stern look.

  “No,” I scold, but to be the nice guy, I kiss the tip of her nose. “Not right now.”

  “Please.” Bringing out the big guns, she nuzzles against me, body heat to body heat. My cock pants for goddamn action. Throbs for it. It’s a good thing I can control myself, unlike some of my brothers who’re led around by their dicks.

  To get my point across, I spank a bare ass cheek in time with my words. “I’m. Busy.” This isn’t some game. My son’s in jail. His mother’s here asking for my help, despite not wanting to do so. Lord knows I’m the kinda man who gets off on helpin’. How fucked is that when I don’t even know if she’s tellin’ the truth? This hero complex I’ve got is a damn pain in the ass.

  “With her?” The softest lips graze my neck, traveling to the lobe of my ear where she nibbles. Goosebumps sprout across my arms and my dick bucks. Which he can do all he wants. I’m still not changin’ my mind.

  “Yes. With her. It’s important,” I rasp, then swallow my arousal like a hot branding iron.

  “More important than these?” Pulling out the biggest guns, Niki leans back, cups her pale, perky breasts, and shakes them at me as if that’ll help. It won’t. They’re sexy, and I would love to get my mouth on those tight, sensitive buds, but I’ve got more pressing matters to handle that don’t include sex.

  “Yes. More than those.” There’s no use in lying.

  Not pleased with the truth, Niki whines my name under her breath.

  Enough.

  Peeling her off my lap, I set Niki on her feet and hop off the stool. I wrap my arm tightly around her waist and escort her from the room to get her as far away from Kit as possible. “Sorry. Be back in a sec,” I call over my shoulder.

  When Viper passes us in the hall on the way to my bedroom, I punch him in the shoulder, bro style. “The woman who’s in the common room, babysit her for a bit, will ya?” I don’t await his confirmation when we continue our journey to get Niki dressed and gone. The quicker she’s outta here the better.

  We pass Kai in the hall outside Big’s room. His back rests against the wall as he plays on his phone. When I hear water running, I stop, then backtrack a few steps to check on Prez. Niki comes along for the ride, glued to my side, practically vibrating with lust. “What’s Big doin’?”

  Kai doesn’t look up from whatever he’s swiping on the screen. My guess—a stupid game. “He’s in the shower,” he mumbles.

  That’s what I figured. Then why isn’t he in Big’s bedroom keepin’ an eye on him? Isn’t that what I said to do?

  “Did you take his phone?” I check.

  Kai stows the cell in a pocket to give me his undivided attention. “Did I what?”

  Christ, is he an idiot?

  “When you brought him back here, did you take his cell?” I ask, as Niki rubs a tit against my arm and tries to slip a hand down the front of my pants. Not letting her get far, I seize her wrist and don’t let go. She moans, thinking this is our brand of foreplay. Truth be told, it can be. Just not now.

  “Why would I do that?” Kai glances at Big’s door with guilt, knowing damn well he screwed up.

  Right on cue, the pitter-patter of female steps echoes against the floor of the hall. I’d know that sound anywhere. Their owner comes into view a moment later. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun. Dark circles encase familiar eyes. She’s in pajamas—one of Big’s oversized Harley shirts that reaches her knees, and striped bottoms. Placing Niki against the wall, despite her whiny protests, I go to my favorite person in the world and pull her into a hug. She fits perfectly against my pecs, her cheek resting there.

  “Hey, Baby Doll.” I pepper the top of her head in kisses, then sigh in contentment as her warmth and love seeps into me, calming my racing heart.

  “Hey.” Bink yawns.

  The door to Big’s bedroom crashes open and the tall, tattooed, asshole is buck naked when he steps into the frame. Big reaches out for Bink’s forearm and I release her before things get ugly.

  “Sugar Tits,” my oldest friend groans as he wraps his old lady in his arms and drags her into his bedroom like a caveman. The door slams shut in his wake, the lock clicking into place, as I turn my annoyance onto Kai, who looks surprised by the turn of events.

  I point to the closed-door evidence. “See. What did I tell you?”

  “He texted her.” Kai sounds defeated.

  Ding. Ding. Ding.

  Fisting both hands down at my sides, I wanna punch him in the mouth for not following direct orders. “Yeah, dumbass. He did. And she loves him, so she’ll let him smother her all fuckin’ night long, no matter what. This isn’t what she needs.” What she needs is an old man with his head screwed on straight. Not a needy Big. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what she’s gonna get tonight. She’ll be lucky to leave his sight to pee, let alone do anything else. Her female parts will be raw come morning.

  “I didn’t know.” Kai blinks in confusion.

  Bullshit.

  “Yes. You. Did. I fucking told you. Didn’t I? I walked you through the whole thing,” I grit when I should be handing him his ass for the stunt he just pulled. VP or not, I’ve been here longer and know a helluva lot more. He should be taking cues from me, not acting like he’s some hotshot know-it-all. Not that he does, or thinks that, per se. Kai’s a stereotypical surfer boy—chill to the core. Too chill sometimes.

  “It was a mistake,” he amends with a singular nod and look of remorse, as if that’ll wash away his indiscretion.

