Page 8 of Wild Night (Vicious Reapers MC #2)

CHAPTER SEVEN

IVY

Thunder Rock doesn’t have a thriving nightlife, which is the main reason the club is here and not down in Raleigh or somewhere else with a larger population and city life.

We need a small population and space. This is the perfect place for that.

It’s why we stay, and it’s why if even one of us moves away, we come back.

Like me.

I wasn’t sure that being here at the original charter was going to be my destiny. I knew I wanted to be an attorney like my father. I knew I wanted to be part of the Vicious Reapers like him, too. I just didn’t know if Thunder Rock was where I was going to do all of that.

But after living in the city for my undergrad, then moving to a smaller town for law school, even that was too big at over a hundred thousand people. I knew that Thunder Rock was where I needed to be, so once I graduated, I came home.

But as I pull up to the only decent restaurant open for dinner, I almost regret being here. “There isn’t a lot open at night. Diners are our claim to fame,” I announce as we take turns climbing off my bike.

Posey doesn’t say anything immediately. She’s got her head tipped back slightly as she looks at the name of the restaurant. “The Copper Pot,” she says as she reads the name aloud.

“It’s not much more than diner food with some steaks thrown in,” I say.

She turns her head, and her eyes find mine. “Where do you think I’m from, Ivy?” she asks. “Because I’m from a small town, too.”

“Yeah?” I ask.

She nods her head once, her lips curving up into a smile.

“Yeah,” she says. “When I was younger, we had two coffee shops, three diners, and one restaurant open for dinner. Then, the winery industry blew up. It’s not a thriving metropolis or anything, but there’s a bit more now than there used to be. It’s still fairly rural.”

“Well then, it won’t be a surprise that there isn’t anything fancy about this place.”

Without another word, I place my hand at the small of her back and gently push her forward. Together, we walk toward the front door. Reaching out, I curl my fingers around the door pull and tug it open.

Posey passes through the door, and I follow behind her, watching as she makes her way to the hostess stand. The hostess smiles as we approach, but then her eyes widen when they flick to my patches and notice who I am or at least the club’s name.

“Can I help you?” the hostess asks softly.

She can’t be more than sixteen years old, so she’s probably scared shitless at the sight of the Vicious Reapers name on my cut.

It makes me smile. I try to appear harmless so she’s not downright terrified.

I know I’m not, harmless that is. But when it comes to this little girl working at this restaurant, I am just that—completely harmless.

A few moments later, we’re seated with a glass of ice water each and sticky plastic menus in front of us.

I shift in my seat, my eyes scanning the menu but seeing nothing.

Thankfully, I have this thing memorized.

It’s one of the few places open when I’m working late.

My cousin, Cidney, will get it for me and bring it to the office before she leaves for the night.

“Do you know what’s good here?” Posey asks.

Lifting my eyes, I look over the top of the menu at her. Her teeth are worrying the corner of her bottom lip, and I highly doubt that she’s really asking me about the food but is more trying to get me to talk.

“I have to admit something,” I say, leaning forward and speaking just above a whisper. Posey leans forward as well, her eyes wide and dancing as they search mine. “I’ve never actually eaten inside this building before. My secretary usually brings me the salmon and a vegetable with rolls.”

Her lips curve up into a grin, and she shakes her head. “You’re a mess, Ivy,” she exhales.

She shifts her attention back to her menu.

Her brows snap together as she searches the single page of items. It’s cute as fuck.

A few moments later, the waiter appears, and I order a beer and the salmon.

I decide not to fuck up a good thing since it’s the only item I’ve ever tasted, and it’s damn good.

Posey orders a salmon salad and a glass of white wine. I tilt my head to the side, unable to take my eyes off her as she finishes her order. The waiter sets down a breadbasket and then thankfully disappears, leaving us alone for now.

“Where are you from exactly?” I chance asking.

“Shellgrove, California. It’s on the northern coast of the state. Only about six thousand people, but I work at a winery about thirty minutes out of town.”

“Yeah?” I ask.

I could have already had all this information this morning if I weren’t so focused on this husband of hers. I didn’t even read what town she lived in, just that it was California, and I didn’t look to see what her job was or even her address.

