Page 7

7

Phoenix

I still can't believe this is real. We're here in Arizona with our dad, starting a new chapter in our lives with the man who was once Mom's Prince Charming. It's still a lot to take in, but I'm so excited to see where this road will take us. Raven is on edge, still keeping a watchful eye on everyone and everything that gets close to us. She'd go to the end of the Earth to fight for those she loves and keep them safe. She's done it our whole lives.

I shoot her a smile as she sits down next to Jesse at the kitchen table. He seems to be one of the few she can tolerate out of this bunch. She tips her head my way in greeting as Jesse grins, throwing an arm around her shoulders. He whispers something in her ear, earning himself a swat on the chest. I don't miss the way her mouth twitches in the corner. Maybe their newfound friendship will soften her to the idea of staying here.

It's something I can hope for anyway. The sound of bacon popping in a pan grabs my attention, and I go back to helping Lace make breakfast. More and more club members trickle in, waiting patiently for a plate and saying hello to Lace and me.

She's been so kind to me and my sister since we arrived. She's even explained the hierarchy of the MC. Apparently, it's a pretty big deal. There's Elias, club president, also known as Viper by many of the guys. Then there's his VP, Bear, who still watches Raven and me with vigilant eyes. There's Raptor, of course, he's the current club treasurer. He was voted into the position after his dad, the previous treasurer, died unexpectedly. I haven't heard exactly what happened to him, but maybe in time, I will.

The one they call Hammer is the club's sergeant at arms. He and Reaper, the club's enforcer, work together a lot. Lace wouldn't go into details on much, but she said if someone tries to stiff one of the businesses, they're usually the ones sent to make sure the debts are paid. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that visit. Those men are intimidating.

There are several family ties in the club, too. Jesse runs the bar with his dad, Miguel, the club's secretary. Then you have Carson and Colton, brothers who are also known as Stitch and Tweak, respectively. I know there's a story behind their nicknames, but it has yet to be shared with me.

There's a long list of others, too. There are so many names to remember; it'll take me a while to memorize them all. Now that we're staying, I'm sure I'll get it down eventually.

Something shifts in the air, and I feel when Raptor enters the room, making me nearly drop the plate I'm dishing up. The closer he gets, the faster my heart starts beating. As he approaches, a sexy smile forms on his lips. My knees almost buckle.

"It smells delicious," he tells me, grabbing the plate from my hands. Sparks ignite as our fingertips touch.

My cheeks burn as I mumble a "Thank you," watching as he takes a seat. He turns to look at me before digging in. It's not fair how hot he is or how easily he can make me blush. I turn around, hoping no one notices how red my face is, but from the corner of my eye, I see Lace glancing my way. When I look up at her, she shoots me a knowing smile and winks before flipping an egg in the pan in front of her.

At least she seems supportive of my little crush.

We finish dishing up breakfast as everyone busies themselves with conversations around the table. After everyone has eaten, the men disperse, heading to different club-owned businesses to start the work day. Dad starts to leave, but I stop him. We haven't had much time to talk since the results came in. This conversation needs to happen sooner rather than later.

"Hey, do you have a second?"

He glances at Bear, who stonily stares at me before nodding to my father. "Yeah," Dad nods. "We should probably discuss a few things."

As he takes a seat, the rest of the room empties, leaving only Dad, Bear, Raven, and me. The men share a strange look before turning their attention back to me and my sister. I didn't think Bear would stay for this, but he doesn't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon, and I don't have it in me to ask him to leave. It's weird, though; he's acting like he's Dad's bodyguard or something.

I shrug it off, trying to find the right words to start this conversation, but Dad beats me to it. "It's best if the two of you stay close. Now that I know you exist, I'd like to get to know you and catch up on everything I missed."

His words have me ready to burst. I wasn't sure what he'd say when I brought up wanting to stay in town and start a new life here. Turns out he's on the same page.

"I don't like the idea of you going back to New Mexico alone." He shoots another look at his VP. "It's not . . . safe for you girls to go back by yourselves."

Raven scoffs, narrowing her eyes at him. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Dad turns to her. "I mean, it would make your old man sleep better at night knowing you girls are close by."

