Page 62

Zayne

I’m trying to let go of the murderous urges I have just thinking about Charli having someone who might deserve her. I’m very aware that I don’t and that’s been a lot of my problem when it comes to Charli. My fate was sealed the day I was conceived. I was born into the club and will die in the club after living a life fighting for the club.

My dad knew I was falling for her and I know that’s why he sabotaged what we had started four years ago. Leaving her without an explanation back then was tough. Explaining why I did it will be devastating for her and I’m afraid she won’t see me the same. I can’t imagine explaining what happened in a way that she can both comprehend and forgive me. She can’t know the monster that I am now and I know I’ll have to protect her from the one I have the capabilities of becoming when I take over the club. She will not understand.

“You fucking my sister again?” Theo surprises me even though I should’ve known he has better intuition than I gave him credit for. It’s part of what makes him valuable to the club.

“You gonna have a problem if I am?” Having Theo’s permission isn’t a requirement but it will make things easier if I want to be with Charli. The truth is I want her nowhere near me or the club and that would mean she needs to be away from her own father and brother as well. Even though I know she’s grown up around the club too and it’s the club that can keep her the safest.

“Maybe.” I can’t even look at my best friend. I’d kick his ass if he was fucking around with my sister. Good thing I don’t have one… that we know of anyway.

“It’s not something I planned.”

“Yeah, I get it. My dick has accidentally fallen into the same girl more than once before too.” This fuckin’ jokester.

“When did you know?”

“Four years ago. Actually the tension between you both was intense years before that.”

“Yeah. I guess it was.”

“You fuckin’ broke her last time. I kept the vow of not spilling any information about you to anyone outside the club but fuck that was hard to watch her look for you. She would wait for your call and every time a bike passed the house, she was running to the window to see if it was you.”

“Yeah, I had to toss my phone because I almost called her about twenty times in the first day. Her voicemail was rough to listen to.” She thought I ghosted her because she wasn’t a good fuck. Jesus. She’s only the face I have to imagine to be able to get off, no matter who I’m with.

“You sure you want to bring her in?”

“She’s already in. You’re her fuckin’ brother and Ace will always be her dad.”

“True. Can you maybe wait ‘til you’re sure. She’s still someone I have to protect and I’ve been able to keep her safe from everyone but you.” I take about half a minute to really think about what my life has been like without Charli and I don’t want to do that anymore.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.” I look Theo straight in the eyes to let him know how serious I am.

He nods, “let’s also try not to kill Bryce. I don’t think there’s anything there and the club doesn’t need that kind of publicity. She seemed bored as hell on their dates. Give her time to cut her losses. She never keeps them longer than three weeks anyway.”

“You telling me there’s been a line of ‘em?”

“None worth getting twisted over. It’s always been you, Brother.” Theo has constantly been the calm to my storm. He’s good at reading people and will make the perfect Vice when I take over. I know I can trust him with anything and he will be loyal to the club and to me. He will also protect his sister, who I fuckin’ love more than life itself. Shit. I just said that in my head.

“She packed her bags at the cabin. Where’s the liquor she’s picking up?”

“The clubhouse.”

“We have some shit to sort out. I’m going to take her away from everything once I figure out what I’m going to say. Until then, I hope she’ll be around.” I finally feel like I’m living a little and I know she’s the reason. The minute I knew I was coming back home, I felt lighter just thinking about seeing her. The past few years have been all about death and it’s hard to feel hopeful when your job is to be the last person people see before they take their last breath.

“Just make sure I don’t have to hear you two fuckin’. Or see it. For fuck’s sake, don’t ever let me see my sister’s bare ass or tits. I will kill you with my own bare hands.”

“She has the best ass and tits I’ve ever seen, let alone had in my hands.” It’ll be fun tormenting Theo with shit now that I know he’s not trying to kill me for the vile things I’ve done and will be doing to his little sister.

“Or hear you talking about it. Jesus. Do I have to tell you everything.” He fires up his bike and yells at me over the rumble of the engine.

“And her pussy…” He drives off before I can finish, leaving me laughing and coughing in the dust he left behind.

