Candlelight flickered, showing glimpses of fear and guilt in Misty’s stare.

  Sasha leaned back, studying the woman’s eyes in the seconds they flashed to her. “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know.” Like a switch flipped, the confident air returned to Misty’s face. “Things got crappy for you when I showed up. Maybe I’m your bad luck charm.”

  “My shit was fucked long before you got here. It’s this room.” Sasha hopped up, glancing around. “A lot of mistakes happen in here. It has bad karma. You wanna go do something?”

  “Sure.” Misty pushed aside the blanket she’d hung over the window, peering outside. “It’s getting dark. There’s a line of cars driving in.”

  Sasha squeezed behind Misty, staring at the convoy coming up her driveway. Any minute now, music would seep through her walls and rattle the beer bottles scattered on every surface. A party for the new VP, a major event. Half the state would trample this compound in a few hours. Busy bee, her mother, slapping together a huge blowout in only hours. It’d be crazy to think she had days to plan this.

  “Looks like the bar’s open,” Misty said, gawking at a guy with a bright green Mohawk.

  “There’s a party tonight. That dude from earlier—”

  “The one you tossed out or the one you yelled at?” Misty asked with a smile.

  Sasha started to chuckle, but she covered her mouth. “The one I yelled at. He got a big promotion today. Festivities must follow, in the form of trucker sluts, unending shots of whiskey, and copious amounts of drugs.”

  “Trucker sluts?” Misty cringed, moving away from the window.

  “That’s what they call themselves. It’s just a group of chicks who only date truckers.”

  Misty giggled. A cute, nervous smirk followed. “Truckers have groupies? That’s excellent. Can we go to the party?”

  “Yeah, but…” Sasha eyed Misty over. The whole package, suede halter top, billowy skirt, right down to the silver bells that encircled her ankle, all screamed sore thumb. “Your outfit is awesome, but—”

  “I don’t fit in.” Misty lifted the sides of her long, flowing skirt before her arms flopped to her sides.

  “Do you trust me?” Sasha asked, flashing a smile.

  This time Misty’s laugh, even cuter than the last, held a sarcastic edge.

  “I let you take me to new places, didn’t I?”

  Misty’s lips, eyes, and silky shoulders floated within Sasha’s grasp, teasing Sasha’s fingertips. Misty was an apple given that one could not eat, existing only to torment Sasha’s mind. She had to turn away or risk taking another bite.

  “This’ll be different and much more uncomfortable,” Sasha said, opening the bottom drawer of her dresser.

  ***

  Dez

  Dez grabbed a beer from the fridge, sitting at the little round table in Vinny’s kitchen. He took a sip, staring at Vinny. His little brother, not so little anymore. He hadn’t noticed, until now. It could’ve been the harsh kitchen lights, this VP bullshit, or the fact he was done chasing his dick around, but he noticed the man who stood in front of him.

  “I didn’t know about this.” Vinny leaned against the sink, twisting the bottle in his hand. “Actually, I did know. Ellen set the whole thing up a few days ago. Sasha said it’s just part of some crazy plan her mother cooked up, and she’s probably right. I always dreamed of holding this spot but not like this. I don’t know, man.”

  It took every ounce of strength for Dez to hold back a smile. Even with all those muscles and brains, his little brother still needed him.

  “Ellen wasn’t like this before,” Dez said, taking another swig of his bottle. “Not when Charlie was alive.”

  “You knew Sasha’s father?” Vinny sat across from Dez, leaning on the table.

  “He recruited me as prospect. A few months later, he died. After Ellen was voted president, I made runner. She was always shady, but now she’s just cruel.” Dez dropped his elbows on the table, rattling the empty beer bottles around its edge. “There’s ten-percent truth in everything Ellen says. If you can decipher her mind, you can turn the tables on her game.”

  “I wish you never went away. You’d be in that VP seat right now.”

  “I never wanted that position. You need a certain kind of…patience, and I don’t have time for that shit. You’re perfect for this seat. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to be my VP.”

  Vinny tapped his bottle against Dez’s, taking a long gulp.

  “So when’s your party?” Dez asked.

