Page 2 of His Flawed Ride (Sons of Lost Souls MC #16)

Chapter One

Shane

I t’s the hangover that wakes me. Hot piercing pain bounces from one side of my head to the other, unrelenting and unforgiving.

Nausea ripples through me like a dog’s teeth snapping at my heels but not quite reaching.

My mouth as dry as the baron wasteland out back of the clubhouse on a hot summer’s day.

I stretch and visions of last night slowly return and from what I hazily remember, there were a lot of vodka shots.

And there was a woman I haven’t seen around town before.

She was hanging off of my every word. Did I bring her back to the club with me?

Cracking my eyes open, I adjust to the dim light in the room and see that I’m not at the club.

Rolling onto my back, my question is answered when the woman from last night is still passed out beside me.

Lifting the sheets, we’re both naked. Fuck me, I hope I could get it up with the amount I drank.

This is what happens when I drink alone, I have no one to cut me off.

Ever since Grim returned to Mercy, I’ve been drinking enough for the two of us and I wake the next morning with none to little recollection of the night before.

Pushing through the sickness and the headache from Hell, I slip out of the bed and retrieve my clothes from where they’ve been thrown around the room. The woman doesn’t wake as I dress and let myself out.

I strain to keep my eyes open to the sun shining over the motel. I have no memories of coming here last night, so I’m hoping my truck is still parked over at Josie’s bar.

Lighting a cigarette, I make my way up the street to Josie’s hoping I don’t need to stop and hurl along the way.

I need coffee and breakfast and that’s what I order as soon as I’m in my truck and stopping at the diner to order to go.

While I scoff down my breakfast, I try to recall last night’s sex.

A vague memory of stumbling through the door resurfaces but nothing else.

Perhaps I should’ve stuck around and found out her name.

I laugh to myself, like that was ever going to happen.

Dashing the trash on the backseat, I rest my half-drunken coffee between my thighs and head for home. It’s still pretty early and the soft morning breeze holds the nausea at bay.

I plan on heading to bed for a few hours and then seeing what the rest of the day brings.

I fucking love this life. There are no set hours.

No rules, as such. Just being free to be who I want and do what I want.

Only, my plans fall to shit when I pull into the club and Leo and Zach are waiting by my bike.

I grab my cut from the passenger seat and climb out.

Sliding my shades on top of my head, I quickly rectify that mistake and cover my eyes from the sun again as I head toward my president.

“Where the fuck have you been? Or do I not want to know?” Leo barks.

My smirk says it all. He shakes his head, and says, “You’re riding to Dog City with Zach.”

Ignoring the fading headache and the nausea, I nod. “Fine by me. I take it we’re leaving now?”

“You take it right.” His heavy gaze falls to my hand. “Why the fuck aren’t you wearing your cut?”

Without answering, I slip it on and that’s that. Leo hands a small package to Zach.

“Give this to Victoria, it’s from Holly.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll see you fuckers when you return. Don’t ride like assholes on the way back, don’t wanna give any reason to be pulled over.”

“It’s not my first time, Leo,” Zach retorts.

Leo walks off and Zach’s full attention lands on me.

“Let’s go, or do you need a bitch minute to get yourself together?” he sarcastically mutters.

To be fair, I do need a bitch minute or hour, but I keep it to myself and climb on my bike.

“So, who was the unlucky lady last night?” He snorts.

“I have no fuckin’ idea. Can’t remember much and didn’t stick around for the update this morning.”

Zach shakes his head and starts his ride. I bring my machine to life and together, we ride out of the club and head for Dog City.

I enjoy visiting Luca’s chapter. The city noise makes a change to the quietness of Willow’s Peak.

We stop for gas once and don’t waste a minute before we’re back on the road. Traffic is light and we have a smooth ride until we hit the city and we’re slowed by grandpa drivers. We swerve in and out of the traffic and make it to Luca’s clubhouse in good time.

Konan is out front smoking a cigarette and is quick to open the side gate for us. We ride through and the first face I see is Victoria’s as she comes out of her greenhouse.

Normally she’s all smiles and offers warm greetings, but since the death of her father and grandfather, she hasn’t been her happy self. Sometimes you can physically see the energy she uses trying to hide her grief.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Zach asks her as she walks over to us.

“You know, everyone telling me to live life and move on.”

“How’s that working out?” he asks her.

“Harder than I like. But I’ll get there.” Her smile returns but it’s forced for our benefit. “Is Luca expecting you?”

“Yeah.”

The man himself walks out the back door holding their kid to his chest. There are no smiles or warmth from him, and it’s not because of the club deaths of late, it’s just him.

But when he nears his old lady and passes their son to her, only then does he smile.

Only for her. I see brothers with their old ladies, and I get it.

Their love is clear for anyone to see. I’m not against settling down way off in the future but it’s going to take one hell of a woman to get me falling to my knees.

