by K E Osborn
Zero chuckles. “She’ll make a great Old Lady when you patch in.”
Koda’s eyes widen. “When I patch in?”
Zero’s face turns to serious. “Don’t deflect the situation. You left school without discussing this with Prinie and me, why?”
“I think us nearly dying because of a corrupt teacher in a secret society should be sufficient enough,” Koda mocks.
Figures we would send him to the one school that has a corrupt secret society!
Zero’s eyes shift to Wraith, and he nods. “You didn’t call for help.”
“I needed to prove myself.”
Zero rolls his shoulders and turns to the jock. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Corrupt teacher in the secret society’s son… and Koda’s best friend,” the jock states.
Zero snaps his head back to Koda. “Complicated?”
“Not really, he killed his father for us. He’s good people, Zero. I told him we could help him out. Help him find his feet here in Houston. Before we left, he found a job teaching self-defense downtown.”
“He’s not staying in the clubhouse.”
Koda bops his head. “I thought we could rent him one of the apartments across the street.”
Zero groans. “They’re meant to be for brother chapters and families. For overflow if the clubhouse is too full.”
“And for people who need a little help. Zero, please, he helped save us when the yacht was sinking. We owe him everything.”
Zero turns to the guy. “I need all your details, so I can run a background check on you. Anything comes up I don’t like, you’re out on your ass.”
“I hear you… thank you. If it helps, I still have ties to the Scorpio Society. It can come in handy if you guys ever need a hand with anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. In the meantime, Koda, what are your plans?”
He cuddles into his girl and exhales. “I need to talk to Prinie, but I’m a Walker, Zero. I belong here, in Defiance. I’m meant to wear a cut, to have a Defiance patch on my back, and a road name. To have an Old Lady on the back of my bike. To ride with my brothers, fight with my brothers. I’m not meant to be a scholar, Zero.”
“Okay… sounds like you’ve proven yourself worthy of the club. You want to prospect in, I’ll sponsor you, but we won’t make this easy on you. We won’t treat you differently. You want a patch, you gotta fucking earn it.” Zero exhales heavily.
Koda smiles so goddamn wide it’s like his cheeks are ripping with pride. His girl leans in kissing his cheek, and Koda pulls her into his side further.
“I’m gonna make you proud, Zero.”
“You already have ki… brother,” he corrects himself.
Koda steps forward, and Zero meets him halfway. He pulls Koda in for a man-style back-slapping hug. Koda chuckles as Zero pulls him back, staring at him. “I knew you had it in you, Koda, you just had to fight to find it.”
Koda peers over his shoulder, his eyes meeting his girl’s.
I’ve seen that look before.
When Zero looks at Cherry.
When Wraith looks at Prinie.
Kevlar at Sunshine.
Neon at Shiver.
It’s the look of a brother whose found his Old Lady. The look of a man who knows when he’s met the woman he wants.
Koda states, “I found it when I found her.”
Zero slaps Koda’s shoulder. “That’s generally how it works. C’mon, let’s get you guys inside and settled. I think we need to celebrate.”
Koda takes his woman’s hand, we walk into the clubhouse, everyone turning to see who’s arrived.
Prinie lets out a small shriek as she rushes over, her arms wrapping her brother up tightly as she goes. “It’s not holidays, so why are you here? Are you okay?”
Koda chuckles. “Fine, it’s a long story, but there’s someone I want you to meet.”
Prinie pulls back her eyes widening as she takes in Koda’s girl.
“Thayleah, this is my older sister and complete mental case, Prinie—”
“Hey! I resent that! But it’s about ninety percent accurate.” She laughs, taking Thayleah into an embrace.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Thayleah hugs her back with a chuckle.
“Likewise! I’ve heard all about you. Didn’t think I was going to meet you, though. Koda, you should have warned me, I would have worn a shirt without spit up all over it.”
Koda smirks. “I don’t think you even own a shirt without some kind of Sephy’s bodily functions on it.”
“That’s probably ninety percent accurate as well.”
Thayleah giggles. “Well, I’m glad I was able to come here, spit up or no spit up.”
“Me, too. Will you be staying long?”