  “You might be new, Kai, but we can’t afford mistakes. You let Bink kill people. You didn’t take her in the house. You didn’t protect her. You put her in harm’s way. Now Big’s fucked up ’cause of it, and he’s taking it out on her ’cause you didn’t take his cell phone.” That’s reality. The bitter ugly truth of it all. He can swallow a slice of humble pie, or he can’t. The choice is his. It’s nobody’s fault but his own. He found her roaming the grounds in the middle of an attack when she was trying to bring her Sacred Sisters back to her house for protection. Little did she know men were infiltrating the walls of our goddamn compound. According to them both, Kai carried her back to her place over his shoulder, intent on getting her to safety when shit hit the fan. Thus putting her in the line of fire. When he could’ve taken her into the nearest house—Deke’s.

  Not appreciating the truth exploding in his face, Kai’s head rears back. “You can’t blame me for this.” He rubs with the edge of his cut between two fingers, his chest pistoning for air. “She was out there by herself last night. Don’t pretend Bink’s innocent here, Gunz.”

  “Not anymore she’s not!” I growl, taking a step forward, ready to make him pay for his sins, fist to flesh. Pain on pain.

  Butting her nose in where it don’t belong, Niki steps between us like she’s afraid I’ll beat the tar outta Kai. She ain’t wrong. “Babe, I think you need to calm down.” Her palm flattens between my pecs and I swear I see red. It’s a blip, a mere second, but it’s there. The rage, the frustration, everything I do my best to keep in check fades out and rushes back in all within a breath. It scares me, but not enough to relent. Not from this.

  “I don’t need to do shit, Niki.” My tone icy, I pry her hand off my chest and push it back at her. “Mind your own business, please.”

  Mindful not to provoke me, Kai gestures toward my bedroom. “Walk it off, bro. Walk it off. Get your head straight.”

  Like hell either one of ‘em are gonna tell me what to do. I can make my own choices. I have more than twenty years on each of them. When they’ve run with the SS as long as I have, been through what I have, seen what I’ve seen in and out of the club, they can give me life advice. Until then, they can…

  “Fuck off,” I snarl, my upper lip curling back.

  Not wanting to make things worse, Kai lifts both hands in childish surrender. “Gunz, come on, man, chill out.”

  “Why? ’Cause you’re the one who fucked up? ’Cause you’re new? You do realize you’re lucky as hell Big didn’t take you into that shed tonight and make you pay.”

  “He wouldn’t do that.”

  I laugh. It’s low and cruel, but nothing less than what he deserves for his stupidity.

  “Wrong. If you think he wouldn’t do that ’cause you’re a brother, you need to rethink your importance here. She’s his. Has always been his. Will always be his. If he had to pick between saving a bus full of children and saving her life, he’d pick her every time. Your actions are what did this to them. Not hers. Everyone knows Bink’s impulsive and stubborn. That she doesn’t always listen when she should. But everything she does is out of love. What you made her do is inexcusable. Big may forgive you, but I’m not sweepin’ this under the rug. Not when you can’t take a simple goddamn order and follow through. If you don’t get your shit straight, you won’t be VP here. We’ll find someone more qualified.” I’ll make sure of it.

  Through with the bullshit, with Niki’s neediness, with the strong possibility of fatherhood looming overhead, with Kai, and everything I can’t fucking fix yet want to, I turn to face my favorite club whore and lay down the fucking law. Tonight’s not the night to toy with me. I’m a patient man. It takes a helluva lot to knock my world off its axis. Consider it knocked the hell off. At this point, it’s rolling down the highway to hell with no end in sight.

  “Go home, Niki,” I order.

  Hand flying to her mouth, she gasps. “Why? I thought I was staying?”

  “No.” My head shakes in firm side-to-side jerks. “You’re going home. I have shit I need to deal with, and you’re a distraction.” And Mel…Kit doesn’t need you prancing around here naked. I’m not gonna let you screw up a chance for me to meet my kid. If he’s my kid.

  “I’ll stay in your room. I promise.” Niki drops to her knees at my feet like submission will change my mind.

  This should please me. It should make me painfully hard. Any other night, I’d relish the sight. But I can’t muster a single desire to fulfill her needs or mine.

  I cross both arms over my chest to keep from touching her and giving the wrong impression. “No. You won’t. You want my dick, and I don’t have time to give you my dick. So, there’s no use in you staying.”

  “That’s okay. We don’t have to have sex.” Peering up at me, Niki fixes her hair over her shoulder as her lips pucker in a silent plea.

  I sigh to myself.

  It’s sex or nothing. We aren’t friends with benefits if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s mutually beneficial fucking. Nothing more. She’s a club whore who likes to spread her legs for bikers. That’s the status quo and I have no desire for more, even if something beyond lust fueled my veins when I was around her. I’ve never been in love, don’t know what it feels like. And if my incapable heart could feel it, it wouldn’t be with her.

  “Not the point.” I slice my hand through the air when she opens her mouth to argue. “Please get your things and go. Since Big’s taken care of for the evening, Kai can see ya out.”