Page 35

The bar area was already lively, a handful of bikers shooting pool, a couple more laughing over beers. The bartender was a redhead in her late twenties who wore a battered Road Monsters' cut with a “Property of Taz” patch on the front. As I came closer, she glanced up, polishing a glass.

Her eyes flicked over me, picking up on my distress. “You look like you’ve been run through the wringer,” she commented, noticing my tears.

Sniffing, I forced a laugh. “You have no idea. Give me something strong. Whiskey. Neat.”

She set the glass aside, nodding. “Sure, honey.” She poured a generous shot, sliding it over. “Name’s Pep.”

“Lexi,” I replied, tossing back the whiskey in one gulp. It burned down my throat, but I welcomed the distraction.

“Easy there,” Pep remarked, arching a thin red brow. “You keep chugging like that, you’ll be on your ass in no time.”

I shrugged. “Better than… dealing with this. ”

She didn’t ask for details. Instead, she poured me another shot, slower this time. “I get it. Sometimes you gotta numb the pain. God knows I did when I first hooked up with Taz. Man’s an ass half the time, and he can’t keep it in his pants, but God I love him.” She laughed. “I know all about you. Apparently, Maverick and you gave him quite the show the other night. After he got that ink in you, he was aching to get into me.”

“Maverick,” I repeated his name with distaste.

“What’s your story, if you don’t mind me asking?”

I watched the amber liquid, swirling it absently. “I fell for a biker. Then his ex shows up, his wife, and I find out he’s still got feelings for her. Now I’m stuck here, watching them cling to each other while I… lose my mind.”

She nodded sagely, leaning on the bar. “Biker life can be a real bitch. I was an army brat, you know. My dad drank himself to death, my mom ran off. I swore I’d never depend on a man. Then I met Taz, and next thing you know, I’m wearing his patch, running this compound with him. Not a month goes by that I don’t have to run off one of his ex whores.” She sighed, but there was a fond smile in her eyes. “Point is, it’s messy. Always is, especially with old flames and clubs in the mix.”

I sipped this time, letting the warmth settle. “Yeah. Messy is an understatement.”

Pep studied me. “You love him?”

I hesitated, then gave a pained nod. “Yeah. God help me, I do,” I said, channeling her words.

She patted my hand. “Then hold your ground or walk away. Those are your only real choices in the biker world. Standing in the middle will tear you apart.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “I… guess you’re right.”

Hold your ground or walk away.

Music cranked up on the old jukebox, some hard rock track that rumbled through the bar. A few bikers started hollering, pulling random girls, friends or club girls, onto the makeshift dance floor in the corner. I watched them, finishing my whiskey. A strange numbness flooded me. Why not let loose? I can’t do anything else right now.

I shoved the glass at Pep. “Another, please.”

She narrowed her baby blue eyes. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

She poured, and I drank, letting the burn dissolve my heartbreak. Before long, a haze of alcohol blurred my edges. I found myself drifting toward the dancing crowd. A tall biker with a shaved head beckoned me over, grinning. His name patch read Dogma. Normally, I’d have avoided a tough looking guy like him, one covered in gold chains, looking like he stepped off the cover of a gangsta rap album, but tonight, I didn’t care. Bad boys were apparently my thing now. The biker was as gorgeous as Maverick, in his own way. Hell, I needed an escape from the pain stabbing my heart.

Dogma placed a hand on my waist, spinning me into a clumsy dance. My cheeks flushed at the closeness, but I forced myself to smile, ignoring the voice in my head screaming that Maverick might see. Let him, I thought. He had Sky, so why couldn’t I have a harmless dance?

We stumbled to the heavy beat, Dogma’s hands slipping lower than I liked. I shot him a warning look, but I was too buzzed to articulate it. He laughed, leaning in. “You got a name, shorty?”

“Lexi,” I mumbled, pushing his hand up a bit. “Keep it above the belt, buddy.”

He chuckled. “She bites.”

Then I heard an all-too-familiar snarl behind me. “Get your fucking hands off her.”

My heart lurched as I turned to see Maverick standing there, fists clenched, rage blazing in his eyes.

Dogma smirked, keeping his hold on my waist just to provoke him. “Who you think you’re talkin’ to?”

“I’m the man who’s gonna break your jaw if you don’t back off,” Maverick growled.

I felt an odd thrill at his jealousy, but also a swell of fury. He dares to be possessive now? After comforting his wife in front of me?

Dogma shrugged. “Didn’t know you pissed on this one. She lookin’ mighty hard up. She came to Dogma, probably because she heard this long dick will set her right.”

Maverick lunged, grabbing Dogma’s cut. Dogma responded by shoving Maverick’s chest. Within a heartbeat, a scuffle broke out, fists flying, curses echoing. Several onlookers rushed to intervene. My pulse roared with panic. Oh God. I stumbled back to avoid the swinging arms.

“Stop it!” I shouted, but they ignored me. Maverick socked Dogma in the jaw, sending him sprawling into a table. Dogma spat blood, anger flashing, and tackled Maverick around the waist. Chairs crashed. The music cut off abruptly as someone yanked the jukebox plug. Bikers crowded around, some cheering, others yelling to break it up.

At last, Taz and Pep jumped in, along with Sarge, dragging the two men apart. Maverick’s lip bled, and Dogma sported a bruised cheek.

“Cool it, assholes!” Sarge barked. “We don’t need this shit right now.” He shot me a glare, like I was partly to blame for the commotion.

Maverick shook Taz off, stepping toward me. His chest heaved, his anger pouring off him.

“What the fuck, Lexi?” he hissed, voice trembling with rage. “You letting random bikers touch you now?”

I bristled, matching his glare. “You got a problem with that? I thought you had your hands full with Sky. ”

He wiped blood from his mouth, eyes flashing. “Don’t you bring her into this.”