  “Oh shit! Right now.” Vinny jumped up, disappearing into the bathroom. “We gotta get going. I’m gonna get laid twenty ways ‘til Sunday tonight.”

  “Then you better stop and get twenty packs of rubbers,” Dez called out, finishing his beer.

  Vinny popped his head into the kitchen, toothbrush hanging from his lips. “Good idea, man.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Sasha

  Sasha stepped back, admiring her masterpiece. Misty’s bangs were teased up at least two inches, cresting to the side in a blonde wave and held in place by half a can of Aquanet. A thick band of black eyeliner stood out over bright blue eyeshadow, complementing her cherry-red lips so well. And that wasn’t even the good stuff. The tiny outfit clinging to Misty’s body showed more skin than fabric.

  “I feel weird.” Misty tugged at the tight black mini, unable to pull it any lower. “Naked.”

  “You look outrageous.”

  “I know, right? It’s stupid.” Misty fidgeted with the leather tube top, crossing her arms.

  “No. That means you’re sexy as hell. Hold up, we gotta put you in some fuck-me pumps.”

  “What! Sasha, you know how sometimes in movies the girl ends up on a pool table, surrounded by guys pulling down their zippers?”

  “Oh my God. We’re truckers, not bikers. That kind of stuff don’t happen ‘round here. You can change back if you want, but come here first.”

  Misty trudged forward, and Sasha turned her toward the mirror. “Take a look.”

  At first, Misty took small glimpses. Every time she stole another eyeful of her new self, the curve of her lips raised.

  “You can be anyone you want to be tonight. Have a million different stories.” Sasha glided her hand down Misty’s arm, holding out a pair of red stilettos. “And you’re safe with me.”

  “I do look kinda hot, huh?”

  “You have no idea.”

  Misty slipped on the heels, adding an extra inch that brought her up to Sasha’s eye level. “I think I understand what they mean by liberation now. You know, why those women burned their bras.”

  “What?” Sasha giggled. “You don’t even have a bra.”

  “Never mind. Let’s do this.”

  Sasha slid a joint under the brim of her bandana and opened the door. “After you.” Instinct kicked on her manners, and the desire to see that rear view kept her manners in high gear. Once they hit the parking lot, Misty latched onto Sasha’s arm.

  “There’re so many people here.”

  “Yeah.” A spectacle, really. Close to two hundred heads, and that was just those gathered around the bonfire out front. They all knew her name too. Their smiles and greetings blended as she strolled by, not one of their names popping into her mind.

  “Everybody knows you. You must be important.”

  “Not really. Just a small county.” Sasha took Misty by the hand as they squeezed into the over-stuffed clubhouse. Her eyes scoured the smoky room. No crewmembers stared her down, and her mother didn’t pop out of the woodwork. It could turn out to be a nice, relaxing night.

  “Sasha!”

  Candy’s voice cut above the music, and Sasha shook off a chill. She dropped Misty’s hand, turning to face Candy. Candy’s green eyes fluttered, shaming all the other colors in the world and piercing Sasha’s heart.

  “Who’s this?” Candy did that thing where she puffed her chest up, crossed her arms, and lifted her chin. Her tough guy stance, fucking adorable.

  “This,” Sasha pulled Misty to her side, “is my friend—”

  “Friend?” Candy asked in a short tone.

  “Yes. Just a friend.”

  “Hey, I’m Misty. I just moved to town, and Sasha’s showing me around.”

  “Ooh, fresh meat.” Candy’s face lit up. She bumped Sasha aside, taking Misty by the arm. “Come on, honey. Honey, that actually works. Maybe we’ll call you that from now on.”

  “Dude,” Sasha called out. “What the fuck?”

  “Take a chill pill.” Candy waved her hand, pulling Misty closer. “I wanna introduce her to the girls.”

  Sasha stepped forward, but Misty shook her head, flashing a smile. Candy and Misty slipped into the mob scene, and Sasha’s body grew tense. This could go wrong a hundred different ways with no right path in any direction. She leaned against the wall, taking the joint from beneath her bandana and popping it into her mouth. Before she could reach into her pocket for a lighter, a flame ignited in front of her eyes. A soft glow shined on an inked arm. Skulls and demons ripping through shards of flesh, fire and chains. She had spent countless hours staring at that ink over the years, at Vinny’s ink. Sasha lit the joint, straining to keep her glare off of Vinny’s face.

