Forgotten & Found: A Dark & Dirty Sinners' MC Boxset

by Serena Akeroyd

  “Yeah. Wow.”

  The drive into West Orange only took a few minutes, and when we arrived at the diner, finding it busy, my heart sank.

  Lily, having cast a glance at me and my long face, snorted. “The service is fast here.” She grinned. “That baby is changing you.”

  I frowned a little, because she was right. It was actually unnerving. First meat, then a complete change of appetite? I was used to going hungry. Used to dieting and doing without just to stay slim.

  To be allowed to do the opposite wasn’t exactly liberating, more like confusing. How much more was my body going to change? I’d been waiting on Sin to book the appointment with my doctor, but had I delayed not only so that he’d be there for every step of the way, but so he’d hold my hand?

  I didn’t… Crap, I wasn’t a very maternal person. I didn’t look at a baby and get goo-goo eyes. In however many weeks, I’d be really round, and popping out a kid who was me and Sin combined, and that was the only part that didn’t freak me out.

  I wanted that.

  But, shit, diapers? Baby vomit?

  Hard pass.

  Only, there was no hard pass, was there? Wasn’t like I had a choice on those parts.

  “Hey, are you okay?” she asked as we took a seat.

  I gnawed on my lip a little as I pulled the menu over to me. The place was decked out like a real, vintage diner. All red vinyl with those rounded countertops like you saw in the movies or in reruns of Happy Days, which I only watched when I was feeling really down. I couldn’t imagine how much the MC had spent to make the place look so old. The Formica wasn’t scratched or scraped, the silver flourishes were all squeaky clean, and the counter was loaded down with vintage-looking sauce bottles and the like, making it seem even more old-school.

  As I peered down at the list of burgers, my mouth watering as I read, I just shrugged at her question.

  Of course, Lily being Lily, that wasn’t enough. “Dude.” She kicked my foot under the table. “What’s up?”

  I heaved a sigh. “It’s weird, is all.”

  “What is?”

  “Not being in control of my own body.”

  She didn’t laugh like I thought she might. I figured Lily thought I was indestructible because I was stubborn, loud-mouthed when required, and ballsy—not frightened to make myself heard.

  Sometimes, however, even the strong were weak, and it seemed I’d found my weakness.

  A child.

  Her hand covered mine. “It’s going to be okay. Remember? Commune baby.” Her lips twitched. “Link and Sin as daddies, and me and you as mommas.”

  I snorted. “That’s going to be insane.”

  She winked. “What about our life isn’t?”

  “True,” I admitted wryly.

  The waitress bustled over, looking harried and faintly sweaty. I understood why—it was kind of hot in here.

  “Everything okay, ladies? You ready to order?”

  I smiled at her, thinking how glad I was that Lily had said I didn’t need to work here, so I decided to be super nice. “Cherry Coke, please, and the bacon burger with avocado and large fries.” I wrinkled my nose. “Can the bacon be extra crispy, please?” When Lily snickered, I shot her a wry look. “If I’m going to hell for eating meat, I’m going to double the load with bacon.”

  Her grin widened, but she turned to the waitress and said, “I’ll have the falafel buddha bowl, please. Lemon tea to drink.”

  The waitress wrote our order down, hustled away, and as she did, my brows rose at the sight of her shoes.

  “She must be crazy,” I whispered to Lily, who peered over her shoulder and whistled.

  “Jesus, they have to be four inches high!”

  I pulled a face. “I hate breaking heels in.”

  “Who’d wear those around here?”

  “Do you think she’s a stripper?”

  “Not everyone who wears hooker heels is a hooker. Or in this instance, a stripper,” Lily chided.

  “Who the fuck works a busy service with high heels strapped to their feet unless they have to get used to wearing super high heels?” I argued, and as we bickered over shit, like we usually did, a sense of comfort flooded me.

  This was normal.

  This was life.

  And it felt good.

  Baby or not, Lily and I would always bicker with one another. We’d still get pedis, even if the kid was stuck to my boob, and we’d still ride around town blasting music—okay, maybe it would be quieter, but babies liked cars, didn’t they? Hadn’t I seen on a show that sometimes the only way to get a kid to sleep was from the vibration of the car?