“Why not?” I snapped, thrusting a finger at his chest. “You brought her here. You told me you loved me, then come waltzing in with your wife. You have zero right to act jealous.”

The room went silent like I had committed some crime. Some people drifted away, muttering about not wanting to witness personal drama.

Maverick exhaled, shoulders sagging. “Lexi, it’s not like that.”

“It sure looks like that, ” I said, voice quavering. Tears threatened to fall. “When you find me dancing, you lose your shit. But you’re comforting your wife, promising to keep her safe. What am I supposed to think?”

He tried to reach for me, but I stepped back. “Damn it, Lexi, you’re mine. I told you that. I can’t let you throw yourself into another man’s arms, especially not some random asshole.”

“Says the man who spent half the day hugging Sky, whispering sweet nothings,” I fired back. “You can’t have it both ways.”

His eyes darkened. “She needed me. She’s in danger.”

I let out a sharp laugh, ignoring the curious stares from the remaining onlookers. “And I’m not? I almost got killed. My mother did get killed. And yet you run off to save your precious wife while leaving me behind. Then you bring her into my safe space and expect me to just… accept it?”

He opened his mouth, nothing coming out. Finally, he rasped, sounding exhausted, his anger draining. “I’m trying to protect everyone. You don’t understand.”

“Get out,” I said firmly, swallowing the sob threatening to rise. “Just… get out of my sight. I can’t deal with you right now.”

Pain flickered in his expression. He hesitated, as if he might fight me on it. But something in my eyes must have convinced him. He turned and stalked away, shoulders tight, blood still trickling from his split lip. My chest felt too tight to breathe.

I barely remembered stumbling back to my room. I locked the door, leaning against it, tears streaming silently. This entire world was too chaotic. Bikers, wives, blackmail, mob hits… I’m done. I just wanted to vanish.

But Maverick was waiting for me. He was in the room, and he had a belt in his hands. “How dare you disrespect me in front of my brothers.”

My eyes darted to the belt. “What the hell do you think you’re going to do with that?”

Twisting me around, he had my arms bound behind my back in a flash. I guess he was a cop before, but I was still shocked.

Maverick pressed my face against the door, whispering into my ear. “You’re mine, and you’ll respect that fact in this clubhouse and out.” His hands ran down my body. I could feel his erection hard against my ass. And he reached around, started to undo my jeans.

Was this supposed to turn me on? I started crying. Hard and fast tears fell.

Maverick let go of me like I was on fire. He backed off and had me untied just as fast as it happened. “I’m sorry, Lexi. I never. I just wanted to make it up to you.”

“Just go be with Sky. She needs you,” I cried out.

“Fuck that,” he roared.

But I turned from him. “Just leave,” I shouted.

He unlocked the door and slammed it behind him.

With trembling hands, I yanked out my phone and dialed Nova. It rang twice before she answered.

“Lexi? It’s past midnight. What’s going on?” Her voice was groggy.

I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying not to cry. “Nova, I’m… the biggest fool. I left everything to hide here, ended up losing my virginity to a biker who was married the whole time. He’s with her right now, in the same place. She’s… she’s basically never leaving. I can’t do this.”

“Whoa, slow down.” Nova’s tone sharpened. “He’s married? I thought you said he was divorced or separated.”

I let out a shuddering breath. “It’s complicated. Either way, I can’t stand it anymore. I need out. Will you come get me? Take me to your place in Texas or anywhere that’s not here.”

Nova paused. “Chigger’s around. I can ask him to help. We can drive up tomorrow night if you need. You sure this is what you want?”

“Yes,” I whispered, tears burning my cheeks. “I can’t stay here, watching him with her. Just… please hurry.”

Nova agreed without hesitation, promising to call me back with logistics. I hung up. Good. I just needed to survive one more day, then I’d be free of this heartbreak. I’m done waiting for a man who can’t decide between me and his wife.

That night, I barely slept. Every time my eyelids fluttered shut, I saw Maverick’s anguished face, remembered his touch, the way he’d made me feel so secure and cherished. Now it all felt like a lie. So I tossed, turned, and cried until exhaustion claimed me.

I didn’t leave my room the whole next day, drinking water from the faucet in the bathroom. Maverick banged on the door, he texted, he called, but I wouldn’t show my face. I blocked his number.

“I can hear you breathing, Lexi. That’s good enough for me,” he would say through the door. “I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over, but I blocked him out.

I didn’t leave until I got the word from Nova. True to her word, she rolled up with Chigger in the late hours, using a battered pickup to avoid drawing attention. I’d quietly packed my few belongings, sneaking through the clubhouse halls while most of the bikers were busy partying or off duty. I didn’t see Maverick or Sky anywhere. Fine by me.

Chigger was at the wheel, and he gave me a nod. “Let’s go, girl. Don’t need any drama.”

Nova got out and hugged me tight, eyes filled with sympathy. I felt a pang of guilt at bailing on the MC, but I reminded myself, I owed them nothing. Maverick made it clear where his priorities lay.

We snuck out, slipping past the dozing prospect at the gate. My heart pounded, expecting Maverick to appear, to fight for me. He never did. So that’s that.

I climbed into the back seat, letting the truck rumble off into the darkness. Each mile away from the clubhouse felt like a weight lifting, but also a crack forming in my heart. By the time we crossed into the next state, tears silently streamed down my cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Lex,” Nova murmured as she turned and placed a comforting hand on my arm. “It’ll be okay. You’ll crash at my place until you figure out your next step. Maybe go back to work, normal life.”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “Normal life.”

But deep down, I wondered if any normalcy could erase the memory of Maverick’s kisses, his rough hands on my skin. You’ll be okay, I told myself. He’s got his wife. You have your pride.

It had to be enough.