“You assholes wanna drink or are you heading straight back?”

“I could do with a drink,” I say, hoping it will kick this hangover once and for all.

While Zach hands off Holly’s package to Victoria, I follow Luca into the clubhouse and greet the brothers.

“It’s been a good month,” Angel tells us as Luca hands Zach a holdall full of cash.

Since the Haywards took over the city, the cash has been flooding in. I heard not so long ago that this is the healthiest the club has ever been financially. And if the club is doing well, so are us brothers. And there’s nothing better in life than freedom and cash spilling out of your pockets.

The prospect hands us a beer each and I sink mine in one go. I fall into the nearest chair, and I’m immediately pounced on by the dog. Princess. I don’t know what’s worse, that the dog likes me or when he didn’t.

I push him away and he comes back at me, trying to lick my face. With one command from Luca, he trots off toward the bar and curls up on his bed. Wiping my face, I frown at the disgusting drool.

I’ve never understood why people dote on animals so much. No pets. No kids. No old ladies. They are my rules. I have nothing tying me down or distracting me from the club. And that’s how I like it.

Though a stunning red head slinking down the stairs with Maxwell is distracting me from this fucking hangover that won’t stop lingering.

“Who’s the red head?”

Maxwell didn’t have an old lady the last time I saw him, but shit can change like the wind around here.

Zach kicks at my chair. “Don’t even think about it, brother. We’re not staying long enough for you to get your dick wet.”

King’s laughter fills the bar. “Last time he was here, he didn’t need long at all.”

“Fuck you, brother. I last as long as I need to.”

“It’s not what she said.”

More laughter erupts and I tune them out and focus on the red head’s ass cheeks poking out of the short skirt she’s barely wearing.

Luca and Zach get into a conversation not meant to be heard by us, so I heave my ass off the chair and head over to the bar. I sidle up to Miss Red Head.

“How about you come back with me to Willow’s Peak for a few days?”

Her smile hits my balls, and my hangover is long forgotten.

“Sorry, hon, I’m Max’s for the day.”

“He’s claimed your fine ass?”

“For today he has.”

“That’s a real shame. We could have had some fun.”

Her smile turns into a smirk. “Don’t worry about me, I’m getting all the fun I need right here.”

Yeah, I bet Max is having just as much fun with her tight and toned body, and her curvy ass.

Blown out but I shouldn’t give a shit. It’s not like I haven’t had a woman in a long time, it was only last night.

“Yo, Shane. We’re out,” Zach hollers.

The ride home drains me. I need a couple of days’ worth of sleep and when Leo is waiting for us with JJ at his side, I’m praying that he hasn’t got another job for us. In my head, I’m already in my bed and crashing out.

JJ takes the holdall from Zach and he and Leo head into the bar. I’m slow to drag my ass off my bike and that’s when I see her.

The woman from the bar last night, who I woke up beside this morning.

Slade is talking to her in the car and when she climbs out, it’s her phenomenal legs that hold my attention.

They go on for miles and the little pair of shorts she’s wearing isn’t helping with half of her ass cheeks hanging out.

At least drunk-of-my-ass me has good taste in women.

She’s beautiful. I’m surprised my drunken blurred memories didn’t remind me.

“You know who that hot piece of ass is with your dad?” I ask Zach.

He looks around until he finds them, and then his jaw tightens. “I’m trying real hard to remember you haven’t been around long enough to know, but take your fuckin’ eyes off of my aunt.”

His what?

I fucked Zach’s aunt.

Fuck that, I fucked Slade’s sister.

I couldn’t care less about the family politics around here, but I do know if this woman is Slade’s sister, then she’s Harper’s mom and one of Cas’s baby momma’s.

My dick shrivels and my balls escape up into my stomach, knowing they’re going to be ripped off if anyone finds out about last night. I’ve never needed Grim around here as much as I do now, just so I have someone covering my back when this comes out.

“You okay, brother?” Zach asks.

Lying through my teeth, I say, “Yeah, just tired.”

Nothing about this is okay.

This may be the one time my dick gets me killed.

I thought my biggest decision once we were back, was going to be whether to shower before falling into bed, now it’s how to get past Slade and his sister without being seen.

I need to buy some time and figure out how the fuck I’m going to handle this shit show situation when it blows up.

“I haven’t seen her around. She doesn’t live in town.”

I’ve already guessed she was new to town, but I want more information on her.

“She left a while ago. She shows up, then skips town, and so on. It’s kinda her thing.”

“She doesn’t visit often?” I inquire.

Narrowing his eyes, he asks, “What’s with the inquisition? What’s it matter to you what she does?”

Stepping back and holding my hands up, I’m quick to answer, “It doesn’t, brother.”

I walk the long way round to the side door into the clubhouse and take the stairs up to my room. Once inside, I lock myself in and crash without forming a plan for Slade’s sister.