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Cora

Five Years Ago

“You’re a natural!” Sierra called, paddling alongside me on her borrowed board. We were out in the water behind the Saints’ clubhouse.

I grinned. “Been surfing since I could walk. Dad used to joke that I was part fish.”

“So,” Sierra began, a mischievous glint in her eye, “you and Chief, huh?”

I glanced back towards the shore as my cheeks heated. “Is it that obvious?”

“Girl, the way he watches you? Like you’re the last drink of cold water in the desert?” She laughed. “Everyone can see it.”

Could they? Since the moment we met, I felt a strong connection.

“We just met yesterday,” I protested weakly, though my body still hummed from the hours we’d spent together.

I’d only met Mason yesterday. He’d shown up to lunch at my aunt Connie’s with my brother and Sierra.

The attraction between us had been instant. We’d flirted throughout lunch, something my brother hadn’t been thrilled about.

After lunch, he offered to drive me home. My brother had spun into a complete tizzy after that.

Imagine that.

I didn’t let that stop me, though.

I hopped on the back of Mason's bike and held on tight as he drove us back to his house in a hurry. The door had barely even closed behind us before he had me pinned against the wall with my legs wrapped around his waist.

“Tell me to stop,” he growled, his face inches from mine.

“Not a chance in hell,” I shot back, before losing myself in the most incredible night of my life.

“Sometimes that’s all it takes,” Sierra said, pulling my attention back to her. “I knew Sparrow was it for me the second we were back in Miami.”

I nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. There was something about these men that pulled you in like gravity.

“I guess when you know, you know.” I smiled.

Glancing over Sierra’s shoulder at the building swell, I perked up. “Hey, here comes a good one!”

I paddled hard, feeling the wave catch my board, that familiar surge of adrenaline coursing through me as I popped up to my feet.

I rode the wave all the way to the shallows, laughing as I went ass-over-tea kettle into the water. When I resurfaced, I spotted Mason standing at the shoreline, watching me.

My heart fluttered.

God, it was ridiculous how he affected me. One night together and I was already in deep.

Sierra caught the next wave in, executing a perfect cutback. She dismounted gracefully beside me, grinning.

“Not bad for a Miami girl,” I teased.

“Thanks,” she said, squeezing water from her dark hair.

As we approached the pavilion, Mason stepped forward, his eyes fixed on me.

“Hungry?” he asked, his voice low.

I bit my lip. “Starving.”

His lips curled into a knowing smirk. We’d had quite the workout the night before and before parting ways when the sun came up.

“Who the fuck is this bitch?”

My eyes widened at the woman storming across the sand with her narrowed eyes locked on the man standing beside me.

“Tonya, back the fuck off,” he growled, his entire body tensing.

My stomach dropped at how familiar he seemed to be with the woman.

“Is that any way to talk to your wife?” she asked sweetly before throwing me a smirk.

All the air rushed from my lungs as her shot hit its mark.

Wife?

He’d spent the night with me and…

I glanced beside me to ask Mason if what she was saying was true, but there was no need. I could tell by the look on his face that it was.

“Fuck,” he hissed, reaching out for me.

“Don’t,” I growled, yanking my arm away.

The surfboard I’d been holding slipped from my grasp, landing in the sand with a soft thud. The world seemed to tilt on its axis, everything I thought I had felt came crashing down around me.

“Uh, I’m going to get out of here,” I managed, my voice tight. I turned to Tonya and forced words past the lump in my throat. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t know.”

I saw my brother and Sierra rushing over, no doubt drawn by the commotion.

“Braxton, don’t be a stranger.” I was fighting to keep my voice steady. “Sierra, it was so good to meet you. Keep my brother in line.”

Without waiting for a response from either of them, I turned and fled. Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall.

Not here. Not where he could see.

“Cora, wait!” Sierra’s voice came from behind me, followed by her quick footsteps as she hurried to catch up.

Wait up?

That wasn’t happening. I had to get far, far away from here. I moved even faster and didn’t slow down until I reached the spot where I’d left my bag.

“Cora, I’m so sorry,” Sierra dropped to her knees beside me. “I swear I had no idea he was married.”

“It’s okay,” I cut her off, wiping at the tears that had escaped despite my best efforts to hold them back. “It’s not your fault.”

“What a complete fuckhead,” she began to fume.

God! I was so stupid. “Why the hell am I always attracted to the assholes?”

“Hey, no.” She gripped my shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself for his fuck up. He’s the one who lied. He’s the bastard who’s married. This is on him, not you.”

I nodded mechanically with a watery smile. My brother was so lucky to have found her.

“Thank you, Sierra. But, it’s not him that has me so upset. It’s...” I trailed off, unable to admit how easily it was to let myself believe we had something special. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Sierra frowned. “Are you going to be okay?”

I squared my shoulders, forcing a smile despite the hollow ache in my chest. “Definitely. I’m an Allen woman. We always land on our feet.”

My smile felt brittle, but I held it in place as Sierra gathered up the rest of my things and walked with me back toward the parking lot.

I was so embarrassed but I kept my head high. My pride was all I had left, and I’d be damned if I let Chief or his wife see how deeply they’d wounded me.

As I pulled away from the gates, the smile on my face crumbled and the tears began to flow.

Never again would I trust a biker with my heart.