Deceptive (The Houston Defiance MC Series Book 6)

by K E Osborn

  “How about you stay out tonight, have a good time with Billie, and I will talk to Zero?”

  Reaching out for his hand, I give him a simple nod, and a slow smile crosses his face. “Yeah… okay.”

  “It’s settled then. You two have a good night.”

  “Thanks again, Cherry,” I tell her, then she ends the call.

  Phantom pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace. “You’re a wild card, you know that?”

  Chuckling, I snuggle into him. “I’m not letting you leave the club for me.”

  He plants a tender kiss on top of my head. “And I’m not giving you up for the club. So… it seems we’re at a stalemate.”

  Smiling, I shrug. “Maybe Cherry will make it so you won’t have to give up anything. That you get to walk away with both.”

  “You think we can have it all?”

  “If Zero will ease up on me, we might just be able to take our relationship to the next level.”

  Phantom pulls me tighter to him. “Because I want that more than anything.”

  We both understand what that next level means. He wants me to wear his property patch, and I want to wear it so damn bad. I want to be his Old Lady. I want him to give me a nickname that means something to just us. I want it all, and Cherry has just given us a little glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, we might be able to have that life.

  And a glimmer of hope is all we need right now.

  Threading my hand with his, I sigh. “You think we’ll get to that place?”

  He looks down at me. “What place is that?”

  “Happy?”

  He chuckles, leaning in wrapping his arms around me. “I’m happy… you’re not happy?”

  “I’m talking more long term here… you know, the picket fence, the two point five kids, a fluffy little dog—”

  “A fluffy dog? Bikers don’t have fluffy dogs, babe. Well, except for Texas, who, for some reason, has this crazy ‘oodle’ thing with Ash. But what Ash wants, she gets.”

  Smirking, I narrow my eyes on him. “Out of all of that, you focused on the dog?”

  He shrugs. “The rest of it sounds pretty fucking great to me… just not a fluffball dog, and definitely not a cat… I’d be okay with a fish.”

  I burst out laughing as I lean up, pressing my lips to his. He grins against my mouth as I kiss him like I mean it. My fingers run through his hair, and I let out a soft sigh gently pulling back from him. “You’re perfect, you know that?”

  He snorts. “Far from it, but I’ll take the compliment.”

  I sit up straighter and stare into his eyes. “No really, listen. Thank you for fighting for me. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve you. But I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that I am in this, that I want this, that I want you.”

  His hand comes up to caress my cheek, and he smiles. “I want you, too, Billie, all of you… your flaws, your weaknesses, the dark parts. I want every single inch of you. Good and bad.”

  Sniffling, I lean in and press my lips to his. That spark ignites through me, and I know, I just know that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love.

  And you don’t turn your back on love.

  No matter how hard the road to the end becomes.

  PHANTOM

  Six Days Later

  Zero finally decided that Billie could come back to the club for a trial. Needless to say, Billie was ecstatic when I told her but closely followed by a complete nervous wreck.

  She doesn’t want to fuck this up again.

  “Are you excited?” I ask her as we slide off my bike.

  She inhales deeply, rolling her tense shoulders. “Excited yes… concerned, anxious, absolutely shitting my pants, one hundred percent.”

  I let out a small laugh as I walk toward the clubhouse doors, hand in hand with Billie, her palm sweaty as she shakes beside me. I stop just before the entry and turn to face her. “It’s gonna be fine. I’m not gonna let them do anything to you. If this turns to shit, we will leave, and I won’t be back.”

  “I know they won’t do anything, it’s more about what they’re gonna say… the disappointed stares they are gonna send my way.”

  I can’t say much to that.

  The women of the club have been more welcoming about Billie coming in over the guys. Our long-time beef with the Heathens has caused endless bloodshed, so it’s no wonder the guys are less amicable toward Billie.

  I just hope it doesn’t all blow up in our faces.

  This, her coming back here, has been months in the making, and I hope I’m not bringing her back too soon.

  “I got your back, Billie. I will always have your back, baby.”

  She tightens her hand in mine. “Okay, let’s do this!”

  We walk into the clubhouse, where it’s generally noisy. The kids are playing, and the brothers are being all kinds of rowdy, but as we walk in, you could hear a pin drop.

  Everyone turns to us.

  Billie hesitates.

  I drag her along with me so she doesn’t seem like she’s backing out.

  Cherry is the first one to come over, where she takes Billie into an embrace. Billie’s muscles relax instantly. They were great friends, but Cherry was so hurt when this whole thing blew up. Enough time has passed to where Cherry is feeling more forgiving, and that’s a good thing. “Billie, you look so good! Love this new hair.”

  Billie smiles, touching the ends of her hair like she’s nervous. “Thanks, the green wasn’t cutting it anymore.”

  “The pink is one hundred percent you!”

  Zero strides over, and just like that, Billie’s defenses are back up. She moves closer to me instinctively, her hand searching for mine as I reach out and grab it.

  Zero’s stern face gives nothing away. “Billie.”

  “Hi… I just want to say thank you for letting me come back here today. It means so mu—”

  “Just because you’re here right now doesn’t give you a free pass. While you’re here, I will watch you like you’ve never been before, and trust me when I say we’re all fucking watching.”

  Billie swallows hard. “Understood. But I swear to you, Zero, I’m Defiance. I am all in. I’m one hundred percent committed to this club and to Phantom. I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.”

  “Forgive me if I need to see the proof for myself. You’re permitted to stay for two hours. You may not leave the main clubroom. If you do, your banishment will be permanent. Do you understand?”

  “I understand.”

  “This transition isn’t going to be quick, Billie. It’s going to take time and trust on both sides. Phantom believes in you. I trust him, so that means I need to learn to trust in you too. We have to work at this together.”