  Life would change dramatically, and it would never be the same again, but Lily wouldn’t change. Our friendship wouldn’t. Sin wouldn’t either. Not really. He’d still be the same calm dude who was really hard to rile. Who didn’t mind making me a cup of decaf first thing or kissing me with morning breath.

  I had to just chill out and remember that.

  The burger came, and it was heaven. Mouth orgasm bliss—Lily was right about that. I actually moaned a few times as the juices sank into my mouth, tissues that had been parched of their glory for way too long. All the while, Lily would laugh at me as I groaned and drooled over the delicious concoction while she ate her falafels which, while not standard diner fare, she actually said were pretty damn good.

  Appreciating her sacrifice, I murmured, “God, thanks, Lily.”

  She winked at me. “It’s what sisters do for each other, huh?”

  I grinned, then felt a little guilty when she paid, but she arched a brow at me, clucking her tongue. “Don’t start,” she warned, making me huff. “You’re working for the MC. That’s all I asked of you, and you’re doing it.”

  “While Mom spends a fortune on QVC.”

  “You haven’t seen her in a few days, have you?” Lily inquired softly.

  I shook my head. “Not since the meal. I tried to call her yesterday, but she didn’t answer. Not only that, it’s not like I haven’t been busy. Plus, I’m still annoyed at her. That dig about Daddy rolling in his grave? Uncalled for.”

  “It was, but she’s being weird.”

  “Weirder than usual?”

  “Yeah. She’s never leaving her room. Not even for food. You should go see her,” Lily prompted gently, her eyes on the straw in her glass as she twirled the ice around. When it clinked, she murmured, “I think she’s mad at your dad but misses him, you know?”

  Because I understood entirely, gruffly, I muttered, “I know.”

  “I’m always here. To talk.”

  “I know, babe. Thank you.” I blew out a breath. “I just… Christ, at the minute, I don’t have all that much to say.” And I didn’t. Sure, it hurt, and at random points of the day, it would feel crucifying. I’d be in the shower, and all of a sudden, I’d think of him and it would just hurt.

  Like a knife in the hand pain.

  Like a kick to the gut agony.

  Lily’s mouth softened as she looked at me, seeming to sense how I was feeling. “I get that. You’ve got a lot to process.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” I muttered. “It hurts. It will always hurt. But at the moment, I’m just mad. I need that to disperse, then I think I’ll grieve. It’s funny,” I mused, a little soggily. “I know the five stages of grieving like the back of my hand, but it’s different now that I’m going through them myself. While it’s selfish, I can’t deal with her grief as well because she’s acting like a toddler, when we both need to pull on our big girl panties and deal with the shit Daddy left us in together.”

  She reached over and patted my hand. “I’m here when you’re ready.”

  “Same goes, Lily.” I caught her eye, made sure she knew what I was talking about, and when she nodded, I sighed.

  “Come on, let’s get back. I need to finish those books for Link. You wouldn’t believe how much he gets for his custom jobs,” she shared on a whisper.

  I heard her pride though, and m
y lips twitched as I said, “I didn’t know that’s what he did. I thought he was a mechanic.”

  “He is, but it’s his custom work that brings in the big bucks.” She whistled. “Like, if he went off on his own, cut ties with the MC? No joke, he’d be a millionaire.”

  My eyes widened at that. “Christ.”

  “Yeah, my reaction exactly,” she replied with a laugh as we headed on out.

  There was a parking lot adjacent to the strip mall where the MC’s businesses were based. I knew the Sinners owned this joint, simply because it had pissed my father and Donavan off when they’d received the licenses for the place. The Sinners had more pull in City Hall than our fathers had, which had blown their minds, and knowing the Sinners slightly from the few parties I’d attended, it had always amused me.

  As we crossed the street, I wasn’t even sure where the guy came from. One second, the sidewalk was empty, and the next, he was there. Walking toward us. I thought nothing of it until he was at our backs, hustling into us. Lily grabbed her bag, held it to her, thinking he was mugging us, but the guy was faster.

