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CHAPTER SIX

MADALYN

Sipping my coffee, I wait for Darian to arrive.

I am still in shock after my interaction with Target yesterday at his club’s garage. To say I was shocked to see him working there was an understatement. Even though it was called Rugged Garage and Towage, I never thought that he himself would be working.

What are the chances?

I scroll through my phone while I am waiting for my girl to arrive, seeing what my high school and college friends are now up to. Some are married with kids, some are off travelling the world and I am envious of them all. Yes, I have a successful business, but my heart always wants more.

More love, more passion, more care.

Being from parents who did not give any fucks about me or my sister, Aria, I always knew that I would always make time for the ones I loved. It is why I am so fiercely protective over Aria, Darian, and Grandpa Peter.

“Parking was crazy. It was like every ass, dick, and tits were out there today.” She drops her oversized purse onto the chair before dashing off to order herself some coffee and a brunch snack.

“Do you mean, Tom, Dick, and Harry?” I correct her, and she waves her hand.

“Nope, everyone is an asshole today.”

Once she has her coffee and a bacon and cheese turnover, she sits, huffing like she has run a marathon.

“I often wonder what on Earth you have in that thing?” I point to the large purse, as she drops her wallet into it.

“You really do not want to know,” she says, rolling her eyes with her reply.

“So, my car is staying at the garage,” I inform her.

Her eyes widen. “What? Why? What happened?”

“They are busy with other vehicles right now. So, you know I took it to the closest garage.” She nods. “Well it was the Rugged Garage and Towage.” Her eyes flash with surprise, then a smirk slips into place.

“Did you see him?”

Rolling my eyes, I sip my coffee before answering, loving how she squirms in her seat. Darian is all about the gossip. If she could run a book club just to chatter all day she would.

“Girl, you are killing me here. Give me something.”

“I saw him.” I shrug. “But like I said, I will not get involved with a married man and it pisses me off that he openly flirted with me in front of his children. Plus, he is in an MC, Dar.”

“You still do not know if they were his, though. Yeah, I can get behind your worry over the club thing, because of the fuckface, but not all bikers are like him. I have heard that the Rugged Skulls MC are the good ones,” she says.

“I think the chance is high, Darian. They were with him, had familiar features, and they called ‘Mommy’ when she arrived and he kissed her.”

I blow off the club statement she offered, not wanting to get into that again.

“Nice to see some of these young women have morals,” an older lady says from the next table, smiling at us.

Darian’s eyes go wide before she giggles, then sips her coffee.

My best friend knows me inside and out, and back to front and me her. We are two peas in a pod, as some of our professors used to say, but at complete ends of the pod.

She knows that I would never touch a married man, and she would never either, after what she saw growing up.

Hell, her brother, who is like a big brother to me as well, bolted as soon as he turned eighteen.

I hope one day that he will find a lovely woman to settle down with, but he thinks deep down that he will turn out like their dad, so he is loving his bachelor life.

“He may be married but you are not dead, young lady,” Darian jokes. “You can ogle all you want, but do not touch.”

“He may be the hottest man I have ever seen, but you are right, I won’t ever touch him. I have some self-respect, unlike some people.” She knows I am referring to my ex and his new fiancé, who we have been told recently knew about me, but loved him enough to share him.

Eww.

Seeing Target earlier was a shock to the system.

Having him close to me sent my body into a chain reaction of loneliness and a state of horniess.

It has been months since a man has touched me, and yes I would love a man like Target to touch me, to make me feel beautiful and wanted, but unfortunately he is not the man to do it.

“I think we should have a girls’ night tonight. There is a bar we have not been to yet, and I believe I saw that they have a live band playing there. Let me check.” Darian scrolls through her phone, finding out the information that we need for tonight.

I am not usually one to go clubbing. I would rather be curled up at home with a glass of red wine and some ice cream, watching comedy or a romance movie, but I love live music, so a night out could be just what I need.

“Okay, the band goes on at eight, so we could make it there at seven, have some drinks and get ready for them.”

“Sounds like a plan and I know just what to wear.” I wink at her.

“Yay. We need this. Working around the clock to set up the business here has been a handful but worth every step.” I nod to her.

“Yeah, I am so pleased that we took this step. Plus, maybe you will find a hot guy to go home with. I am in great need of some fun.” I wink at her.

She grins widely, wiggling her eyebrows. Darian is not one to shy away from sex; she loves it and will have it when and where she sees fit. I wish I had her courage, and confidence to make a move, but I know that one day I will find the right man.

A smiling image of Target flashes through my head, but I push it down, keeping the smile on my face, hiding my disappointment that he is married.

I always seem to have a crappy run at men in my life, well, except for Darian’s brother.

Being here and starting fresh means so much to me, to step away from all the madness that is LA, because people down there are crazy when they want something done.

My phone dings, alerting me to a text message.

Sliding the device open, I open the text from my sister.

Aria: I have been invited to the movies tonight and a sleepover at Khloe’s. You do not have plans for us, do you?

