Page 3

Elizabeth

As we walk back into the club room, everyone turns looking at me. Swallowing heavily at the weight I have to carry on my shoulders for this task, I plaster on a fake smile as Sin leads me through. His warm hand is spread across my lower back, commanding in the way that he does. The strength in that small gesture doesn’t get past me, either. Or the show of dominance he’s clearly trying to display over me. Normally, I would swat a man’s hand away for being so presumptuous, for assuming that I can’t lead myself into a damn room, but I need to be on my best behavior.

I need Sin and his band of merry misfits to trust that I’m here to write the story they want.

Not… the one my superiors expect from me.

Sin directs me toward the club bar, where three women stand behind it. One is cleaning, one is restocking the alcohol shelf, and the other simply leans on the bar, smiling at me as we approach.

“This your new project, Pres?” the one leaning on the bar like she owns it asks. Her almost masculine appearance surprises me. Don’t get me wrong, she’s still stunningly gorgeous, but her blonde hair is short with a slight wave on top. Her black eyeliner is thick, though she wears little other makeup. Her shirt is only buttoned by the bottom button, leaving her bra completely on show, and her leather jacket is covered in silver studs. I can’t even count the amount of chains she has dangling around her neck.

I have no clue what her style is, but it’s a whole vibe.

Sin smirks at me, then glances back at her. “Elizabeth, this is Ro… she’s our head club girl and a little insane, so be careful of her.”

I raise my brow as Ro snorts out a laugh. “Whatever. I’m as delicate as a flower. Don’t believe a word he says, Lizzie. You stick with us club girls… we’ll steer you in the right direction, won’t we, girls?” Ro grins, then winks.

The girl restocking the alcohol turns to face me, trying to hold in her laugh while waving a bottle of Jack Daniels through the air. “Baby girl, don’t get sucked into Ro’s web. She’s already mentally undressing you. People are worried about these bikers, but honey, you gotta watch out for madam Ro here. She’ll hit on a man, a woman, hell… I wouldn’t put it past her to fuck that broom handle over there if the mood struck her.”

Sin tries to fight back his chuckle as Ro rolls her eyes. “Gia, you’re just jealous because I didn’t hit on you when I first saw you. Lizzie, though, girl, you are fire! Can I get you a drink?” Ro waggles her brows at me.

Letting out a small laugh, I shake my head. “Ahh… no drink, but thanks for the compliment… I think.”

Ro giggles, waving her hand through the air. “You’re welcome, and I’m here any time… if you should change your mind.” She winks at me again, but this time, Sin places his hands on my shoulders.

“All right, Ro, ease up on the flirting, will ya?” Sin snaps, a harshness in his tone.

Ro raises her brow, a slow smirking crossing her lips. “I hear you loud and clear, Pres… she’s allll yours.” Ro chuckles and turns to face Gia, helping her stock the shelves before Sin leads me toward the kitchen next to the bar.

With my head still reeling from that crazy interaction, I glance up at him. “So, club girls?” I ask, not really knowing what to expect as an answer.

Sin exhales, dipping his head. “The short of it is they come to work for us, generally in exchange for maintaining the clubhouse.”

I stop walking and turn to face him, a serious expression crossing my face. “Maintaining the clubhouse? Details, please.”

Sin runs his fingers through his hair, leaning back against the side wall of the kitchen. “Well, as you saw, they help run the bar. Prospects will sometimes assist with that too. The club girls will also help with food prep and cleaning, maintaining the general husbandry of the clubhou—”

“Husbandry? You’re just gonna run with that?” I snap.

Sin cranes his neck to the side, knowing exactly what I’m asking. “Okay, yeah. I know what you’re inferring, and yes, the role of a club girl is to be available if a brother is wanting…” he hesitates, so I glare at him, urging him to continue, “If a brother is wanting… satisfaction. But, we never, and I irrefutably mean never, make the club girls do anything they don’t give one hundred percent consent to.” His eyes meet mine with complete seriousness, and I know instantly he’s telling me the truth.

Letting out a long breath, I simply nod. “All right… but what do they get out of being here? Are they adrenaline junkies, or do they just love bad boys? What’s the thrill of doing all this?” I ask, truly wanting to know because there is no reason in my mind that would make me want to give up my body for a group of men and have to cook, clean, and take care of them.