  Only, he didn’t want her purse.

  I felt the barrel in my lower back, knew he’d done the same with Lily, because she tensed up and froze on the sidewalk.

  “You’re going to walk to your car, open it up, and not make a fucking move I don’t order, do you understand me?”

  Heart in my throat, I could hear the blood rushing in my ears as my gaze darted around for Lily’s tail, but it wasn’t there.

  It.

  Wasn’t.

  Fucking.

  There.

  Where were the rough and ready bikers who were supposed to be keeping us safe? Had they learned nothing from what had happened to Giulia?

  Before the thought could paralyze me, the barrel dug into me, the cold metal right at the bottom of my back where my kidney was.

  I was so proud of how fucking strong I was, so ready to fight, but at that moment, it all disappeared. I felt like a balloon with air whistling out of it, sagging as all I could think of was the child sleeping there, growing, waiting to be born, and I trembled as I whispered, “We won’t do anything.”

  Lily tensed some more, and I knew I’d surprised her. Normally, I’d have screamed. I knew I would. I’d have grabbed her purse and hit him over the fucking head with it, smashing it into him and making him back the hell away.

  But I wasn’t just Tiffany anymore.

  I was Tiffany who had a life in her belly.

  I was a mother in the making.

  I was different, and it went so much fucking deeper than the need for beef.

  “Good,” he grunted, making me wish I’d seen his face before he’d rushed up on us, but I hadn’t been paying attention.

  Why would I?

  He was there one second, just walking toward us like a regular passerby, then he’d swooped in like a fucking magpie on the hunt for something shiny.

  He shoved the gun into my back, making my hands fly up. It was stupid, but I covered my belly like that could stop a bullet and walked forward the second he began to move.

  We headed for the shiny sports car, and Lily whispered, “Can I get the key from my purse?”

  “Yeah, but don’t make any sudden moves.”

  He was so close to us that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, and I wanted to close my eyes, wanted to scream as I wondered how stupid we’d been to just come into town without anyone on us.

  Before Link, before Donavan had warrants issued for his arrest, she’d always been tailed by guards. Where were the Prospects who were following her? Or were they here and they didn’t realize something shady was going down? Surely, we looked like we were being hijacked, so why were they leaving us alone?

  Alone with a gun-wielding asshole who wanted something from us, and I was pretty sure neither of us had it to give.

  This had to be Sinner related, didn’t it?

  Surely?

  Or...

  Daddy.

  The mafia had ruined us. Had ruined him. Were they trying to take me too? As what? Some kind of payment?

  Feeling nauseated by the endless wheel of thoughts, I was almost relieved to stop thinking when Lily opened the car.

  “Go to the passenger side first.”

  His order had us shooting each other a look, but as I glanced around us, I saw there was no one.

  Fucking no one who could help us.

  Where the fuck was everyone?

  The diner had been getting busy, but surely someone would come out soon?

  Panic hit me, because I knew you weren’t supposed to allow a kidnapper to take you to an alternate location, but I couldn’t let him shoot us. Just…couldn’t.

  Fuck, why couldn’t—

  The barrel was shoved harder into my back.

  “Open the door and get into the backseat,” he rasped, digging the gun even harder into me, forcing me to obey.

  My legs almost caved in as I did as he asked, and it stunned me how weak I was at that moment.

  This was the time for Momma Bear to come out, to rip into him, to tear into him, but I couldn’t.

  I just…

  I felt frozen inside.

  Later, when we were safe, if we were safe again, I’d hate myself. I’d regret it. But now? I just needed to do as he said.

  I needed to obey.

  “Get in,” he ordered Lily, who scrambled across the console, the move awkward in the tight confines of the car.

  When I saw he was focused on her, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and quickly messaged Sin blindly, my thumb moving on instinct.

  Me: SOS. LIly’s cqr is bin hij9cced.

