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The woman kneeled between Dio's knees and kissed her way across his chest. He planted his hand on the top of her head and pushed her down.

He stretched out his leg, making more room in his jeans. "Undo my belt, Denise."

"Dawn." Her fast fingers expertly unlatched his buckle. "My name's Dawn."

Denise. Dawn. Whatever. It wouldn't matter what her name was because he planned to shove his cock deep in her throat in two seconds to shut her up.

All he wanted was a blow job.

He grabbed the base of his dick and shoved her head down until she opened her mouth. Her thin lips dragged along his hardness. His fingers fisted in her hair. Frustration made him impatient. The biker bitch was doing nothing for him.

The door opened, banging against the wall, and a gasp filled the room. Dio lifted his head.

The woman between his knees continued to suck, but his cock deflated like a balloon. He stared across the ten-foot span at Skye, barely seen in the shadows of the hallway.

He pushed the woman off him and stood, pulling up his jeans. His heart hammered. Each beat was like a shot in the chest.

"Princess?" He stepped forward.

Skye dropped a bag and whirled around, darting out of sight. He strode to the door, prepared to go after her, and almost smacked into Maverick.

Skye's dad grabbed the front of his vest. "What happened?"

Dio shrugged out of his grasp. "She bolted."

Dawn slipped out of the room and hurried down the hallway back to the party. Maverick's gaze followed the woman. Dio exhaled loudly, knowing what it looked like. What it was. Fucking hell.

If he had known Skye was coming, he wouldn't have taken the bitch back to his room. Skye's visits to the clubhouse became scarce since graduating from community college and now working part-time as a mobile physical therapist.

Maverick snapped his gaze at Dio. "What did she walk into?"

"A little birthday celebration."

Maverick's gaze narrowed. He wasn't going to accept that as an answer.

"Getting a blow, brother." He rubbed his hand over his face, shaking the effects of seeing Skye upset. "I had no idea she was here."

There was no way he'd purposely go against the bylaws. He would protect his Havlin brothers, their women, and their children. Havlin owned his soul.

"Fuck," muttered Maverick, turning his head to cough. "I'll go talk to her."

Dio stayed behind. Maverick was her dad. He could handle the situation. Skye was old enough to know what went on at the parties. She'd grown up running around the clubhouse. The facts of life came with each year she got older. He inhaled deeply, gritting his teeth. Knowing she wasn't innocent about what happened at the parties, he still never got involved with women around Skye.

She was like his kid sister. The fact that he had no sisters is one of the reasons he enjoyed Skye. She was pure sweetness—a rebellious sweetness, but that only made her more special to him.

He turned to go back into the room and almost stepped on the bag Skye had dropped. He picked up the bag by the handles, carried it into the room, and shut the door. Peering inside, he found a small white box with an envelope taped to the top.

His name was written on the front. Even if he hadn't seen Skye, he would've known it was from her. She always drew a heart instead of a dot over the i in his name.

He sat down on the couch and opened the envelope. Only when he pulled out a birthday card did he remember why he was celebrating. He turned forty-five years old today.

Of course, Skye would remember. March 5th was her birthday, too. A big one. She turned twenty-one.

Rubbing his jaw, he read the card. Instead of those cheesy messages found in most cards, Skye had used the inside of a blank card to write him a private message.

Happy b-day, Dio!

The world is a better place because you were born on this day, a long time ago.

He chuckled and grabbed the back of his neck. It was a long-fucking-time ago.

I hope you know you are loved, respected, and honored today and every day. I don't know what I'd do without you, birthday twin—so don't even think about leaving me.

He remembered her birthday. From the first time he found out they were born on the same date, he'd always given her a little something from him. Sometimes, it was just a fifty-dollar bill because he hadn't had time to buy anything else. Other times, he surprised himself at how pleased she was with his chosen gift.

Hell, even her parents invited him to her birthday parties and ensured his name was included on the cake as if he was part of their family. There were no better people on earth than Maverick, Brooke, and Skye.

His chest tightened, remembering what Skye looked like when she opened the door. He'd always tried to shelter her from the harsher lifestyle at the parties and on the rides.

I hope this year will be your best yet. You deserve everything your heart desires and more.

He dropped his gaze to the bottom of the card.

Love you bunches, Skye

He closed the card and put it beside him on the couch. Then, he pulled out the box in the bag and opened the lid. After seeing what she'd gifted him, it took him several seconds to focus his vision.

He picked up the new, shiny gas tank cap and tilted it, reading the engraved inscription. The Skye's the limit.

His chest warmed, and he smiled at her play of words. He could picture Skye smiling as she bought him the present. She always put such thoughts into her gifts.