  “I can’t believe you brought her here,” he said, clicking his zippo shut.

  “She’s just a friend.”

  “You have friends?”

  “Dick!” Sasha looked at Vinny. His grin melted her icy stare and uncoiled her tight muscles.

  “That’s not what I mean. I just thought I knew all your friends.”

  “Obviously not.” Sasha pushed off the wall, walking past Vinny, and he grabbed her by the wrist.

  “Wait.” Vinny pulled Sasha to his chest, loosening his grip.

  Sasha stared up into eyes that begged to be forgiven. It chipped away little pieces of her heart to hold a grudge against him. She didn’t want the vice president position, and she didn’t want anyone except for him in it, but he broke the cardinal rule. He played her, just like her mother always did.

  “Congratulations, Vinny. Enjoy your party, and stay away from my friend.” Sasha yanked her arm from Vinny’s grasp, bulldozing her way out the door.

  ***

  Dez

  Dez flicked a cigarette over the railing of the porch. He walked toward the clubhouse door, bumping into a bony shoulder. The scent of weed and roses hit him before any other senses could kick on. “Sasha.”

  Sasha smirked. She pressed her body against his chest as she pushed him from the doorway.

  “This place is nuts.” Sasha hit a joint, lips parting just a crack, eyes drifting to a close. If only she knew what that did to him, the shivers it sent beneath his flesh.

  Some asshole stumbled into her, driving her hips into his. Dez could slug the douchebag, maybe thank him, or just grab Sasha’s ass. His hands glided down the curve of her back, and he ushered her into the far corner of the porch. “Yeah, it is.”

  “Are you drunk?” Sasha asked through a smile.

  Her eyes sparkled when she looked up at him, even though every other part of her was a blur.

  “Maybe.” Dez leaned down, dragging his lips along her cheek to her mouth. When Sasha’s warm tongue tickled his own, all the people and sounds faded away. Everything he needed was in his arms. As her hands rode up his chest, he appreciated the silky skin under his fingertips. She was the key to his survival.

  His blood surged, prickling his veins. There was nothing he could do about the bulge in his pants except grind it into her.

  “Damn, hello,” she whispered into his ear.

  “Let’s go somewhere.”

  “Where?”

  “Your room.” Dez slipped his hand under Sasha’s shirt, and she didn’t push it away. “Your bed.”

  “I can’t just leave my friend in there.”

  Dez gripped onto the front of her pants, tugging. “Shit, girl. I’ll fuck you right here.”

  Even though his voice held a serious edge, Sasha giggled. His brow lifted, and he unclipped her belt buckle.

  “Okay. Jesus.” She fixed her belt then took his hand. “Come on.”

  Her little fingers slid between his, and she led him into the clubhouse. They cut through the crowd like ghosts. Drunken cackles and wild drumbeats mingled to a dull buzz. This room could’ve been empty. All he knew was his thumb circling the soft skin of her palm.

  Sasha pulled Dez into the bathroom, and two dudes looked up from the white lines piled on the sink.

  “Out,” Dez barked, and they flinched, scurrying out the door. The sound of Sasha’s laughter snapped the last shred of self-control left inside Dez’s body. He locked onto her lips, tearing the jacket from her shoulders. A moan filled his ears when her back hit the wall. She whipped open his belt in one swift move, and his knees quaked. How his zipper didn’t burst, he’d never understand. He hated pants more than anything right now. He needed them gone, to feel her warmth against him, to dive inside her.

  “Oh God, Dez.” Sasha gasped as Dez dug his teeth into her neck. He bunched up her top, moving his mouth down. No bra, just full breasts and pink nipples. His hands worked both her belt and his jeans, a mouth full of Sasha. The whole process of unbuckling both their belts at once would’ve been amazingly smooth if it wasn’t taking him so fucking long.

  Sasha’s pants hit the tile with a thud, and Dez looked up into her eyes. “Gun?”