To me, this shit is fucking absurd.

Sin shakes his head, a look of frustration crossing his features. “You disappoint me, Elizabeth.”

Jerking my head back, I snort out a laugh. “Ha! Me? Disappoint you? What the hell did I do?”

“You’re judgmental,” he replies swiftly.

Scowling, I fold my arms across my chest defensively. “I am not!”

Sin lets out a mocking laugh, moving closer, my breath instantly hitching with the proximity. His stunning eyes meet mine again as he stares directly into my soul. “Yes… you are,” he teases, a smirk crossing his face.

Scoffing, I shove at his chest, trying to push him away. He catches my wrists and pulls me against him. I gasp at his sheer strength as he spins us, pinning me to the wall. My heart races as he lifts my hands above my head, pressing my wrists to the sheetrock. His body pushes firmly against mine, his eyes staring into the depths of my soul. Our breathing quickens, frantic, while adrenaline surges through my body. He leans in, his lips inching toward mine. My knees begin to tremble, not knowing what to do at the moment.

Do I fight him off?

Do I go with it?

The problem is, I’m not sure that I want to fight him off.

The familiar smell of beer assaults my senses, his lips a hair’s breadth away. My legs want to give way as a slow smirk crosses his face—then, he begins to pull back, a light chuckle escaping his chest. “Yeah, wildcat… you are one hundred percent judgmental,” he states, licking his bottom lip, pulling back completely, then begins walking farther into the kitchen, leaving me reeling against the wall.

Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I straighten out my shirt and take off after him. “What the hell was that?” I yell as I enter the kitchen, seeing a young girl pulling something that smells delicious out of the oven.

Her eyes widen as Sin moves to the bench beside her, but she says nothing, continuing with what she’s doing, ignoring the clear argument Sin and I are about to have.

“You want to do this. Okay. Let’s do it!” he snaps, my eyes shifting to the young girl, but she continues to say nothing, going about her business as if nothing is happening while Sin continues his tirade. “You clearly judged the club girls and the fact that they have sex with the guys—”

“That’s not what I did—”

“Yeah, you absolutely did, Elizabeth. And as a woman, I would think you, of all people, should be the first to say that a woman has rights over her own body.”

Glaring at him, I step forward, shoving my finger in his face. “Don’t you dare pull that fucking card on me, Sin. If I’m being judgmental, which I am not, that is the exact reason why I would be. I can’t fathom why women would want to be here, cooking, cleaning, and fucking every damn brother here just for the sheer fun of it. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Should I leave?” the young girl quietly whispers.

“No, Millie, stay. I want someone else to witness this conversation,” Sin replies to the young girl.

Millie simply nods and continues baking while I furrow my brows.

Glancing across at her, a tight knot forms in my stomach. “Millie, was it?” I ask.

Her cute little face pops up to look at me hesitantly. “Uh… yeah?”

“Are they grooming you to become a club girl? Are you underage?” I ask, point blank.

Sin groans, spinning away from me and begins pacing like he’s ready to pop a gasket. Millie snorts out a laugh like I’ve said the funniest thing in the world while she places her cookies on the bench. She weakly smiles at me. “Elizabeth, right?”

“Do you need me to help get you out of here?” I ask in all seriousness.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Sin spins back to face me, his face turning redder with each passing second as Millie rounds the kitchen counter to meet me.

“I got this, Pres,” Millie simply states, stepping in front of me. She places her hand out for me to shake. Furrowing my brows, I take it, giving her a simple handshake. “Hi, Elizabeth, I’m Millie. I’m not actually a member of the club, simply what I guess they would call a hangaround. My father, Jonas, owns the McLane Mining Co. over in Mineral Ridge, and when my father got into trouble with some bad guys who run the casinos in town, he came to Defiance for help when those same bad guys from the casino took me as collateral.”

Oh, shit! My stomach sinks through the floor.

I’ve definitely misjudged this situation.

As I turn to face Sin, his scowl, etched deep, and the fire in his gaze make one thing painfully clear—he’s pissed.