He still carried the leather wallet she'd scratched her name into when she was twelve. He'd worn the leather smooth, and her name was no longer visible. But he thought of her whenever he pulled out his wallet and had to buy something.

He exhaled heavily. All she'd wanted to do was bring him a gift on his birthday, and he'd ruined it for her by bringing a woman back to the room for a blow job.

He returned his gift to the box and put everything in the bag. While the Havlin members helped him celebrate his birthday, Skye made the day special as if he had a family around him—a feeling he hadn't had since his parents got divorced when he was a teenager and went their separate ways, marrying other people and forgetting they had a son together. For the longest time, he gave up the idea of having a family.

That desire to surround himself with those he cared about came true when he joined Havlin and gained a shit-ton of brothers.

He walked down the hallway. Bane stood talking to Jagger at the entrance to the clubhouse. He skirted around them.

"Leaving already?" asked Bane.

He turned around. "Yeah. I have an early shift in the shop."

"I'll catch you later." Bane lifted his chin. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, brother." He nodded at Jagger. "Night."

The president of Havlin watched him with concern. Nothing went amiss under his watch. But what bothered him was private.

He walked out of the clubhouse and found Maverick on his motorcycle. Dio jogged down the line of bikes.

"Did you catch up with Skye?" he asked.

"Yep." Maverick coughed.

"Is she okay?"

"She lied to me." Maverick met his gaze. "She mentioned needing to hit the grocery store before heading home as her reason for running out of the clubhouse."

"Fuck." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't know she would come looking for me tonight."

"You should've known."

The drinks he'd had earlier sat heavily in his stomach. Maverick was right. He should've known.

"If anyone else but Skye walked in on you with one of the bitches, I wouldn't give a shit," Maverick said with a growl. "But that's my daughter. To top it off, it's her birthday, and you should feel damn lucky that she wanted to drop in and see you."

"I hear you." Dio patted his vest pocket, looking for a cigarette. "You know me, brother. I wouldn't do anything to hurt that girl."

Skye had probably seen worse around the clubhouse and with her friends. But walking in while he was getting a blow job was the equivalent of her walking into her parents' room and catching them in the act.

If it were anyone else walking in on him, he wouldn't worry about what was witnessed. Sex was a fact of life. The more, the better. Do what feels good. Every human was programmed to fuck from an early age.

But this was his Skye. She deserved better from him.

Maverick shoved him in the chest. "Make it right."

He nodded, knowing what he had to do. What he wanted to do.

Walking over to his motorcycle, he put the gift bag in his duffle, sat on the motorcycle, and started the engine. Any buzz he'd earned tonight celebrating his birthday left with the cold realization that he'd fucked up.

He put on his helmet and rode away from the clubhouse. It was almost midnight. Skye wasn't going shopping. She'd go home.

Having grown up in Havlin, Skye Harrison was street-smart. She knew better than to run around Seaglass Cove alone at night, especially during tourist season.

She was hurt and probably confused, and knowing her, pissed off. When she got that way, she'd normally run to him, but since he was the one that upset her, she'd run back to the apartment she shared with Mariah, her best friend.

She'd only lived away from her parents for six months but appeared to thrive with her newfound independence. Everyone around her recognized the hard work she'd put into getting her associate's degree in business and the training to become a massage therapist.

A mile from the clubhouse, he turned on Bluff Drive and rode around the block. The two-story apartment complex was the newest addition to the city, and it had a lighted parking strip in front of the building.

Maverick wouldn't let her move out unless she had security measures to stay safe.

He pulled into the parking lot, found Skye's car, and parked his Harley behind the vehicle. Taking off his helmet, he strode up the concrete pathway and took the stairs to the second floor.

Outside Apartment 6, he knocked. He had nothing planned except apologizing that she walked in on him like that. Skye was old enough to understand what happens between a man and a woman.

He raised his hand to knock again when the door opened, and Mariah stood in front of him.

"Can you let Skye know I'm here?" The request came out rough as he tried to keep his voice down.

Mariah leaned against the doorframe. "She's asleep."

He inhaled deeply and looked along the walkway on the second floor. There was no way she was asleep. She had a fifteen-minute start on him.

"Tell her..." He stepped away from the door. "Nevermind. I'll call her."

Mariah raised her brows, obviously expecting more from him. She wasn't going to get it. Skye might tell her friend everything that happened tonight, but he wouldn't add to the drama.

He pointed. "Lock the door."

Mariah stepped away, shutting herself inside the apartment. In the quiet of the night, the deadbolt clicked.

Dio jogged to his Harley. There was nothing he could do about the situation tonight. He'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Slipping his bucket helmet on, he swung his leg over the motorcycle's seat and started the bike. Once the sun rose, he'd make it right with Skye.