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CHAPTER TWO

I solde stepped out of the clubhouse and paused at the doorway, testing her comfort level with the chilly temperatures. Last night, a line of storms had raged as a cold front passed through, leaving in its wake a reminder of winter.

Now that she was out here, she didn’t want to go back inside the house for her jacket. After a moment of testing herself, she decided she could take it. Actually, she welcomed the early October chill. It refreshed her heated mind and dispersed the confusing jumble of thoughts. Behind her, the argument between her father, the Spawns’ president, and MC brothers got louder and angrier. How could anyone think clearly with that racket? Sick of their shouting and overwhelmed by the entire situation, she slammed the door closed, silencing their voices.

Ah, peace.

Inhaling a lung full of cool air, she rubbed her exposed arms to warm herself, then strolled along the descending path toward the lagoon. Her leather boots crunched softly on the first layer of fallen dried leaves. The next round would drop soon after the glorious hues of russet and gold, decorating the trees and foliage, turned to a dry brown, leaving the forest bare and looking bereft.

Johnny is coming.

A flash of his handsome face pulled her thoughts out of the magical autumn landscape.

Her father’s announcement had shocked everyone earlier. Blade had sent six guys north to help protect the Dalton chapter. She didn’t know how to react to the surprising information, or how to prepare for his arrival. What she felt for Johnny hadn’t changed one bit. Her emotions were as unwavering and as strong as they’d been the day she first saw him. That afternoon was engraved in her heart, a permanent cherished event in her memory, and would remain so for as long as she lived. It happened to her the same way it had in the romance books she read late at night. One glance, and she knew she loved him.

The world and her friends—correction…her only real friend—could ridicule her. She could almost hear her father’s negative comments: “This is a childish infatuation. Johnny Gun’s a grown man. You’re still a girl, reaching out of your league. He won’t take you seriously.”

Well… Isolde was a girl, all right, but not the kind dear old Dad was talking about.

In a way, Johnny had been responsible for awakening her libido. When he rode to Garden City, her secret sexual life began.

Isolde was obsessed. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Nightly erotic fantasies elicited such feverish heights, she had no choice but to find release any way possible. This led to new and creative ways to get what she needed. First, she opened a private checking account to cover the tracks of her purchases. She snickered, remembering her careful internet searches for sex toys and the steamy books she’d bought and downloaded to her e-reader. Buying paperbacks required ingenuity. Somehow, she managed to get a couple and tucked them away in her bedroom .

The big reveal came when she ran into a book that had a “Daddy lover” title. The story explored the kinky affair between an older man and a much younger woman, with interesting dynamics and age play between the two. Seeing herself and Johnny’s situation in the narrative she inhaled the book and bought more. In the process, she learned a big truth about herself. She was Little. Maybe not an adult baby as in some of the stories, but she longed for the toys and activities of a young girl, and, the biggest prize of all, to submit to Daddy.

There was only one problem: good or bad, her fantasies were the product of a virgin’s imagination. She’d never gone beyond a stolen kiss in high school.

Her ultimate goal didn’t change. She desired Johnny Gun the way he was, older, with maturity and experience. He fit the Daddy Dominant role of her fantasies: the doting partner, the disciplinarian with the firm hand, the daring lover who’d teach her the ways of pleasure. He was everything her girl spirit needed and wanted.

Johnny was perfect.

Or so she hoped.

There was only one problem. Isolde didn’t know if he reciprocated her feelings or if the gleam in his eyes was for her physical appearance alone.

She didn’t suffer from false modesty. Men liked her looks, and she knew it all too well.

Throughout her school years, male classmates chased after her, and the girls hated her guts. Then later, after her mother passed, her grief-stricken father kept her confined to the rear of the clubhouse. Still, she wasn’t blind to the attention she received from the MC brothers. Whenever she came out to the front rooms in search of a necessary item, the furtive glances were all too obvious. Gomez was the worst. He didn’t hide his desire. She shivered, recalling the man’s blatant leer as his eyes seemed to remove her clothes one item at a time.

Amazingly, Deacon, in all his paternal possessive jealousy, hadn’t noticed any of this, and to avoid problems, she didn’t complain. So she dealt with the discomfort the best way she could, by pretending none of the guys existed.