Thayleah glances at Koda for guidance. “Indefinitely.”
Everyone stiffens their shoulders as Prinie widens her eyes. “Umm… the both of you?”
“Me, too!” the jock calls out from somewhere.
Prinie snaps her head around, trying to figure out where that came from. “Koda?”
“We left Stonewall. I’ll tell you all about it later, but can I get our stuff up to our room and let us unwind for a little bit before the interrogation?”
Prinie’s eyes sadden as she exhales. “You’re joining the club?”
Koda reaches out grabbing her hand. “You knew this was always going to happen. I’m not a kid anymore, Prinie. I’m a Walker, and I know you want to protect me, and so far, you’ve done amazing, but I have to step up and do what’s right, and that’s join the club.”
She sighs. “I know. It’s just you’re always gonna be my baby brother, you know?”
“I’m almost twenty, Prinie. I have to grow up.”
“And a fine job you’re doing of that, too.” She caresses Koda’s cheek lovingly.
Koda leans in, pressing his lips to her temple, then pulls back grabbing Thayleah’s hand in one and their bags in another. “Brady, you good?”
Jock’s name is Brady. Good to know.
But he’s too busy chatting with Nessie to even hear Koda, so he smirks, taking Thayleah upstairs obviously to settle in.
What a fucking whirlwind.
I glance at Neon as he scratches at his head. “Well, that was unexpected.”
I let out a snort. “You’re telling me. Did you know Koda had a chick?”
Neon shakes his head. “Nah, but I knew there was something going down at the school. I just didn’t think it would end up with him back at the club.”
“Or with some tagalongs,” I quip.
Neon chuckles. “Yeah, seems like we have a full house right now.”
“I’m gonna go check out this friend.”
“I’ll come too,” Neon replies as we turn heading for the bar.
Brady is sitting mid-conversation with Nessie with a drink in hand and a smile so fucking wide, the kid looks like he’s in his element. I pull up a stool on one side, Neon the other. Brady looks from Neon, to me, and back to Neon, then he looks straight at Nessie with wide eyes. He places his drink down and exhales. “Thanks for letting me crash here, guys. Koda’s told me so much about this place. I’m excited to be here.”
I grip his shoulder. His head snaps to meet me, the whites of his eyes showing me the slight fear in them. “Excited? This is a clubhouse. Just a few hours ago, I blew a guy’s head apart, his blood and brains splattering all over my friend’s face and now she is upstairs recovering from the shock of it all. If you think for a second, this is like some kind of amped-up frat house, you’re in for a rude awakening, kid.”
Brady cranes his neck to the side. “I’m not a stranger to danger.” He lets out a small laugh. “If you knew my father, if you knew what I did to my father, you’d know that little speech wouldn’t scare me. I might look and act like a jock, but I’ve seen and done things as part of the Scorpio Society that would make your blood and brain splatter look like a children’s painting.”
Raising my brow, I ch
eck the kid up and down. He’s well built, slight stubble across his jaw, definitely looks like he can handle himself. He’s probably telling the truth, so I glance at Neon.
He pulls out his tablet. “Brady, what’s your last name?”
Brady turns to Neon, raising his chin. “Background check won’t bring up the shit I did with the Scorpio’s, but feel free to look me up. Brady Huntington. My father was Vance Huntington the third.”
“The third? Why didn’t he carry on the tradition with you?”
Brady chuckles. “Because my mother was a saint and wouldn’t let the bastard. I mean seriously, could you imagine me as a Vance? No fucking way.”
I smirk, gripping his shoulder a little tighter. “I like you, Brady. You’re gonna do all right here.”
“I’ve already got a job teaching martial arts at a kid’s school not far from here, so I’m gonna be able to pay my way.”
“And Zero’s putting you up in the apartments across the street. So, I’m assuming, you’ll be here with Koda most of the time?” Neon asks.
“Yeah, probably, if that’s cool with you guys.”
“You’ll have to ask Zero. But I imagine any friend of Koda’s is a friend of the club’s too.”
“That’s cool.”
I move around staring at him intently. “So, this Thayleah… she and Koda serious?”
