Page 47 of Brandishing Balance (Devil’s Psychos MC #3)

Maya

I n the week since we finally slept together, it was like the flood gates had been opened on our sex life. Every night after Luke went to bed, they were on me. Or I was on one of them, or sandwiched between two of them.

It quickly became one of the best weeks of my life. Luke even commented that I seemed happier. And I was. Life was great. I was getting stronger every day. My therapist mentioned that we could drop down to once-a-week sessions, and I didn’t freak out.

Luke was doing well in school. He was going to his weekly therapy sessions and training for his upcoming competition.

Things felt almost back to normal.

Dax Hillcrest was still a lingering threat, but he was lying low.

I knew Marcos and the guys were still digging into him, still had people searching for him, but I didn’t want to know. I needed to take a break from some of that worry.

My guys must have had the same idea, because they booked me a weekend getaway at the local spa hotel. They didn’t just book it for me; they also invited all of my girlfriends.

I was shocked when they dropped me off at the hotel and I saw Kara, Slade, Stephanie, and Karma.

I screamed and practically threw myself out of the car to tackle Stephanie and Karma.

Life made seeing them so hard sometimes.

“I missed you!” I hugged them both tightly.

I kept in touch with my girls after all these years, but it had been about a year since I’d seen them last.

They were both crying as they hugged me tightly.

Slade and Kara joined us, forming a group hug.

“I fucking missed you guys, so much.” I wiped my tears away as I pulled back to look at my girls.

It had been a decade since the four of us—Kara, Stephanie, and Karma—had hung out together.

Slade might not have gone to college with us, but she tattooed all my friends and I grew up with her.

It was going to be a fantastic weekend with the five us together.

I turned away from the girls to look back at Marcos’s truck, where all my guys, Luke included, were watching me. “Luke, come say hi!” I waved him over.

He enthusiastically jumped out of the truck and threw himself at the ladies. Slade grabbed him up first, hugging him tightly, before Stephanie and Karma also moved in. “Damn, I missed you, kid,” Karma grinned.

“Same! How’s Uncle Turo?” Luke asked about Arturo, Karma’s husband.

“He’s good. He’s gonna be upset he missed you.” Karma ruffled Luke’s hair.

“You guys will have to come out and see the new house. I’m gonna do Luke’s birthday party at home. He wants a Halloween themed party,” I said.

“Hell yeah, little dude. We’ll be there,” Karma grinned. Her and Luke do some overly elaborate handshake that they’ve been doing for years.

I laughed and shook my head. I walked over to the truck where the guys were standing to say goodbye. “Are you sure this is safe?” I asked again.

“Yeah, Little Dreamer. Trust me, we’ve got it covered,” Nico said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

“Let me guess, this is one of Leo’s places?” I smirked.

“Nah, it’s Tino’s.” Nico chuckled. He kissed me softly then stepped away so Jason could move in.

Jason gripped my jaw and placed a gentle kiss to my lips. “Have fun.”

“Thank you,” I murmured against his lips.

He stepped away and Marcos took his place, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Have fun this weekend. Try to relax.”

“Thank you. I love you,” I murmured and kissed him sweetly.

“I can’t wait till you get home.” He groaned against my lips.

I giggled and slowly pulled away. “You guys gonna pick me up Sunday?”

“Nah, you can ride home with Kara. One of her guys will follow you. Don’t leave the hotel this weekend. Even if you want to go out, stay on site. There’s enough restaurants and things to do here.”

“Yes, sir.” I smirked and backed away.

“Fucking hell, Mi Vida,” Marcos groaned.

My girls all laughed, Kara included, and we waved to the guys. I gave Luke a big hug and kiss and then the girls and I were headed inside where a concierge was waiting for us to start a magical weekend.

Once the girls and I had all claimed our rooms in the penthouse suite that we’d been given in the prestigious as hell hotel, we settled around the living room with a tray of charcuterie and glasses full of liquor.

“OK, so catch me up! I haven’t seen you guys in a year,” I said turning to Stephanie and Karma.

“I mean, we’ve talked, but damn, I haven’t seen you guys! ”

“Well, running from a stalker kinda takes precedent—trust me, I know,” Stephanie shot back.

The girls groaned in unison. “Fucking hell, I know man. But what about those hot as fuck body guards?” I asked.

“I thought you were trying for something with them?” Kara pressed.

“Yeah, that Noah sure was a sexy fucker,” Karma laughed.

Stephanie frowned and took a long pull from her drink.

“Oh no, what happened?” I asked, sensing her turmoil.

“After I talked to you, Kara, I tried to make a move. I wore skimpier workout clothes and afterwards I would make my protein shake still dripping sweat…it seemed to be working. They were definitely affected ,” Stephanie hedged.

I bit my lip to keep from interrupting my friend. I had a feeling I knew exactly where my shy, introverted friend was going with her story.

“Noah and I had sex one night,” Stephanie hedged.

We cheered and toasted to her.

She shook her head, blushing.

“And?” Slade prompted.

“And it was fantastic, amazing, so fucking hot. Like all the adjectives. It was the middle of the night, I was digging deep into your dad’s files,” she turned to Kara, “and needed to work out. Afterwards, I was getting a drink of water in the kitchen, and Noah was on patrol or I startled him or something. I don’t know.