With Johnny, things were different. For sure, her developing feminine curves had garnered his attention. But there was more. On that unforgettable afternoon, he’d gone beyond her outward appearance. He’d probed deep into her eyes and soul. She’d trembled with excitement under his piercing blue gaze. He’d read her mind and seen the woman, the real Isolde, with her quirky habits and shameful secrets she hid from her father and the world. No one had ever studied her so fully and with such careful interest, and as a result, he stole her heart.

His last words of farewell, when seeing him again seemed an impossibility, resonated in her mind once more. “Your dad is a Devils’ Spawn. There’s always a chance we’ll run into each other again.”

The opportunity came totally out of the blue. In a brief encounter, they ran into each other in Garden City. But beyond a quick hello, a smoldering glance, and an introduction to an MC brother, no other communication passed between them. Johnny had picked up on her father’s irascible mood and left the room. She didn’t see him again. Maybe it was for the best…

Now he was on the road.

Riding to her home.

To live in close quarters.

Without a time limit.

“The brothers will stay with us for as long as it’s necessary to defend us against the Steel Wolves’ aggression.” Deacon’s pronouncement to his men had the effect of throwing gasoline onto a fire. The quarrel between the dissenting members flared. Their frail egos rejected help from the south.

How would she endure this torture?

“Wait up, Isolde.”

The sweet voice stopped her. Opal, her friend and sister of the heart, rushed down the path, waving her jacket. “You left without your coat. It’s too cold. You’ll catch your death out here.”

Isolde smiled, her heart brimming with affection. Even though Opal was younger, she behaved like a caring older sister.

Opal Madden had lost both parents at an early age. Warden, her father and Deacon’s best friend, had died during a bloody shootout between rival MCs. Her mother, Julia, inconsolable in her grief, had overdosed on sleeping pills, leaving her young daughter alone. But Isolde’s parents, Deacon and Elaine, rallied around the orphaned child and brought her home to live with them. And Isolde, who’d been nagging her parents for a sister since she’d learned how to speak, was ecstatic over the arrival.

A curious gift from fate.

Weeks after Opal came to live with them, Elaine learned she couldn’t have any more children and needed a hysterectomy. The dreaded C word had spread its black wings and descended on the Lennox household, prognosis uncertain.

Despite the foreboding diagnosis, life continued. Elaine was a fighter. She soldiered through challenging treatments and conflicting results—sometimes hopeful, sometimes disappointing. Meanwhile, a lost and confused Deacon did his best to hang tough, supporting his wife as his world crumbled around him. The girls clung to each other, growing closer than blood sisters ever could. Isolde couldn’t imagine what her life would’ve been like without feisty, loving, stubborn Opal at her side.

“Have they stopped arguing?” Isolde asked, slipping her arms into the jacket’s sleeves .

Opal’s hazel-brown eyes crinkled with amusement. “Some.” She wrapped her arm around Isolde’s, and the pair continued to stroll toward the lagoon. “Six guys. Can you imagine? I don’t know what Daddy’s thinking. Where are we going to put them?”

“Gomez and Jax live alone and have room,” Isolde quipped. “They could take three or four men.”

“I don’t like Gomez.” Opal frowned. “I’ve seen how he looks at you. It’s rude.”

Isolde pulled her closer. “Don’t give him a thought. He’s going to be really busy when the Garden City guys show up.”

“Tell you one thing. Wait until Gomez gets a good look at your Johnny.”

Isolde froze. “What are you saying? I don’t have a Johnny.”

Opal gave a wicked giggle. “I know what’s going on. I watched you two talking to each other.”

“When?”

“When he came up.”

“But…”

“No, no. Don’t give me that. If I had any doubt, I saw you running around, sis. You were a wreck, packing for the trip to Savannah with Daddy. I wanted to go so badly.” She pouted. “He left me home with Sydney.”

“You had a nasty cold, sweetie. We’re grateful she took care of you.”

“Hmmm. Sydney. There’s another story. Doesn’t matter.” With a haughty gesture, Opal tossed her light brown hair over her shoulder. “Johnny will be right here, and I’m going to enjoy the show between you two.”

“Goodness, you’re a mean little thing. You know that?” Isolde asked, wide-eyed.

Scrunching her face, Opal laughed. “I’m not mean. Honest. I have to get my fun from somewhere. Everyone thinks because I’m younger, I’m not serious or I don’t have a brain. But I see what goes on and miss nothing.”

“I’d never underestimate you. You’re one of the smartest people I know. Unfortunately, we’re kind of secluded out here. We’re too far from town. You should be hanging out with friends your age, going to the movies, shopping, things like that.”