My sister crosses her arms over her chest, biting back any snarky comments, giving me the chance to fill him in on what the two of us discussed."Actually, we talked about it. We'd like to stay. We want to start a new life here and get to know you better." I smile at him, earning a light grin in return.

"I'd like that."

"We need to go back to Albuquerque to pack up and settle a few things with our landlord," I inform him.

Dad nods and, after a beat, replies, "Some of the guys should go with you. Make sure things go smoothly."

Before I can say anything, the stoic Bear chimes in, "We'll send a few of the boys and one of the moving trucks."

I hear Raven release an exacerbated sigh. "We don't need babysitters. We've taken care of ourselves this long. Nix and I will go back and take care of everything on our own."

"No," Dad says firmly.

"Yes."

I jump when a heavy fist connects with the table. "No! Our guys will go with you, end of discussion."

Raven sends an icy cold glare his way but doesn't respond. Her eyes narrow into slits as if she's trying to spear him with her mind.

I try to soothe everyone by intervening. "It will go faster if we have help, Rae. Plus, the extra muscle will be good for the heavy stuff."

Raven rolls her eyes.

"The quicker we take care of things in New Mexico, the sooner I can start looking into school."

That gets her attention, and I watch her soften. "Guess that's true."

Dad nods, looking at his VP. "It's settled then." His voice returns to its even tenor.

"Raptor, Jesse, and the prospects?" Bear asks.

Dad strokes his chin thoughtfully as he replies, "Yeah, that should work. How much stuff do you have to bring back?"

I shake my head. "Not much. Some small furniture and our clothes mostly. We sold the bulk of the valuables to help pay for Mom's medical expenses."

I don't miss the grimace on his face at the mention of Mom. He still seems to be taking her death pretty hard. Any time we bring her up, there's an undeniable sadness in his eyes.

"We can take the stuff we don't want to the donation spot. It's better than tossing it," Raven offers.

"I think everything would fit in one moving truck," I muse.

The men make eye contact. "I'll have the boys clean it out," Bear tells Dad.

"Good. You girls can head to Albuquerque tomorrow to get your things."

"So soon?" Raven questions.

"The sooner we get you settled here, the better."

I look at Raven, who's gone mute once again. "Okay," I tell him. "It's about six and a half hours one way. If we work fast, we'll be there and back in no time."

Dad agrees and tells Bear to fill the guys in on the plan. "We'll get a storage unit set up for your stuff. You can use it as long as you need." He turns to Raven. "I'll get another room cleared out so you can have your own space here."

My sister shakes her head. "Don't bother. When we get back, we'll find our own place."

Dad looks like he wants to challenge her but doesn't. I watch them nervously as he changes the topic. "You mentioned school earlier. Was that the nursing program you told me about?" he asks me.

"Yeah, that's right."

"I can help you out with tuition and expenses."

"We don't need your charity," Raven bites back.

"Think of it as backpay for all the missed birthdays and Christmases."

Raven's mouth snaps shut, and she sinks back into her chair. I'm stunned at the offer. "You'd really do that?"

My father looks at me. "It's the least I can do." His eyes find Raven again. "I could do the same for Raven if she wanted to go to school."

A cold shoulder is her only reply, making me grimace. "Uh, she's not much for school these days, but . . . " I look cautiously at my sister. "Maybe you could help her get a job? She's a phenomenal bartender. It's what she did to pay all our bills when Mom was sick."

From the corner of my eye, I see her glare at me while Dad pauses thoughtfully for a moment. "I can help with that."

"Really?" I beam at him.

"Really. We'll talk about it when you get back."

With that, he excuses himself, mentioning he has a lot of work to catch up on. He lets us know that he'll send the guys to pick us up in the morning to settle everything in New Mexico. Before closing the door behind him, he turns to us once more.

His eyes find Rae as he confirms one of the details Mom gave us on her deathbed. "You know, my hometown was called Raven." There's a softness in his voice as he tries to extend an olive branch.

My heart clenches as my sister eyes him stoically. "Neat," she deadpans.

Dad's wince is well concealed, but I catch it anyway as he leaves without another word. All he wants is an opportunity to get to know us, but Rae isn't having it. She doesn't trust easily, and as much as she'd deny it, I know him leaving all those years ago is part of her reason why.