I gnaw on my bottom lip as Millie continues, “Sin and his men saved me, and while yes, I am underage, in no way at all are they grooming me into becoming a club girl, quite the opposite, in fact. I come here to hang out because they’re cool people, and I bake them cookies and cakes because they have a really great kitchen, and they let me experiment with my recipes here.”

Sin finally manages a small smile. “And we get the benefit of trying all your new creations.”

Millie leans back against the counter. “I totally understand that for outsiders, it can be hard to comprehend that a 1% biker club can have genuinely nice people. That the guys can have hearts, be compassionate, and not be out to cause chaos and carnage all the time. That your first instinct is to think the absolute worst… but, Elizabeth, you really do have the wrong end of the stick here. Sin… he saved me from being raped and tortured by the Hidden Hand Alliance. I can honestly never repay him for that, but I try with my baking, even though he doesn’t expect a single thing from me.”

My eyes shift to Sin, regret flowing through me instantly as his nostrils flare. I go to say something, but Millie keeps talking, “And you really have the wrong idea about the club girls too.” I raise my brow, turning back to face her.

Sin exhales, stepping forward. “Okay, Millie, you’ve said your piece—”

“No, I’m here to uncover the truth of this club, so if I need to be put back in my place, then let me hear it all. Millie, go ahead… please,” I reply.

Millie glances at Sin, and he huffs, then waves his hand through the air, giving her the go-ahead.

“You asked why the club girls would willingly work here and offer up their bodies to the brothers?”

Nodding, I fold my arms across my chest and raise my brow. “It makes no sense to me.”

Millie hums under her breath. “Hmm… maybe that’s because you’ve had an easy life. Or at least, easy compared to the people out in that clubroom. You clearly have a good job, which you had to go to college for. Which also means you had an education. Probably a family growing up. It may not have been perfect because whose is, but you had one that was at least a little supportive of you achieving your goals. Am I right so far?”

Sin says nothing, just lets Millie continue to talk to me, my stomach knotting further and further the more she speaks. “I mean… yeah, but I still don’t know what you’re getting at here, Millie?”

Millie tilts her head. “And that’s your problem. That is why you’re judgmental. You were brought up in such a vastly different way to those girls out there. They have had to fight every day of their lives just to survive. Ro… when her Catholic parents found out she was bisexual at the age of fifteen, they not only excommunicated her from her church, but they also threw her out of her home with absolutely nothing and nowhere to go. She had to fend for herself, which is why she has that tough exterior.”

“Jesus,” I whisper under my breath, my hand moving to my mouth in shock.

Sin’s eyes meet mine, his anger seeming to ebb. “She came to us when she was seventeen asking for help. We took her in and got her medical help because she had been on the streets for the last two years. She was skin and bone, malnourished. The doctors said if she hadn’t come to us when she did and was on the streets for another week, she wouldn’t have made it. That was five years ago…” He smiles. “Now she’s our head club girl. Studies music, which she always wanted to do, but her parents would never let her because they said the music she liked was the devil’s music, and if they caught her singing or playing it, they would have the priest come in and perform an exorcism. But here, she’s completely free to be the person she wants to be. The club pays for everything for her, including the therapy to help her deal with the trauma from her past.”

My heart thumps in my chest for that poor young girl as Sin continues, “And the other girls, Gia and Jessa, unfortunately, their stories are just as painful. Each is different, but the same outcome. The girls are here because they needed sanctuary from their lives. And we provide that for them. So you may think the club girls are here cooking, cleaning, and fucking against their will, but to them, it’s showing their gratitude and not a chore at all. It’s their way of thanking us, and it’s the only way they know how. Fighting back from the way they were raised is the only way that makes them feel like they are giving back. Like they are part of something. Like they have a family they can count on. A family they didn’t have in the one that shared their blood.”

My eyes glisten on their own. I can’t help the emotion overwhelming me hearing the trauma these poor girls have gone through and the way the club has helped them get back on their feet.

Fuck.

Sin is right.

I really am judgmental.

Sniffing, I wipe my nose with the back of my hand as a single tear rolls down my face. I quickly swipe it away, turning so Sin can’t see the effect this conversation is having on me. Then I remember how this all started.