“I have you,” Opal said seriously. “We’re not that far apart in age.”

Isolde sighed. “We’re not, you’re right. Just over a year. Sometimes, though, I feel like your soul is ancient. You’re like a guardian angel, always looking out for me.”

“I have to watch over you.” Opal stopped walking. Her hazel eyes gleamed with moisture. “You’re my sister. I’ve already lost too much. I couldn’t take it if anything bad happened to you.”

Opal’s words struck hard. In her short time on earth, she’d lost three parents.

“Oh, sweetie.” Isolde put her arm around Opal’s slim shoulders. “I’m going to be fine. Nothing’s going to happen to me or you, you’ll see.”

“Oh, I know.” Holding Isolde’s arm again, Opal resumed walking.

Isolde chuckled at the sharp change in her mood. “You sound so certain.”

Opal shrugged. “Well, yeah. Daddy said the guys from the south are coming to defend the Dalton chapter.”

“Yes, but…”

“Johnny’s riding with them. Why do you think he’s coming? You wait and see. At first, he’ll be cool. He’ll pretend in front of Daddy he’s not interested in you, to keep our father off his back. ’Cause Daddy can be a real pain. But don’t buy into the act. I saw him, and Johnny’s crazy about you. He’ll be your protective shadow, day and night. His biggest problem will be Gomez. ”

“Opal, you amaze me. When did you get so grown-up, so incredibly smart?”

“I told you. I listen to the conversations and learn from what I see and hear. People reveal a lot about themselves when they think no one’s paying attention.”

“Your instincts are correct, about Gomez, anyway.”

She scoffed. “My instincts are correct about everyone and everything.”

A sudden gust of wind blew through the trees. A whorl of new-fallen leaves fluttered onto the path. Opal shivered. “Can we go inside?”

“Yeah. It’s getting colder.” Isolde picked up her pace going back to the house. Opal walked with her. As they made it to the top of the hill, a distant and familiar rumble of approaching bikes gave her goose bumps.

“I hear them,” Isolde murmured. “They’re coming.”

“Yes. They’ll be here soon.”

“And so it begins,” she murmured to herself.

Life for everyone was about to change.

Hand in hand, Isolde and Opal reached the top of the hill just as Deacon opened the front door and stepped out. Even from this distance, his bright blue eyes gleamed with a strange light. He was not a happy man. Leaning one fist on a hip, he exclaimed, “Where the hell have you two been? I called and called.”

Isolde evaluated the situation in an instant. She’d turned passive-resistant behavior into an art form. The trick was to stay relaxed and allow her father’s temper to roll over her without reacting or getting defensive. For a man with such a possessive and suspicious nature, the arrival of six unfamiliar and big MC dudes into the controlled environmentwhere his daughters lived had to be a nightmare. Add to his plate the threat to the clubhouse, and her father’s shoulders could barely support the weight of so much responsibility .

“Stay cool and follow my lead,” she murmured to Opal, then smiled sweetly at her father. “We’re here now, Dad. We just came up from the lagoon. It’s so nice out.”

“I was worried.” Deacon raked his fingers through his graying hair. “Don’t you understand what’s going on? You two can’t disappear from my sight. From now on, stay within calling distance. I have enough concerns as it is. Come on, get inside. It’s getting cold.”

“Don’t you hear them, Daddy?” Opal asked. “They should be here soon.”

Deacon glanced toward the property’s boundary line. He’d chosen this spot because the surrounding trees hid the clubhouse from the road and muted the traffic sounds as well. Not that there was much traffic on the road.

“It’s them. I’ll wait here.” He nodded, then frowned at Isolde and Opal. “You two go inside. I’ll call you when it’s time to meet the guys. Until then, I want you to stay in our half of the clubhouse. Understood?”

“Yes, Dad.” Isolde hurried in, tugging Opal at the same time. Firmly in the game, she agreed to obey her father’s orders.

However, once the men arrived and her father got busy, she had every intention of sneaking to the edge of the connecting corridor and taking a peek at the Garden City brothers. Actually, she’d brave his anger just to take a quick glimpse at one very special brother in particular.

“I knew your dad would find you.” Facing the stove, Sydney spoke with her back to the kitchen entrance. She had her red curls tied in a high ponytail while she stirred something in a pan. The delicious scent of cooked garlic wafted to Isolde’s nostrils.

