Page 4 of Wild Night (Vicious Reapers MC #2)

CHAPTER THREE

POSEY

After a hot shower, I scrounge around in the closet for a T-shirt that will cover my bare ass, considering the meager belongings I brought in my car are still in the trunk. I didn’t bother getting anything out during the wedding last night, but I am regretting that now.

Thankfully, there is a shirt long enough to cover what needs to be covered because I’m not about to put on dirty panties to do the walk of shame to my car. Instead, I do it barefoot in a faded black T-shirt that belongs to… someone.

Inhaling a deep breath, I hold it for a moment, then wrench the door open. I step out into the hallway and look from left to right, but it’s quiet. There is nobody around, which is a stark difference from last night when there were people everywhere.

Padding down the hall, I go in search of the main room and the exit door so I can get my bags and put some clothes on, or at the very least, a bra and panties. Moving both quickly and quietly, I make my way toward the main room.

I let out a sigh of relief that there aren’t any extra hallways for me to get lost in, and I find the bar area easily. I don’t remember the main room at all last night. I was too lost in the moment with Ivy, lost to him, to the taste of his lips.

All I remember is that it was a bar.

Nothing else.

But what I don’t recall is that this bar had bodies all over it, and those bodies I don’t remember are all over the floor in various stages of undress. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

I’m not sure if I should be feeling uncomfortable, but I’m not. They had fun last night, and that’s all that matters. Good for them and also good for me because none of them are awake enough to notice as I sprint through the room and toward the door.

Slipping outside, I practically dance on the gravel parking lot. I didn’t remember it being so rocky yesterday, but barefoot, it freaking hurts. I hurry to my driver’s side door, open it, and pop the trunk.

I drag my bag out of my trunk, not recalling how heavy it was. Or maybe I just have a freaking hangover. I tug the handle up to drag the bag behind me and head back into the bar.

Unfortunately, I am not as lucky as I was the first time, and there is someone not only awake but dressed and watching me from across the room. He’s a tall blond and, just like most of the others, so damn good-looking that it makes me ache.

He dips his chin in my direction, then clears his throat and makes his way toward me. I pause as he approaches.

“I’m Viking,” he announces.

I don’t know what to think about that, so instead of saying anything, I give him a smile.

“Posey,” I say, although I’m pretty sure he knows exactly who I am, considering Dakota made sure to introduce me to every breathing person in this place last night.

He doesn’t say that, though. Instead, he gives me a small smile, then closes the distance between us and reaches for the handle of my bag, taking it from my grasp.

I watch as he tugs it behind him, walking away with my stuff. I’m frozen in place, and for a moment, I stare at him, wondering what the hell is going on. Something inside of me shifts, and my body jerks as I quickly follow behind him.

He drags my bag back to the same room where I spent the night last night.

The obviously empty room that is likely just for guests.

Maybe I should try and stay at the motel in town.

I remember passing one yesterday. Once I get dressed, I might just do that.

I don’t want to be a bigger burden than I already know I’m going to be here.

He wheels my bag to the side of the bed, releases his grasp, then turns to face me. He lifts his gaze to meet mine. I pause, my body tight, and not just because I had such amazing sex that I’m not used to having, and I’m sore. It’s tight because I can tell he’s going to say something.

He has something on his mind and the tip of his tongue, and I’m not sure I’m going to like it. Sucking in my breath, I hold it for a moment waiting for this stranger to speak. To tell me whatever it is he’s thinking.

“You wanna tell me why you’re here?” he asks.

Well, that’s not too bad. But I don’t.

I don’t want to tell him anything, but instead of saying that , I say nothing. Tilting my head to the side, I watch him and try to think of something to say. I don’t want to tell this stranger anything.

Nothing at all.

Hell, I don’t even want to tell Dakota, and I know I’m not going to have a choice when it comes to her. But this guy? I don’t have to tell him shit. At least, I feel like I don’t. But at the same time, I don’t know if I have the luxury of a choice since I came here and entered his space.

“No,” I whisper.

His lips twitch into a smirk as he moves toward me.

He stops a few inches in front of me. His chin dips slightly as his gaze searches mine.

He doesn’t scare me. I’ve been scared before, and I don’t feel any trepidation when it comes to the way he’s looking at me, but I still don’t want to say anything.

“You don’t want to tell me why you’re here?” he asks.

“I’m here to meet and get to know my niece.”

It’s a partial truth, but it makes me feel bad because I’m not just here to get to know Dakota. It’s only a partial truth because it’s also a partial lie. I am an asshole. I’m my sister and my parents. That saying is true, as much as I don’t want it to be— the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree .

It’s clear that I am not an honest or trustworthy person.

Instantly, I hate myself.

I should be honest and trustworthy. I’ve always wanted to be different than my past, from the people who raised me. But I’m not. There is no reason that I shouldn’t or can’t be, yet here I am, lying.