  “Brass knuckles.”

  Dez grinned, lifting Sasha off the ground. She drifted in his arms like a feather, but her thighs clung to his waist like a vice. Their eyes connected as he slowly slipped inside her. The way her lips curved into an O. That carnal leer penetrated his soul. He almost lost it on the spot, but the need to have more of her, all of her, held his concentration firm.

  Sasha ran her fingers through his hair, electricity vibrated his skin, and Sasha’s sweet moans echoed in his head. He drove into her harder, faster. His body couldn’t get enough of her touch, smell, taste. Sasha surrounded him.

  Her fingers trembled on his neck, her back arching against the wall. He clutched her hips tighter, and she squirmed, forcing the air from his lungs. A whirl took his mind by surprise. Sasha cried out, and Dez lost the power to resist the ecstasy that called to him. A deep thrust and surrender came easy. Chills replaced the fire in his veins, her lips landing on his. He lowered her feet back to the ground, never breaking her kiss.

  Sasha bit Dez’s bottom lip before gliding away. A soft tingle shot from his head to his toes, and he slumped against the wall, pulling up his jeans.

  “God. Damn.” Dez looked at Sasha, who was fidgeting with her belt. Even with messy hair and crumpled clothes, she looked perfect, good enough to throw against the wall again.

  Sasha narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “What?”

  “What?”

  “You’re looking at me all funny and junk.”

  That’s ‘cause I wanna rip your clothes off and throw myself into every part of you. “Sorry.” He reached out, straightening her top. “There.”

  A new look crossed Sasha’s face. Insecurity. It made her even more beautiful. She shrank back, scooping her bandana and jacket from the floor.

  Dez held in a grin, glancing to the sink. “Those assholes left their blow. You want a bump?”

  Sasha took a step forward, but her hand landed on her stomach. “Nah. I’m good. Are we good?”

  Hell yeah almost flew from Dez’s mouth, but the sting in his knuckles brought the memory of betrayal back. “No. I’m pissed. Not because you lied or picked some chick over me, but because you twist the simplest of tasks into a jumble-fuck of danger.”

  “What the fuck are—”

  “I don’t know this bitch, if she can be trusted. It’s my job to keep this club and its members safe.”

  “She’s just a girl. If anyone’s in danger here, it’s her.”

  “Who is she?” Dez asked, his voice growing louder with every passing syllable. “Where did she come from? How long have you known her?”

  “See, that’s why I don’t want you near her. She thinks we’re a bunch of hillbilly truckers right now. You start with the interrogation and she’ll know something’s up.”

  “I want her out of here. Now.”

  “Yeah,” Sasha snickered, crossing her arms, “and I want a million dollars.”

  “I’m not joking. I’m your sergeant at arms, and I’m telling you, she goes.”

  “Or what? You gonna take it to the president?”

  “Why do you have to put me in this position?” Dez had to stop himself from grabbing Sasha. If shaking her would do any good, he’d latch on and go to town.

  “Do whatever you have to. Sarge.”

  Sasha unlocked the door and stormed out, leaving him alone in a stifling room. The air must’ve followed her, the way his skin boiled. He should be used to this, but the presence that surrounded Sasha left a hollow void in its absence.

  The door cracked open, and a scrawny dude popped his head inside. “Is it cool if I get my blow, man?”

  “Have at it.” Dez grabbed the knob and yanked the door wide open, walking into the crowd.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Sasha

  Sasha squeezed her way to the bar. Misty’s arms flopped around her neck.

  “You’re back,” Misty slurred, wobbling on those high heels. “Candy’s awesome.”

  “Yeah. How many shots did she give you?”

  “All of them,” Misty snorted, leaning to the side.

  A snicker broke Sasha’s scowl for half a second, then her glare rolled to Candy.

  “What?” Candy said in a cute little huff. “She wanted to play quarters.”

  “Awesome,” Sasha grumbled, fighting to keep Misty’s hands off her body. A high-pitched laugh drew her gaze. Through the sea of faces, Sasha spotted her mother in a corner chatting it up with a bunch of locals. If that woman looked her way, it’d be a fitting end to this fucked-up night.