Page 144 of The Forgotten

“I think a lot of things need to happen before we make that decision,” I admit. “You’re too far ahead of our current position.Storm is making us more money than we could ever dream of spending. Our brothers are also set if they want to be. We do this shit because we need the adrenaline rush. That wildness will never go away.”

“That’s why you’re my VP,” he grunts, smirking. “Okay, I’ll take a chill pill and let it ride for now.”

Pulling up my neck gaiter to keep the dust out and putting on my helmet, I nod as I turn on the bike.

Sometimes, you just have to let things simmer before you can make a decision.

MARIE

There are three bikers waiting for me when I walk out of work in the morning, and I can’t help but roll my eyes.

“I’m not adopting, go away,” I say in greeting. “You have to stop bothering me at work or I’m going to get fired.”

“I think that I would cry if you got fired,” Dr. Royal says on my heels. He warily glances at the guys, his hand fisting. “Are they a problem, Marie?”

The president curls his lip at Dr. Royal as he watches him.

“I think that’s between us and Marie, don’t you think?”

“Do we need to make this a party and add Cian Sullivan to this?” Dr. Royal asks.

I recognize that name and glance at him in surprise. Cian Sullivan is Aisling’s dad. Shit.

“I just got into town, so I have a grace period before I need to call him,” the president says nonchalantly. “Are you just a doctor or someone I need to know?”

“I’m a doctor and Marie’s coworker,” Dr. Royal says. “She’s really fucking good at her job, and our patients deserve her in their corner. Don’t fuck up her life.”

“I’m just here to take her to breakfast and drive her home,” the president says. “She just needs to agree to it first.”

“You promised, Kitty,” Storm says with a grin. None of them are wearing their helmets, and the neck gaiters they usually use are nowhere in sight.

I hate how smug and gorgeous they look too.

“I’m pretty sure you backed me into a wall,” I mutter.

Tommy and I talked yesterday morning for a while before I went into the shelter. He admitted that he couldn’t force me into doing things the way he coerced his employees. I’m his sister, not one of his fighters.

I’m still really leery about spending a lot of time with him. It’s going to take me some time to recover from a lifetime of being manipulated by Tommy.

I’ll probably need to be over the top in asserting what I want or need so he’ll get it. My brother has a very thick head.

“I’ll drive you home if you need a ride,” Dr. Royal says, frowning.

For a doctor, he’s tall and muscular. He’s also really attractive, which I figure is why Storm, Wilder and the President all fucking growl at him. If I had a name for “the Prez” I’d use it. However, I don’t because they didn’t exactly use names.

I only know Wilder’s because they used it when I was gagging on his cock. Shifting my weight, I decide to just get this over with. I’ll go on this date, eat, and then tell them I’m not interested in whatever they’re offering.

I may not be able to reject them, but I’m capable of doing this much. At the end of the day, they’re bikers who lead a different life than what I want.

“I should just get this over with,” I mutter. “Thank you though. Are you working tomorrow?”

“Unfortunately,” Dr. Royal sighs. “I have a couple of days off afterward though. Are you?”

“Yeah, I’m on shift every night this week,” I shrug.

“Marie, that’s insane,” he says. “Did you ask for that?”

“I did,” I shrug. “I told you, I need this job.”