“He did,” Opal answered. “Smells really good. What is it? ”

Sydney glanced over her shoulder. “You like it? That’s great, because I’m doctoring store-bought pasta sauce. I figured your dad’s feeding a small army of men, and baked ziti goes a long way.” She gestured to her right, where three boxes of pasta, two unopened large tubs of ricotta cheese, a couple of eggs in a bowl, and two aluminum pans waited to be used.

“How can we help?” Isolde asked.

Putting the spoon on a holder by the stove, Sydney smiled. “I need the mozzarella sliced. It’s in the fridge. Can you take care of that? And Opal, grating the parmesan is your job while I make the ricotta mixture.”

“On it.” Isolde took the cheese packages out of the fridge, and Opal put the grater on the island counter. As she readied the board and knife to slice, Isolde watched Sydney beat the mixture of cheese and eggs. The image swapped for her, and instead of Sydney, it was her beloved mother cooking Sunday pasta.

“Have you done this before?” Isolde asked, blinking back the sudden tears.

“Just a couple of times. This is how your mother taught me to cut corners when she didn’t have enough time to make sauce from scratch. Start with a good jar sauce and add a few ingredients.” She dipped her finger into the cheese/egg mixture and tasted a small bit. “Needs more salt.” Sydney sprinkled a pinch, then resumed stirring. “Today is one of those hurry-up big dinners.”

Isolde’s throat tightened as a rush of old memories flooded her mind…

Sydney and her mother, Elaine, had met in grammar school, soon after Sydney and her grandparents moved into town. Despite their different backgrounds—Elaine Marchetti was second-generation Italian, while Sydney Blackwood’s ancestors had traveled to America during the Scottish clearances—the two friends did just about everything together but get married. Elaine accepted Deacon’s proposal, while Sydney, arguing that she hadn’t found the right man, remained single.

When Elaine’s cancer was diagnosed, Sydney stepped in to pick up the slack for her friend and to help the Lennox family in every way she could. But Isolde’s father wanted nothing to do with her. Deacon turned surly and rude. Isolde used to wonder if Sydney was his reminder of Elaine’s inescapable illness, and he resented her for it. Eventually, Deacon caved to Elaine’s gentle pleas and arguments from his daughters to be kind. Though he softened his comments, he refused to be in the same room with Sydney.

Isolde and Opal learned to love Sydney, then later depended on her once their mother passed. Sydney took on the job of rudder for the grieving family. Without her guidance, the Lennox household would have been doomed to capsize.

Time, as most people say, heals or makes pain easier to bear. Deacon managed to accept Elaine’s loss and was calm most days, except for late nights when memories and demons pushed him to the bottle. At those times, he lashed out at the world and the cruel fate that had snatched away the love of his life.

Illumination did come to Deacon. During a sober evening, he realized Sydney had put aside her own loss to help the family of her best friend and stopped being an ungrateful ass. And so Sydney assumed her well-deserved place of essential spoke in the Lennox wheel. Nothing happened in the family without first asking her advice. Which included suggesting the menu to feed a gang of hungry bikers.

A knock on the door interrupted Isolde’s thoughts. Eyes wide, Opal stopped grating cheese.

The hard voice gave Isolde the shivers as the door opened. “Ladies, how are you?”

Gomez. Why is he here?

A frowning Sydney hurled out the question. “Did you lose your way, Gomez? This side of the clubhouse is for Deacon’s family. You know his rules. You’re in private and off-limits territory.”

“Always so pleasant, Syd.” The scowl and angry stare denied his words. “And here I thought we’d become friends.”

Isolde put the knife down and rubbed one arm. Gomez had a way of looking at a woman as if he were taking off her clothes. He’d done it to her and was now doing it to Sydney. But Sydney didn’t hide her dislike for the dark-eyed man. She held his gaze without hesitation. Her “I dare you” body language was so direct and strong, Gomez flinched. Isolde smiled with a curious sense of pride. She’d always suspected Sydney was no pushover. Here was proof.

“Don’t get confused,” Sydney snapped. “We’re lifestyle acquaintances. You’re in an MC and I’m a close friend with the president’s family. So, what do you want?”

He chuckled, curling one corner of his lips. “Is that what you call it? Spending time with the family…or the prez? The brothers ask that question all the time.”