Scoffing, I shoved at his chest, trying to push him away. He caught my wrists, pulling me against him. I gasped at his sheer strength as he spun us, pinning me to the wall. My heart raced as he lifted my hands above my head, pressing my wrists to the sheetrock. His body pushed firmly against mine, his eyes staring into the depths of my soul. Our breathing quickened, frantic, while adrenaline surged through my body. He leaned in, his lips inching toward mine. My knees began to tremble, not knowing what to do at the moment.

Should I fight him off?

Should I go with it?

The problem was, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to fight him off.

The familiar smell of beer assaults my senses, his lips a hair’s breadth away. My legs wanted to give way as a slow smirk crossed his face—then, he began to pull back, a light chuckle escaping his chest. “Yeah, wildcat… you are one hundred percent judgmental,” he stated, licking his bottom lip and pulling back completely. Then he began to walk farther into the kitchen, leaving me reeling against the wall.

Letting out a shocked breath, I spin back to face him, his brows furrow, clearly seeing the wetness on my cheek as I stride right up to him and reach out, taking his hand in mine. His eyes widen in shock at my forwardness.

I shake my head, more tears welling in my eyes. “I am so, so sorry.”

He jerks his head back like he’s completely in the dark on my one-eighty. “Ahh… what’s happening here?” he questions, clearly confused by my change of heart.

“I judged you… you were testing me. Before we came in here, you leaned into me against the wall to prove your point. I wanted to fight you off, but because of my preconceived notions about bikers and the fact that telling you no would only aggravate the situation, I judged you. You knew I would think that, and you were testing me, right? Hence, why you pulled away and said that I was before we came in here?”

Sin smirks cockily, a small chuckle escaping his mouth. “Look at you go, wildcat. Maybe you will be a real investigative journalist after all. Putting all the pieces of the puzzle together that quickly, great job. Yeah, I was proving a point, but I sure am glad you’re starting to recognize that not every situation is so cut and dry.”

I sigh, letting go of his hands, and step back, the realization hitting me—Sin wasn’t actually trying to kiss me, just making a point. But the fact he was only making a point and not trying to kiss me is exactly the thing that terrifies me right now—because I’m disappointed.

Deep down, even though I said I wanted to force him away from me, even though I said I wanted to fight him off because of my prejudice against bikers—I did not.

Not at all.

I wanted him to lean in.

I wanted him to kiss me in that moment.

Even with all my prior knowledge of him and his club.

Something about Sin drew me in, and all I wanted was him.

But it’s just the lure of the bad boy.

I have to remember why I’m here—why I need to be here.

A man like Sin is only after one thing—a good story for his club—and he will use me to get what he wants.

Clearly as shown today with this little ruse of his.

Well, I won’t fall for it, and I absolutely will not fall for the likes of him.

“Not everything is black and white, Sin. But gray is also not the best color either,” I warn, turning back to Millie and smiling genuinely at her. “It was nice to meet you, Millie. I’m sure we will be spending more time together over the next few days while I write my feature.”

Millie grins, handing me one of her freshly baked cookies. “Keep an open mind while you’re here. Take some time to meet the rest of the guys. This is only your first day, and there is a lot to take in. I know I am only young, but I’m here if you need someone to talk to who isn’t a part of the club.”

A genuine warmth flows through me as I smile back at Millie. She really does seem to enjoy her time here. I take the cookie from her hand and dip my head. “Thanks, Millie, I’ll definitely be back to chat some more…” I side-eye Sin. “Maybe without the muscle next time.”

He smirks playfully. “You admiring my muscles, wildcat?”

Rolling my eyes, I walk for the kitchen’s exit. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

The thumping of his boots behind me lets me know he’s following me as I take a bite of Millie’s cookie. The crumbly texture is heaven in my mouth. A quiet moan escapes me as I devour the delicious treat.

I understand why they let her bake here now.

“Wildcat,” Sin calls, but I don’t stop walking toward the main clubroom.

“Stop walking away from me, Elizabeth!” His tone is more demanding this time.

Inhaling sharply, I turn, my brow raised as I glare at him. “What? What do you want now?”