I’m not here to just get to know my niece. I’m here for protection. I want these men, these wild men, to protect me from Lucian. To guard me from whatever wrath he tries to send my way. Because make no mistake, his wrath is imminent.

“You’re a liar,” he snorts. “But that’s okay. You’re in denial.”

Then, without another word, he walks past me and out of the room, leaving me alone. Well, he called me on my shit but didn’t force anything, so I guess that’s… good ? Instead of overanalyzing the conversation, I decide to put some clothes on. I’m feeling very exposed, both inside and out.

IVY

Piggy doesn’t just call me back with information. Instead, I hear a knock on my door. Fucking hell. Standing, I walk over and wrench it open, knowing it’s his ass because there would be no reason for anyone else to be here. Piggy stands in front of me with a grim expression on his face.

“Shit,” I hiss as I step to the side.

He walks inside, and I close the door behind him before I turn to face him. When he jerks his chin toward the sofa, I know shit is about to get real. This isn’t just a chat about how this guy is an asshole. This is something bigger.

Sinking down on the cushion in my usual spot, I watch as Piggy sits on the chair beside me and lets out a heavy sigh. Well, fuck me, what the hell is happening here? I start to ask him just that when he begins to tell me.

“Lucian Whitmore is an asshole. But he’s not just an asshole. He’s an asshole that doesn’t exist.”

Tilting my head to the side, I wonder what the fuck he’s trying to tell me.

He isn’t spitting it out, though. I watch as he shifts in his seat.

“She’s trying to divorce him. She filed the paperwork after he walked away and didn’t come back for over a year, but he vanished vanished, leaving her paying rent she couldn’t afford, according to the court documents.

She’s trying to get a divorce by default and has been waiting the time out. ”

“Do you think he’s back and that’s why she’s come here without an ounce of warning?” I ask.

“I think that’s a damn good guess. She also doesn’t need to file shit, in my opinion, because they’re not legally married. At least not Lucian Whitmore. Because that fucker doesn’t exist. I don’t know what kind of fake documents he gave the courthouse, but they aren’t fucking married.”

I’m not sure what the fuck is happening right now. I don’t know how to respond because I don’t know what he’s telling me or not telling me. Posey thinks she’s married, yet she’s not. This whole thing is beyond weird. And why the fuck would this man pretend to marry her?

“I felt about as confused as you look right now, so I kept digging. I couldn’t dig into him because the trail stops right fucking there.

Instead, I started digging into her. From what I can gather, she didn’t know him for very long before she married him.

Social media–wise, there weren’t any pictures of him before the wedding pictures. ”

“And other men in her life?” I ask.

I don’t know why this shit seems so important, but I’m sensing something is very wrong here, and I need to figure it out.

I don’t know why, but I do. I could see it in her eyes last night.

I know that she’s hiding something. I just don’t know how deep it goes, and I don’t want more shit brought to our club.

At least, that’s what I tell myself, trying to pretend that this information dig isn’t for personal reasons.

It’s all for the club…

“She is a wine club manager at a winery in Northern California. Just in case you were wondering what she did for money. There have been other social media posts with different men, but she didn’t live with any of them that I could find. Just this guy.”

I rub my chin back and forth, trying to fucking piece this shit together. “Why would he give her a fake name? Is he married? And if that’s the case, why did he just vanish for years? What the fuck is going on?”

Piggy shakes his head. “I think we’re not going to find out much more until Posey starts talking.”

I think he’s right, but I don’t think she’s going to be spilling her guts anytime soon.

Maybe Dakota can get her to confide, but I don’t know if we have the time for that.

She’s getting ready to go on her honeymoon in a few days, and whatever the fuck kind of trouble this woman is bringing to our door, we need to know sooner rather than later.

“Can you fuck it out of her?” Piggy asks, obviously knowing that I did just that last night

Arching a brow, I look at him, unspeaking, then I clear my throat. “You’re telling me to pretend with her? Like a fake fucking relationship?” I ask.

He shrugs a shoulder. “Worse things to do than fuck a gorgeous woman and get some answers out of her. Was she a bad lay?”

As much as I feel like it’s some sort of betrayal to tell him how Posey was in bed, I push those thoughts aside and answer him.

“She was fucking great.”

“Then it really shouldn’t be an issue, at least until we know what the fuck we’re dealing with.

After that, you do whatever the fuck you want.

But this is about our club and Dakota. You brought it to me, and as good as I am, there is something deeper happening here that I can’t put my finger on yet. ”

“We keep this under wraps until we know for sure what’s going on,” I state.

Piggy jerks his chin. “Agreed.”

A few moments later, we are leaving my place together. I guess I need to get to work on Posey. He’s right. It won’t be a hardship to get information out of her. She’s a great lay, but I have a feeling it’s going to be hard not to fall for her in the process.

There is something that draws me to her. I wanted to stay away for that reason, and now it seems like I’m going to be in the mix of it. Fucking hell . I’m not sure if I’m ready for this.