Once I got wind of a man, it was the only thing I could focus on. And then said man was a puzzle, so solving said puzzle was the only thing that mattered. Now I can genuinely ask questions and hopefully get some answers from her—real answers, though. Not bullshit ones.

“I am the assistant wine club manager. It’s not anything special. I do all the boring wine club stuff, like bill people their fees, send out newsletters, run their social media, and help put together the wine club pickup parties once a quarter.”

“You don’t think that shit is special?” I ask.

She shakes her head, her eyes meeting mine before she speaks, and when she does, I can’t help but wonder if anyone else feels this way when they’re around me. I wonder if my own brothers do. If they did, it would piss me off because I have never once thought I was any different than they are.

“It’s definitely not anything like an attorney. I only have an associate’s degree, and it took me so many years to complete that it’s embarrassing .”

Leaning back, I clear my throat. “Did I give off the impression that I think less of anyone who isn’t a lawyer?” I ask.

Posey’s tongue slips out and slides across her bottom lip, then she sinks her teeth into the flesh. Fuck, I want my teeth to sink into the flesh of her lip. I want to sink my cock inside of her cunt, too.

“No,” she exhales. “It’s my thinking. You haven’t said anything.”

My lips twitch into a smirk. “Well, stop that shit,” I snap, keeping my tone light.

POSEY

I’m not sure what is happening here, but I like it. And I know I shouldn’t because my track record with men is crap. I should not trust any instinct that I have when it comes to the opposite sex, but I seriously like Ivy.

He’s calm and cool. When he speaks, it’s not only with authority and confidence, but it’s also with a softness that I can’t quite put my finger on. He’s like no man I’ve ever had in my life before.

I wish I had met him when I wasn’t this damaged. When I was free to make decisions and choices. I can’t do that now, though. I’m married to a man who is nothing more than a ghost… a nightmare—a monster.

Dinner is delicious and reminds me of home. Ivy and I make small talk after the discussion of my job. Nothing is deep. Everything stays on the surface. Then I ask him about the club and what it really all means.

“You have MCs in California. Hell, the Vicious Reapers are there. I’ve worked with them before.”

“I don’t know anything about them,” I say.

It’s true. All I know about a motorcycle club is what Dakota has shared, which isn’t much. She basically said it was an MC, her man was the president, and they were a protective family unit. Anything else I found out about them was because I Googled. But as much as I want to trust Google, I can’t.

“Tell me about it,” I urge. “Does anyone else have a job like you, or do they all just work at the security store?”

He arches a brow, not expecting me to know that part of their business. “It’s not a secret,” I say. “I Googled the club, and the Thunder Security Supply popped up on the first search page.”

“I own a portion of the club. All the members do. We’re equal in all ways when it comes to the security supply company and all that entails.”

Nodding, I stay quiet, hoping he will continue. Thankfully, he does. “We’re a brotherhood. But no, I’m not the only one who works elsewhere. Piggy is a cop here in town.”

My eyes widen at that announcement, and my lips part in awe. I did not expect that, not in the fucking slightest. He looks like he is about to laugh. Instead, he leans back slightly in his chair and looks at me as if waiting for whatever other questions are coming his way.

“I don’t even know what else to ask,” I say.

“You can ask anything at any time. I can’t promise you I’ll answer it the way you want, but you can ask me.”

I figured he would say as much. When I don’t ask anything else, Ivy pays the bill, and we leave the restaurant, walking out into the cool evening. If I thought it was chilly before, it’s downright cold now.

A shiver slides over my entire body. Ivy slides his arm around my shoulders, no doubt sensing the change in temperature. “Let’s go for a walk,” he announces.

We walk side by side down the sidewalk of the downtown area. It reminds me so much of home, but at the same time, it’s different. I never felt at peace in Shellgrove. How could I when memories of my parents, of my sister, were around every corner? Not to mention Lucian.

Every mistake I ever made is laced in that town.

But here, they’re nowhere to be remembered, and I can’t help but feel as if a weight has been lifted from me. I’m not sure if it’s the place, the man, or the distance. Whatever it is, I don’t care. It feels good, and for a moment, with this man’s arm wrapped around me, I can forget everything.

All of it.