He steps closer, the same way he did last time, my stupid fucking stomach betraying me as his face inches closer. But I don’t back down. I don’t move as his lips turn up in the corner mischievously. “Just so you can stop your brain from trying to rationalize what happened before we went into the kitchen… yeah, I was testing you, but that doesn’t mean for a. Single. Second… that I didn’t want to kiss you, Elizabeth.”

My breathing hitches at his words.

“Or that you didn’t want me to.”

I swallow a lump that’s caught in my throat, his hand gliding up, his rough, calloused finger sliding a strand of hair behind my ear as our eyes stay locked on each other. Our lips are so close that the familiar smell of beer is washing over my senses, and the energy around us feels like it is popping and sizzling out of control. My heart pounds furiously in my chest, waiting for him to make another move, but he remains merely a couple of inches from my lips. That gorgeous smirk crosses his face as if he’s waiting for me to give him permission. My chest rises and falls quickly at all the scenarios racing through my mind.

When I was tasked with this job, I never in a million years thought this would be the situation I would find myself in within hours of arriving at the club, and yet, here I am.

Staring into the eyes of a club president, unmistakably attracted to him.

This was not supposed to happen.

This is a rookie error.

I am here for a reason, and that reason is not to stare into gorgeous, rare-colored eyes.

Rolling my shoulders, I take a large step back from Sin, recovering my control. Sin’s brow raises like he wasn’t expecting me to do that, but he dips his head in acknowledgment, waving his hand past me as if to tell me to ‘lead the way.’

Clearing my throat, I take a step but then turn back to look at him. “I need to remain professional while I’m writing this feature.”

Sin grins knowingly, letting out a small chuckle. “I understand completely.”

“So, we’re on the same page? Are we clear,” I ask.

“Crystal, wildcat.”

Sighing, I spin on my heels and begin walking for the clubroom. “I need you to spend the rest of my time here today introducing me to your brothers. I want to get a feel for the entire club. See how everyone interacts together. I don’t want my focus to be solely on you,” I reply.

Sin simply grins, leading me over to the sofas where some of the guys are sitting and drinking. “Whatever you need, Elizabeth. Now, let me introduce you to my brothers…”

***

The next few hours are a whirlwind of introductions. Everything feels like a blur of activity, conversations, laughter, and the clinking of bottles. I watch the way the men interact with each other and how they look to Sin for guidance, approval, and just about everything. There’s respect here, something deeper than just obedience. It’s loyalty, genuine and unforced, and it further complicates everything I thought I knew about this world.

I’m here to put together information on the club, and even though I came in hot, I am already seeing that these men, this club, and certainly the performance they put on for me today has made me wonder if everything I know, if everything I have been taught about bikers—or at least 1%ers—might be an overstretch.

But maybe that is exactly what Las Vegas Defiance, and especially Sin, are doing today—performing. And that is exactly why this assignment is ongoing, not just a one-day interview.

I’m shadowing them for as long as I need to get the information—to make my mind up on whether they are the good guys they’re implying or whether they are playing a part that they don’t want anyone else to see.

If that’s the case, then this could be the break I need in exposing them and, in turn, exactly the push to get me off the rookie ladder and finally have my name out there as someone who blew the lid off something huge.

By the time I leave the clubhouse in the dead of night, the air is cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the gentle warmth of the Vegas December weather. I take a deep breath, my mind buzzing with everything I’ve seen, everything I’ve felt. There’s a thrill in the uncertainty, the danger of it all—a feeling I can’t shake.

I’m caught in a risky game, especially with the undeniable chemistry between Sin and me.

The stakes are higher than I ever anticipated.

But I’m in now, and there’s absolutely no turning back.

I have to do this.

I must uncover everything I can possibly find at Las Vegas Defiance.

Even if there’s something about Sin that has me questioning everything.

Because that is what these bikers do…

They lull you into a false sense of security.

Make you believe you’re safe with them.

I know because that’s what happened to my little brother, Marcus, when he wanted to prospect in with them—and then, he showed up dead with no plausible explanation.

Now, I am going to be the one to uncover what truly happened and expose them for the liars, manipulators, and murderers they truly are.