Page 10

10

Phoenix

W hy is everything so fucking expensive?" Raven curses as she scrolls through rental listings on her laptop.

We've been looking for a place of our own since we got back from New Mexico last week. So far, our luck could be better. The houses in our price range are terrible. They're either run down, in dangerous parts of town, sit next to the sewage department, or look like they're infested with rats. It's going to be a miracle if we find something even slightly reasonable to rent.

Dad has been gracious enough to let us stay here rent-free. He's even offered to let us abandon our house hunt in favor of staying with him at no charge. Raven is fiercely against that idea, and as sweet an offer as it was, we need our own space.

As Raven not-so-delicately put it, "I can't get laid living under your roof ." I almost choked when she said that, and Dad turned a concerning shade of green and purple. I thought he was going to have a stroke. To his credit, he recovered quickly, choosing to drop the discussion and find something to do at the shop. Dad still hasn't looked her in the eye since.

She has a point, though. Neither of us will be able to bring a guy home if we still live under his roof. And who knows what he'd do if he found one of his guys in our beds . . . He didn't seem too thrilled when Jesse and Raven started flirting the night we got back. Every time they've done it since Dad has kept a watchful eye on the son of his MC secretary.

I'm not sure if there's something real brewing there or if it's just a fun flirtationship between my sister and Jesse. I wouldn't put it past her to do it to drive our dad crazy, and Jesse is a huge flirt. I've seen him unleash his charm on the rare group of female bar patrons that stumble into the MC's watering hole. He's a natural in the art of charm, and he's blatant in his efforts.

Raptor, on the other hand, is more subtle. Though, ever since our road trip, he's been more talkative around me, and the number of smoldering looks he sends my way has increased tenfold. The longer we're here, the more drawn to him I become, the more I want him.

The fantasies I've been having won't be possible if Raven and I are still living at the clubhouse. So, finding new accommodations and finishing up my school prep are the top things on our to-do list.

True to his word, Dad dished out the funds for me to register for the nursing program at the local community college. Lucky for me, they were still accepting new applicants for their fall semester. I slid right in with no problem. The only thing left to do on that front is buy my books and find some way to distract myself from my school-centric anxiety. That shouldn't be too hard, especially with Raptor nearby.

As if I summoned him with my hormone-addled thoughts, he strides through the front door. His eyes find me immediately, and I'm graced with one of his sexy smiles. I melt into the couch as he comes closer, claiming the empty seat next to me. Our knees meet as he relaxes into the cushions, resting his arm on the spot behind my neck.

I grin at him. "Hi."

"Hi," he parrots.

"Fuck it," Raven exclaims, slamming her computer shut. "I'm done with this shit."

I'd almost forgotten she was there since Raptor showed up and made me go all dreamy. She stomps upstairs with her laptop, cursing the housing market as she goes. While she does, I turn my attention back to the sexy man at my side.

"Hi," I repeat.

He lets out a low chuckle, rubbing his fingers against my shoulder. "Hi." He casts a glance toward the stairs. "What was that all about?"

I sigh, leaning into him. "We've been house hunting, and so far, no luck."

Raptor nods sympathetically. "Well, I can't say I'm not happy to get to see your face every time I walk through that door, but I hope you find something soon. It would be nice to hang out with you without worrying that Viper's gonna walk in and rip my head off for it."

I can't help the blush that appears on my face. "Yeah. It would be nice to have our own space. Something more . . . private."

His nostrils flare at my audacious suggestion, and I swear I hear a low rumble in his throat. One that makes me quake. "That would be very—"

A loud thud silences him, and we both look up to find the last person I want to see standing in the living room. Misty Ann, the blonde sweetbutt who has her eyes on Raptor, is eyeing us from the threshold.

She's shown up a few times this week, hoping to find him, but her timing has been terrible. Each time she's appeared, he's been out on club business, much to my delight. She hasn't had the chance to sink her claws into him again. Now, however, she's staring at him like a dog who's found her bone.

"Raptor, baby, I've missed you," she coos, sashaying over to him.

His arm vacates its spot behind my head, lifting to a protective stance in front of him. As she goes to sit on him, he shifts, dodging her to move to a standing position. I watch with barely concealed amusement as she scrambles to catch herself before falling to the floor.

A giggle escapes my lips before I can stop it, grabbing her attention. She spears me with hate-filled eyes as she rights herself. "Oh, you're still here, Feeny ?" she seethes.

"It's Phoenix."

Her overly-mascaraed eyes nearly roll out of her head. "Whatever."

Misty shifts her attention back to Raptor, stomping over my legs to get closer to him. "When are we gonna get together again, baby? My bed's been so cold without you." She casts a smirk my way, making sure I heard her.

Bitch.

Raptor backs away, adding distance between them as he firmly replies, "We're not. We," he gestures between them, "are never happening again. Never, Misty."

Pride bubbles up inside me at his words. We've talked about his past, which sadly includes Misty, but he's assured me that he's done making those mistakes. He told me he'd been with sweetbutts before, in moments of weakness, and those days were over for him.

Those words were great to hear at the time, even if I took them with an err of caution. But hearing him state them so clearly to her right now? That makes my heart soar.

Misty scoffs, "You aren't serious."

The look he sends her could level an entire city. "I'm dead serious. I don't want anything to do with you ever again."

Her jaw drops to the floor as she stands gaping at him. She shakes with rage as her hands curl into fists. For a second, I think she's going to throw a punch. Instead, she redirects her wrath at me, pointing a sharp nail at my face. "This is all your fault, you stupid little whore!"

She aims all one hundred and twenty pounds of herself at me as she poises to strike. Before she can get close, Raptor steps between us. "That's enough, Misty. You should leave."

"The fuck I should," she screeches back. "I'm not going anywhere. If that bitch is still here, so am I."

Raptor looks like he's going to physically remove her from the house, but another loud bang from the front door slows his progress. Hammer, Stitch, and a guy I don't recognize come flying into the house.

"Viper," Hammer calls for Dad.

"He's not here," Raptor tells him.

Hammer and Stitch exchange a look. "Fuck."

"What's going—"

Before Raptor can get the words out, the sound of Dad's bike echoes through the room. Quickly, Hammer, Stitch, and the other man meet him outside. Raptor moves to follow but stops short, turning back to Misty and me. He points a threatening finger at her. "Don't fucking start shit."

The door slams behind him, leaving me alone with Misty, who's staring at me like I'm the scum of the Earth. Well, this should be fun .