  Her eyes light up. “I’ll do anything you want me to do, Zero.”

  “Good. Then enjoy your stay at casa de Defiance.”

  She raises her brow. “Did you just make a joke?”

  Zero drops his expression. “No,” he says deadpan, then walks off toward Cherry, who’s setting up.

  She turns to me, confused.

  “He’s messing with you.”

  She gnaws on her bottom lip like she does when she’s nervous. “So, he must like me a little if he’s joking around with me, right?”

  I don’t get time to answer.

  “Right, all you fuckers, the time has come…” Zero calls out, and everyone gathers around.

  Billie raises her brow at me.

  I didn’t tell her what was going to happen.

  I wanted it to be a surprise.

  Cherry slides in underneath Zero’s arm, cuddling into him. “Now, we’re not going to be as elaborate as Wraith and Prinie were with their gender reveal, shooting balloons and shit…” everyone laughs, “… but we are gonna tell you there’s more to this announcement than just revealing the gender of our baby.”

  We all furrow our brows as Cherry beams so wide it’s contagious. “Okay, y’all ready?”

  A ra
ucous cheer erupts around the room as Billie snuggles into me like she’s so happy to be a part of this once again.

  Cherry leans down into a bag, pulling out a party popper, and we all hold our breath as she pulls the cord. It explodes, and blue confetti erupts all through the clubhouse. We cheer, and Wraith moves in to celebrate with Zero, but Cherry dives into the bag, pulling out another popper, popping it again. Another veil of blue erupts through the clubhouse, and Zero smiles so fucking wide as we all still, our eyes falling to Cherry in question.

  “You just doubly excited there, Cherry?” Prinie questions.

  Cherry’s eyes glisten as she looks at Zero. “Or doubly pregnant.”

  We all gasp as Zero shrugs. “Guess we forgot to tell you… we’re fucking having twins. Can you believe that shit! And it looks like they’re both boys!”

  Everyone cheers.

  Wraith and Prinie rush to Zero and Cherry, pulling them in for a tight embrace as the rest of us stand around with big goofy grins.

  Billie turns to me, letting out a heavy exhale. “I’m so happy for them.”

  Smiling, I grab her hand, leading her over to the table where Koda and Thayleah are sitting. “C’mon.”

  We pull up a seat as they both turn to us.

  “Billie, I missed you!” Thayleah coos.

  Billie reaches across the table grabbing Thayleah’s hand. “I missed you, too, so much.”

  “It’s good to see you. We were wondering if my stubborn brother was ever going to let you back,” Koda states.

  “I’m glad to be here and that I get to see you all again. I forgot how much like home this place feels like for me.”

  Nessie steps up to the table with a box and slides it over to Thayleah. “Delivery for you, hon.”

  Everyone ignores it. Thayleah moves to open the box, and as she does, she lets out a little scream making Koda jump up. The box topples over, and a scorpion runs out onto the table. Koda grabs his empty beer glass, slamming it down on top of the scorpion, its innards and guts squishing out all over the table. Thayleah pulls a sheet of paper from the box, her face turning pale white.

  “What? What is it, Thay?” Koda asks.

  She holds up the photo of an older man, grayish hair, kind of suave looking. I have no idea who he is, but Koda sure as hell does by the way he’s gone white too.

  “Who the fuck is that?” I ask.

  “It’s a face neither of us will ever forget. One that still haunts both of us. One that reminds us we need to be careful who we can trust,” Koda states as I wrap my arms around Thayleah, who is visibly shaking.

  “Then what the hell is this about?”

  Thayleah hands Koda something, his eyes scanning over the piece of paper. Then the vein in his neck pops and throbs, his nostrils flare, and his face turns bright red. He hands me the sheet of paper, and all I see is a price list.

  I peruse it until I spot the items for sale—women.

  And one of the names on the list is Thayleah.

  “What the fuck?” I ask, my hand rushing through my hair.

  Koda turns to Thayleah, a look of utter terror crossing her features.

  “This is a price list of the seller Vance was trying to sell you to. He failed, and they didn’t get their product. We thought getting rid of Vance meant you would be safe. Maybe the seller is coming to collect what, more namely who, they paid for,” Koda states.

  “They’re coming for me?” Thayleah gasps.

  “Over my dead fucking body!”

  NEXT IN THE SERIES:

  Secretive: The Houston Defiance Series Book Seven

  Click here

  BLURB

  They see me as weak.

  Just a scared kid.

  The moment my big sister took me away from the club, it sealed my fate as a burden.

  As the son of a president for the Houston Defiance MC, I was born into power. I’m destined to lead. My father and older brother before me, I should follow in their footsteps. But they don’t see me that way.

  The only path to keep me safe is to ship me off.

  To live a life they have chosen for me.

  Doesn’t matter what I want.

  Behind the ivy-covered walls of Stonewall are mysteries, lies, deception.

  I want to uncover it all.

  The sting of secrets is to be revealed.

  One thing I wasn’t counting on was Thayleah, a fellow student who takes my breath away the second I see her.

  But she’s tied to another club.

  When enemies come in all forms, you need to keep your eyes open.

  But I didn’t see this coming!

  From USA Today Bestselling Authors, K E Osborn and Addison Jane, comes the highly-anticipated seventh book in the Houston Defiance MC Series. A portion of this book was previously released in The Elites Anthology 2021.

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  As the president of the Houston Defiance MC, my job is to protect. And there’s no taming the rage building inside my body, screaming at me to shield her from the husband who’s beating her day in and day out.

  Taking her was never in my plans, but plans change.

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  It’s something I can’t ignore.

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