Charlise

Theo wasn’t wrong about the guys waiting for me at the clubhouse. They had it all loaded within a few minutes of me pulling up. Luckily, it all fit in the back seat of the cab and under the bed cover. I can only hope I have this much help when I drop it off at the cabin.

Theo: Invite your friends to the cabin tonight. Tell them the liquor is covered and they can all stay if they can’t drive. You should probably leave the boy out of this one.

Charlise: I thought you were going to have the girls come.

Theo: They are.

I really don’t want my friends around all of that… but I also don’t want to be there without some support. I’ve been around all of the club guys my entire life and luckily, they all treat me like a sister… except Zayne. It’s Zayne that I want help keeping away from. His broody, bossy demeanor won’t even deter me from falling into my old ways. Today was a perfect example of that.

Charlise: I’m bringing Bryce and you’re going to make sure that’s not a problem.

Theo: Fuck. I’m not sure I even have the skillset for that. No, I don’t want to deal with that shit today.

Charlise: I can just drop off the liquor and meet my friends somewhere else. We were planning a bonfire party at the beach anyway.

Theo doesn’t respond, so I don’t know if he’s going to ruin the bonfire for me or be preoccupied enough with his club whores to leave me alone. I can only hope for the second option.

When I get to the cabin with the liquor, I step out and whistle loudly to call all the guys to come help. There are club guys everywhere and of course because I have the liquor, they all come running. Even standing on the tailgate, I don’t see Theo and Zayne until the truck is almost empty.

“Charlise, you’re going on the boat with us today.” Theo yells from in front of the truck.

“Theodore, I’m not going on the boat with you. I told you that I have plans.” I yell back before I jump down and plan my escape. Zayne meets me at my driver door, already holding my truck keys in his hand. Shit.

“I think you should go out on the boat with me. I promise to have you back before your big date.” I glare at Theo when Zayne acknowledges my plans to go out with Bryce tonight.

“You’re a rat bastard, Theo.” I wonder how much Theo knows when he smirks at Zayne standing this close to me.

“Love ya too, Sis.” He’s already halfway across the yard when he hollers back at me.

“What have you done?” I have to ask Zayne what has changed. Zayne looks proud and less tense, so I know something is different.

“Nothing.” He does the thing he always does to me when he’s about to kiss me. He grips my neck and guides me closer to him with a single hand. It’s a dominant move that sends waves straight through me. He’s the only guy who has ever tried it and probably the only guy who could get away with it.

“What are you doing?”

“Starting over with you. Come with me. It’ll be like old times and I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

“Like you are now.” He holds his grip on my throat while he rubs a thumb over my jaw line. His sexy blue eyes go between studying my eyes and watching me lick my lips. He uses his other hand to brush the side of his index finger over my nipple piercing, making me grip the sides of his shirt to keep steady.

“I’m showing crazy restraint right now. You better believe I have a thousand other things I want to be doing instead.” Me too. I don’t say it, but I know my body is already telling him the truths behind the lies I will have to tell to keep my distance from him. My heart can’t take what only he can do to me. No one else has ever had the power to crush me to pieces.

I take a step back, creating a space between us and allowing myself to become grounded again. “I shouldn’t.”

“But you will?”

“Will you leave me alone tonight, if I go?”

“Sure.” I can read him as well as he can read me. We both know that’s a lie. He will leave me alone when he’s good and ready, not when I want him to. And we also both know that day will come sooner rather than later because that’s the kind of guy he is.

“You owe me answers if I go on the boat with you.”

“I can promise to tell you what I can… but that won’t be everything you want to know. We will have to meet in the middle.” This is more than he’s offered me and intriguing enough to make me want to go.

“I’ll go. But don’t think you own me just because I’m agreeing to go with you.”

“Yeah. That’s the reason.” He finally pulls me in for the kiss we’ve been in position for this entire conversation. “Tell me you brought a bikini.” He’s being playful like he used to be and it’s hard not to fall into place with him when he’s like this.

“I’ll be wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants.”

“Perfect. You’re hot as fuck in that too.” He kisses me one last time before he releases my neck and walks to the passenger door to grab my bags. All eyes are on the two of us as I follow him to the cabin while he carries my bags. It would be easy for anyone to assume that we’re together even though we both know anything we have brewing today can end as fast as it started. Time has proven that.