Sydney stepped closer to Gomez. “Whatever I do, it’s really none of your business. Is it?” She stabbed her fingertip into his cut in time with her words.

Gomez gave a soft growl. “If you were a man, you wouldn’t dare do that.” He grabbed her hand, then dropped his face close to hers. They were almost eye to eye.

“But I’m not. Ain’t that grand?” Chin up, she pursed her lips. “Now, kindly let go of my hand.”

“Gomez, Sydney.” Deacon’s voice thundered in the kitchen. “What the fuck is happening here?”

Startled by her father’s sudden entrance, Isolde gasped and turned. Deacon and a strange man with a goatee and jaw-length brown hair, dressed in full Spawn colors, stood at the doorway .

A much-subdued Gomez released Sydney’s hand. “Nothing’s going on, Deacon.”

Eyebrow arched, Deacon walked in and stood between Sydney and Gomez. “I came to ask about the dinner situation for our guests, and I find you two going at each other. I want the bickering to stop this minute. New information has come in, and I have a shitload of problems to deal with. I expect full cooperation from my family and no headaches from the local brothers. Are you all listening?”

“Uh-huh,” Sydney muttered.

“Yes, Deacon,” Gomez said.

“Everyone, this is Axel, leader of the southern six. You’ll see him a lot. He and two others will stay with us.” Deacon turned to the new guy. Axel dipped his head in silent salute.

“I have room,” Gomez said quickly.

Nodding, Deacon held up his hand. “That’s great, because I’m sending one with you and two with Jax. His place is bigger.”

Isolde’s stomach clenched. Who was going with Gomez and Jax? Not Johnny, please. Not him. She felt Opal’s gaze on her. Her sister gave her an encouraging smile, and Isolde sighed. Smart Opal had guessed her internal turmoil.

“So?” Deacon asked Gomez. “You haven’t explained. What brought you to the kitchen?”

“I…ah. I came to tell your daughtersthatthe guys from the south had arrived.”

Sydney snickered. Deacon sent her a warning look. “I appreciate the effort. But it wasn’t necessary. These are my family’s private quarters, and I keep them separate from MC business. This is nothing new, Gomez. I expect everyone to respect my boundaries. No one’s allowed unless specifically invited by me, Sydney, or Isolde. Let’s not have a repeat of this situation. Why don’t you go meet the guys? I’ll catch up with you outside.”

“Sure.” Thoroughly chastised, Gomez bent his head and left .

“I know Gomez is a little much to take, but he’s loyal. Are you all okay?” Deacon asked. His eyes darted from woman to woman.

“Sure am,” Sydney said.

“Me too, Daddy,” Opal responded.

“Isolde? You didn’t answer.”

Silently, she locked gazes with him. Her dad had a lot on his plate. Should she go for it and pile some more, or hold back about Gomez? After a long pause, she shrugged. “I’m great.”

But he squinted at her. “Really? I’m still your father, and I can read the BS a mile away. We’ll have a talk when things quiet down some.”

“Do you want dinner served at the usual time?” Sydney intervened, coming to her rescue. Isolde sent her a grateful glance.

“Sure. Seven is perfect. Unless your guys are hungry.” He turned to Axel.

Axel exhaled. “We don’t want to impose, but we’ve been on the road for hours. I’m sure the guys could eat soon.”

“I can be ready at six,” Sydney offered. “Can your men wait until then? In the meantime, we’ll put some snacks on the table to tide you over.”

“That would be great. Much obliged, ma’am,” Axel said.

“It’s settled,” Deacon said, moving toward the hallway. “Come, Axel. Let’s finish up the sleeping arrangements.”

Tipping his head, Axel followed Deacon out.

“Well, Sydney, that was interesting,” Isolde said.

“Meaning?”

“I didn’t catch your dislike for Gomez until today.”

“Oh, honey,” Sydney said. “Contrary to what your dad thinks, that guy’s a real snake. Never turn your back on him. He’ll dig his fangs into you when you least expect it. Okay, you heard the man. The guys are hungry. Let’s put some stuff out for them and finish up in here.”

“You got it,” Isolde said, focusing on snacks and calming her nerves. How could she ever control herself? The man she dreamed about night after night was in her home. Only thin walls separated her from happiness.

“Are you feeling okay, Isolde?” Sydney asked. “You’re a little pale, darling.”

Damn. Hiding her emotions wasn’t going to be easy. Too many perceptive eyes were on her.