Brady snorts. “Man, they’ll be popping out kids and saying I do before you know it. He nearly died for her… twice.”
“Well, fuck me!” I chuckle looking at Neon who’s smiling wide.
“Good for him,” Neon states.
“You guys got yourselves a lady?” Brady asks, waggling his brows.
Neon chuckles. “Yeah, Shiver. She’s off racing at the moment.”
“Racing?”
“Drag bikes.”
Brady raises his brow. “Badass!”
Neon smirks. “Yeah, she is.”
Brady turns to me. “And you, big man?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, and I honestly don’t know what to say thinking about Fin.
“Fin,” Neon murmurs.
“What?” I blurt out.
Neon points behind me, and I glance over my shoulder to see Fin walking aimlessly around the clubhouse. “Fin’s down.”
“Shit! I better…” I tilt my head toward her and stand. “Good chat, Brady, see ‘ya round.”
As I walk off, Brady whispers, “She’s hot, man. Go get her, tiger!”
Turning back, I glare as Neon chuckles, then I rush over to Fin who’s standing by the pool table. Her arms are folded around her chest, and she’s looking a little lost. “You okay?”
Her eyes meet mine, and her face brightens instantly. She’s so fucking beautiful when she radiates like this. She reaches out for my hand, and I let her take it as we stare at each other. “I heard something going on downstairs. Some sort of commotion, so I wasn’t sure if I should stay upstairs. Then I peeked out of my room and saw Koda and a girl walking into his room. I thought he was off at college?”
Shrugging, I tilt my head to the side. “He was. Apparently, some shit went down with some secret society or some shit, so he came back with a girl and a friend. They all left. Now, Koda’s gonna prospect into the club.”
“Wow! So much has happened today.”
“This tends to be the running theme around here. One thing after the other.”
Her eyes fall from mine, and she licks her bottom lip. “That kiss, though…” A faint smile touches her lips, and my pulse quickens.
I step closer, taking her other hand as well. “Yeah… that kiss.”
Her eyes slowly lift to meet mine, and when they do, they’re smoldering with lust. My cock instantly jerks in my jeans. She’s so fucking hot I can barely contain myself as I bring my hand up to caress the non-bruised side of her face. “Just so you know… I’m gonna kiss you again.”
“She thinks you’re hot, too, man. Woop, woop!” Brady calls out, rushing past us in a flurry, and then he’s gone quicker than I even have time to yell at him.
Finley smirks, her hand coming up caressing mine that’s resting on her cheek. “And we will, Texas. Just not here, in the middle of the clubhouse, for everyone to see. Okay?”
I get it.
This, whatever this is between us, it’s brand-spanking-new. We don’t need to advertise it just yet, especially when we don’t even know what it is. I drop my hand from her face and take a step back from her. “So, Ms. Knight. What’s the first thing you want to do in your new home?”
A devilish smile lights her face. “Can you teach me to shoot a gun?”
“Shit! You’re here all of an hour, and we’re corrupting you already.” I let out a booming laugh.
Her face falls. “For protection, Texas. I don’t want to feel that useless ever again.”
I nod my head in understanding. “I can teach you, for sure. But I think we should also teach you how to throw a punch because a gun is not always the best defense.”
She rolls her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
“What! Now?”
“I don’t want to feel weak anymore, Texas. It’s not in my nature… I don’t like it.”
“Then follow me.”
FINLEY
It’s starting to get late, and even though I’m completely worn out from the events of today, I don’t want to go to sleep. Somehow, I feel like if I try to go to bed, I know images of what happened will haunt my mind. So here I am, with Texas, out the back of the clubhouse, spotlights set up illuminating the target zone. Texas has made it clear to the rest of the club we’re out here practicing so there’s no accidents. The last thing I want to do is shoot someone, even though that’s what this training is all about.
Chains moves the paper target up against the back wall, the one that has so many other bullet holes in it, where I guess they’ve done target practice a thousand times before. Chains drops it into place, then walks back over to Texas and me. “You’re good to go. I filled the ammo container with enough ammo for you to get a good feel for it. Everyone will be inside. I’ll be right through the door if you need me, Texas.”