I type out my reply.

Me: No plans. Just be careful and call me if you need me. Darian is dragging me to see some live band tonight.

Aria: Dragging you??? Yeah, okay, you love live bands, Sis. Go and enjoy. I will call if I need you. Love you, bye.

Me: Love you too.

Aria: I mean it, go and enjoy. Maybe pick up a guy or two. ;)

Me: Aria Emma Sanders!! You should not be thinking of boys that way, young lady.

Aria: Oh, but big sister I do think of boys, but you should be thinking of men. Big men. Bye, bye, TTFN.

My mouth opens and closes like a dying fish, my sister’s text shocking me. She is fifteen and should not be thinking of boys yet, right? I mean, she has her education to think about.

I look up seeing Darian touching up her make-up and I sigh. Fuck, my baby sister is into boys already. Hell, Darian lost her virginity at fourteen.

“We need to have the birds and the bees talk,” I blurt out.

Her eyes go wide, her hand stopping mid-sweep for her eyeliner.

“Um, I do not know if you already know this, but I had that talk many moons ago, my friend. I am no virgin. I thought you knew this.” She looks at me like I have grown a second head, and hell, I just might have.

“Aria just told me that she is looking at boys,” I whisper yell at her, making her put down her make-up and burst out laughing.

“Oh honey, she is fifteen. Of course she is looking at boys. We all did at that age.” I cock a brow at her, making her giggle. “Well okay, maybe not you, but you had a good reason not to be like a normal teenager. You had a child to take care of because of your shitty parents.”

“She needs to concentrate on school, and getting good grades for college,” I state, but I know that I am trying to win a losing battle.

Aria is a very pretty young girl and will blossom into a stunning young woman. I know that boys will come sniffing around her, but hell, I do not have to like it.

“Babe, Aria is a bright girl. She knows right from wrong. She can have an active social life and get good grades. Let her breathe, and if she needs you know that she will come to you or me.”

I sigh, sinking back into my chair. Now I definitely need a drink, or five.

“You are right. Okay. I need a damn nap before we go out tonight.” Darian giggles, collecting her huge purse as she stands.

“Damn, you feel like this at twenty-seven, God help you when you hit fifty.” She laughs at me.

I pinch her side, making her laugh.

“I do feel old. It is like my body is telling me to slow down and enjoy the little things, ya know?”

“Then, my sister from a fucked up mister. Tonight is one of the little things that we will enjoy to the fullest.” She winks.

We walk to our cars, before hugging and sorting plans out for later tonight.

Once I am home, I slip out of my clothes and into some sleepwear, ready for my ‘Nana Nap’ as Aria calls them, so I can get rested for tonight’s shenanigans.

Leaning on the bar, my head already buzzing from the two cocktails and three shots, I signal to the barman.

“What can I get you, beautiful?” He grins, showing off a bright smile with a row of bright white teeth.

“You have a pretty smile,” I tell him, making him chuckle.

“You too, sweetheart.”

“Oh, thanks. Can I get two more Silver Bullets and two vodka cranberries please?”

He wraps his knuckles on the bar and sets out to get my order.

I turn around, leaning my back against the wooden bar top, watching as Darian dances between two men. They are all grinding on each other. She looks hot as fuck tonight, dressed in a sparkly blue dress that has one shoulder strap, stops mid-thigh with a slit, paired with black sparkly heels.

Looking down at myself, I press my lips together and nod to myself, agreeing that I look kinda hot too.

I went with a strapless black lace top tucked into a gold sequined skirt that also stops mid-thigh.

I matched my outfit to some strappy heels that are not as high as Darian’s because I would fall and break my neck.

Whereas Darian is slim with big boobs, I have a little more meat on my body, but as she always puts it, I give men something to hold on to.

“There you go.” A tap on my shoulder gets my attention.

I look down and see my drinks, so I pay the man before collecting my tray and getting back to our table.

The live band is amazing; the lead singer has a voice so good that they should be on a talent show or recording an album. They must singing songs that are their own as I do not know them but they are out of this world.

People are dancing, couples are loved up in corners, and hell, I want that.

Darian come bounding toward me, almost teetering over in her ridiculously high heels. A smile is firmly in place like she has just won the lottery.

“Okay, so you know the guys I was dancing with?” I nod. “Oh, are these mine?” I nod again.

“Okay, girl drink up. On three.” Before she can count, she down her Silver Bullet shot and I do the same, wincing unlike my bestie, who grins at me.

“Damn, that is good. What’s it called again?”

“Silver Bullet.”

“Yum. Anyway, well they own a boat. Like a big boat and they want us to host a party for them.”

“A boat? The nearest water is down in California.”

She nods enthusiastically. “I know. This could be huge for us.”

I nod to her, but I look over to the men she was dancing with and they are looking at us like we are their next meal and not in a good way. My body shivers, as their eyes give me the creeps.

“Oh no, do not look now,” she says in a singsong voice.

I look behind me, gasping when I see who just walked into the bar.