  Seconds later, Sin replied, but I didn’t get the chance to read it. I took advantage of the man dipping down and getting into the seat to drop our live location. As he settled in the seat, I slipped my phone between my legs so the guy couldn’t see what I’d done. My timing was lucky. He twisted so that he could aim the guns at each of us, and now in place, he ground out, “Drive. I’ll direct.”

  Storm

  With Keira’s angry words and Cyan’s sobs in my ears, I rode too fast on the West Essex streets as I rolled into the town where I’d been born and raised.

  The distance between us was nothing to what would be in our future, because, fuck, she wouldn’t be coming with me, and I didn’t have a choice about leaving.

  I was being shipped down to Coshocton, to the currently Prez-less chapter who was in need of someone to take charge of their rudderless ship.

  For years, I’d wanted more. Rex was the best Prez, though, and as VP, that was as high as I knew I’d ever get here. Unless he got hurt. And to be honest, I loved him too much to wish that, even if I knew I was at the end of the road here.

  I meant that in more ways than one.

  West Orange wasn’t good for me.

  It never had been.

  Not until Keira.

  My throat turned into fucking knots as I wondered what the hell was the matter with me.

  The one good fucking thing in my life, and I fucked it up.

  I fucked everything up.

  West Orange was one huge mistake, and the only light at the end of the goddamn tunnel was Cyan.

  She was the hope I had that I wasn’t a total mistake.

  She was my everything, but to get away from the man I was here, I needed to go to Ohio. Needed to move away.

  At church this morning, Rex told us all how it had gone down in Coshocton, how Peggy and Butch were now pig food and how they’d betrayed us, but I’d never expected him to tell me to get my ass over there and run the chapter.

  The second I thought it over, though, I knew it was a chance for a fresh start.

  Knew it was a path rife with possibilities.

  I’d thought they’d come with.

  It had never not occurred to me that they wouldn’t, but Keira had refused, and now?

  I was fucking lost.

  I had to go down there. I had to.
I needed the change of pace. It wasn’t enough to watch over the strip joint, to deal with the chop shop shit with Steel. I needed more responsibility, more room to grow. But leaving Keira and Cyan behind? Fuck, I wasn’t sure if I could even do it.

  I revved the bike harder, pushing it past the speed limit as I blasted down the highway on my way toward town.

  When my cell buzzed, I almost ignored it, but along the wind, I heard Rex’s ringtone, and I knew not to ignore his call.

  The idea that, in Coshocton, a bunch of brothers would feel the same way about me, that they’d feel that same fear, was an unexpected thrill.

  Power didn’t get me going, but I figured the idea of being more, of doing more than just being Rex’s lackey, was the only way I’d ever get out of this rut.

  Too much pussy.

  Too much drink.

  Fuck.

  Temptations were rampant everywhere, but I was wasting myself here. Wasting away because I was living with regrets for shit I’d done when I was even more stupid than I was now.

  Keira was forever.

  She had that vibe about her, and being the dumbfuck I was back then, I’d been unable to deal with that.

  Now?

  I’d give my liver to have her back.

  With my phone still buzzing, I pulled over, not because of Rex’s call, but because the tears in my eyes were getting in the way of my driving. I didn’t need to crash my fucking bike. Moving away was better for Cyan than her daddy dying in a road accident, and even though I was crying like a pussy, it was, I thought, only a smart man who recognized what he’d done, the mistakes he made, and who could mourn for it and his stupidity.

  As I rode to the side, cars whipped past me, a few blaring their horns at how I’d slipped through the lanes.

  I ignored them, reached for my cell, and when I saw the messages, I didn’t call Rex back, just dealt with them straight.

  Seeing the live location I’d been sent a screenshot of, I typed out my reply.

  Me: I’m two minutes away. I’m on the highway, just need to pull around.

  Rex: GO! We’re sending back up. ETA, ten minutes. Her guards didn’t realize she’d gone out.

  Me: Fuck. Nyx needs to slam some skulls. On it.

  Thinking about how the brothers on Lily were going to get their asses handed to them didn’t beat down my anger as I shoved my phone back into my jeans then revved my bike into life.