” She shook her head and took another pull from her drink.

“And thennnn,” Slade prompted again with a grin.

“And then I asked him why he wouldn’t kiss me.

Fuck, you know how I get when I’m annoyed.

I run my mouth and shit just comes out. I was blunt, and he seemed to like that.

I mean our faces were inches from each other.

Then he said he needed to remain professional on the job, that he—they—didn’t date clients.

I told him I didn’t give a fuck and kissed him.

” Stephanie groaned and buried her face in her hands.

“And then we had the best sex of my life. As soon we finished, like he was still fucking inside me, he said that it was mistake—”

We all booed loudly.

“Yeah. He said it was a mistake and that he didn’t date clients. He made me promise not to tell the other guys too.” Stephanie sighed heavily. “I still feel like an idiot.”

I shook my head immediately. “Don’t you dare feel like an idiot!” I growled, rising to the defense of my friend. “That was a bullshit move. Fuck that guy.”

“That was a dick move,” Kara said. “I get being professional, but he didn’t have to hurt you like that.”

“They’re just so straightlaced,” Stephanie groaned.

“I was going to say, ‘leave it to Stephanie to find the one man who wouldn’t break the rules’, but that was not what I was expecting.” Karma shook her head.

“Have you talked to them recently? Wait, what happened with the job and the threat?” Kara asked.

“The threat went away. I was digging into a case for your girl, Lacey Winters,” Stephanie said.

“The District Attorney?” I asked, shifting on the couch.

Stephanie nodded. “She wanted me to dig into Mayor Johnson financials. She was prosecuting him for campaign finance fraud, but he was killed before it could go to trial. So the threats on my life stopped.”

Dawning horror spread over me. “Who killed Mayor Johnson?”

“Lacey didn’t know.” Stephanie sighed.

I turned to wide-eyed to Kara. “Do you think?”

“I don’t doubt it.” Kara nodded solemnly.

“What’s going on?” Karma asked, looking between us, bewildered.

“Hillcrest,” I answered. “I saw him kill Mayor Timbolt ten years ago. Kara found out recently that Hillcrest has a friend in Senator Bradley.”

“Jack Adams found it while digging,” Kara clarified.

Stephanie closed her eyes looking stressed.

“What’s going on girl,” Slade asked.

“I’ve been helping Jack dig.” Stephanie opened her eyes and took a gulp from her drink. “Lacey called the other day. She left a message and said she had a case and was hoping she could hire me again. I haven’t called her back because I’m still trying to get over the last case I helped her with.”

“Shit,” I muttered.

“You think it’s related?” Karma asked.

“She said it was HUGE,” Stephanie stressed the word huge.

“Taking down a senator would be huge. Does she know what Jack found?” I asked Kara.

Kara sighed and nodded. “I had lunch with her last week. I brought her up to speed on everything. She asked to be kept in the loop on all things Dax Hillcrest.”

I nodded and gave Stephanie a reassuring smile that I’m sure came out as a grimace. “Sorry girl, sounds like you’re being roped into all of this again.”

“You gonna take the job?” Slade asked.

“And let that dipshit Clide Tanners get it if I say no ? Fuck that,” Stephanie shot back immediately.

The four of us burst into laughter as our competitive friend showed her true colors.

“Soo, have you still talked to them?” Karma asked, directing Stephanie back on topic.

Steph shook her head. “No. Not since the job ended.”

“Dude, why the fuck not?” Karma asked.

“Because the rejection hurt, OK? And he hasn’t reached out either…none of them have,” Stephanie murmured the last part and I immediately felt horrible.

“Their fucking loss. You dodged a bullet.” I sit up and grab her hand. “I’m sorry girl, but it sounds like you’re better off.”

“Yeah…and how are things with Marcos, Jason, and Nico?” Stephanie turned the conversation back around on me. “I couldn’t help but notice a whole lot of kissing going on when they dropped you off.”

I rolled my eyes, laughing. “We’re good. We’re figuring things out, but yes, we’re together. Luke knows and seems cool with it. We’re just taking things slow and talking through everything.”

“About fucking time!” Slade said.

“Agreed.” Karma nodded and clinked her glass against Slade’s as they toasted to me.

I rolled my eyes again. “Guess the moral of the story is to always be honest with your loved ones.”

“And the dudes you’re fucking,” Karma shot back, giving Stephanie a pointed stare. “You should have told that dude how much he hurt you.”

“Why? So he could throw it back in her face that she was too emotional when it was just sex?” I said, coming to Stephanie’s defense. “No, fuck him.”

“Are you OK?” Kara asked Stephanie.

Stephanie shrugged. “I am now. Yeah, it hurt. It still hurts, but I’m over it, I guess.”

“So no calling them then, if shit pops off while digging into Lacey’s new case?” Karma asked.

Stephanie laughed and shook her head. “Nah, I need a new drink.”

“We all do,” I said and stood up. Even though the topics were bound to be heavy this weekend, I was so grateful for the staycation with my girls. My guys had known exactly what I needed—likely Nico had—and I was so happy to have this time to catch up and unwind and be pampered.