Texas dips his chin to his joint Sergeant-at-Arms. “Thanks, brother.”
A sense of excitement bubbles up inside me, which is odd because I’ve always been more anti-guns than pro. But since being involved with the club, knowing the guys, seeing the guns they carry all the time and now being involved in a gun fight, I want to make sure if the need ever arises again, I know how to use one.
Texas brings up the pistol, loading the bullets in the magazine and checks the safety is on. “Okay, first things first. Always, always, check the safety.” He shows me the little switch, and I take it all in. “I’ll show you how to load and unload later, but for now, I think you just want to get straight to the shooting, right?”
Biting down on my bottom lip, I nod. “Yes.”
He chuckles. “Okay, stand in front of me.” I step in front of him with him at my back. The instant his front connects to my back, a shiver runs down my spine. I close my eyes for a brief moment, reveling in his touch. His head slides in next to my ear and his hands move around in front of me holding the gun. “Okay, Fin, take hold, and aim at the target.”
Swallowing hard, I take the cold metal in my hands, gripping first with my right, then left. His hands move over the top of mine, and I have to admit, being in this stance with him is doing things to my body I never thought I would ever feel.
“Part your legs a little wider,” his deep tenor voice whispers in my ear.
Trying to center myself, I let out a long breath as I slide my left leg out a little more. His leg moving with me. We’re so in sync with each other as his body is wrapped around mine completely, making me feel one hundred percent safe right now.
“Okay, Fin, what you’re gonna do, when I tell you, is flick off the safety, take in a breath, let it out, aim, then pull the trigger. It’s going to recoil in your hands, that’s why I’
m holding you for your first time… you ready?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Okay then, baby, let it go.”
He’s called me baby before, but now, now that we’ve kissed, it feels so much fucking better. It’s only spurring me on. So I follow his instructions, flicking off the safety, my heart racing frantically as I take in a deep breath. It comes out in a stutter as I let out the entire breath, but I focus completely when I close one eye, aim for the middle of the target, and close my finger around the trigger. It resists, my body pressing back into Texas as I pull on it harder. It’s like everything inside of me explodes the same time it fires. The gun recoils, Texas keeping hold of my wayward hands as I let out a loud squeal. The bullet flies through the air, missing the target paper and slamming into the wall beside it, sending shards of brick flying off everywhere.
But I don’t care about my bad aim.
It can be improved over time.
That feeling, though? It felt exhilarating.
I spin around to Texas, waving the gun around at him in my excitement. “I did it!” He quickly ducks out the way, rushing for the gun with a bright smile on his face as he takes it from me and flicks the safety back on.
“What’s the first rule, Fin?”
I wave my hand at him dismissively. “Safety smafety! That felt good to get some of those pent-up frustrations out.”
“You know you didn’t even hit the target?” Texas places the gun down on the side table, scratching his bald scalp.
I snort out a laugh. “I can’t be good at everything, Texas.”
He chuckles “You wanna go again?”
My eyes light up. “Can I?”
“We can do this all night if it makes you happy.” He picks up the gun, handing it to me.
I warm at his words, then turn toward the target.
Texas steps in behind me again, his body pressed up against me, letting me feel everything, including the erection I am definitely feeling. Smirking as his hands wrap around mine, I go through the routine, then pull the trigger. It recoils in my hands, but I have more control this time, and the bullet skims the outer edge of the paper. I exhale, aim and fire again, this time it hits the target in the outer ring.
I have to admit, the thrill of hitting the target is one thing, but the adrenaline of getting my fear and anxiety out, is what’s fueling this right now. I pull the trigger again, thinking about the men who came into my house and took my sanctity from me. I pull the trigger again, thinking of Maxen and his goons trying to take my livelihood from me. Then again as I picture the man gripping at my ankles and pinning me to the floor while punching me in the face. I keep going, my mind flashing through the events of today—how they made me feel small and pathetic—until the bullets run out, and the paper target is almost disintegrated. I pant for breath, trying to calm myself from the outburst that I didn’t know how much I needed. My hands are shaking, and it’s only now I realize Texas isn’t holding my hands anymore.