Pandemonium (MC Sinners Next Generation #1)

by Bella Jewel

  “Love you, too, D!”

  I walk past the old red-brick clubhouse that has seen better days and head down to the sheds that lie behind it, where the club members spend most of their time. I reach for the handle and swing it open, no hesitation. My eyes take a moment to adjust, and I hear Spike’s booming voice echo through the room. “Now there’s a pretty damn face I haven’t seen in a while. How you doin’ there, little Ava?”

  My eyes adjust and I see Spike, Cade, Jackson and Muff all sitting around a giant round table like a bunch of kings. I grin at Spike and lift my hand in a wave. “Hey Spike, I’m good.”

  My dad stands up and with a huge smile, he walks over to me. The minute he gets to me, he wraps his big arms around me and pulls me up against his body. My dad’s chest has always been my comfort, my happy place, so I close my eyes, wrap my arms around him and breathe him in. He has a unique smell that I hope I never get to lose.

  “How you doin’, baby girl?”

  “Hey Daddy.”

  I pull back and look up at him, and the corners of his eyes crinkle with a smile. “Didn’t know you were comin’ in.” He keeps his arms around me and turns me towards the group. “Would’ve changed my meeting.”

  “Mom told me to swing by, and I wanted to say hi before I went to work.”

  “My baby doesn’t come and see me enough anymore.”

  I squeeze his waist. “Sorry.”

  “Hey princess,” Cade says, standing and walking over. He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “How you doin’?”

  I smile up at him. Cade is even more ridiculously good looking than Dad. His hair has only a slight amount of grey, but he is aging like a boss. His eyes are incredibly green and his skin incredibly olive. He’s built, he’s tall, and he’s masculine. No wonder my sister adores him.

  “I’m good, bro,” I tease. “How are you?”

  His grin gets bigger, and I get a glimpse of the incredible dimples beneath his three-day growth. “I’m kicking on.”

  “You see my boy on the way out?” Spike asks, pulling out a cigarette and leaning against the table.

  “Those’ll kill you, Uncle Spike,” I say, and he grins.

  Yep, Danny is a mini Spike all the way, only Spike has brown eyes that are warm and a little mischievous.

  “Something’s gotta.”

  “Don’t say that; I’m not ready for you to die yet.”

  He winks at me. I shake my head and wave to Muff, another club member, laughing at the conversation. Muff is the most uniquely beautiful kind of man. He’s oddly handsome for someone with red hair. He has two kids that I also grew up with, Max and Ebony. “Hey Muff.” I wave.

  “Hey kid.” He nods.

  I turn back to Dad and look up at him. “I have to go to work.”

  His eyes scan over my face, and he cups my chin. “Don’t see you enough, Ava. It’s bad enough my other pain-in-the-ass daughter never comes and visits me, but my baby . . .”

  I laugh. Addison will always remain sassy, it doesn’t matter how old she gets, and she drives our dad nuts. He loves her for it.

  “Your baby is all grown up with an apartment and a job . . .” I remind him.

  “Speaking of that new apartment, I’m sending my boys past a few times a day, make sure you’re safe.”

  “Dad!” I groan. “Please don’t. I’m safe. I’m grown. I’ll be fine.”

  His eyes flash. “You’ll be fine when I say you are.”

  “Stubborn!”

  He grins and kisses my head. “For my girls, there will never be enough.”

  I huff dramatically and pull back. “Where’s Addi?” I ask Cade.

  “Workin’.”

  “Skye?”

  “Workin’.”

  I huff. “Well, then I guess I better get to work too.”

  I hug Dad again and then wave to the guys.

  “Comin’ to check out your place later, Ava,” Dad says, as I get to the door. “Make sure it’s secure.”

  I sigh but smile at him.

  “Love you, old man.”

  He smiles back. “Love you too, kiddo.”

  Bikers.

  Yeesh.

  ~*~*~*~

  “Can you fill out these forms for me and get them back before the end of the day?” my boss, Michael, says, staring at my boobs instead of my eyes as he hands me a stack of papers.

  I shiver. Gross. If it wasn’t for the fact that I couldn’t find any other job around here that paid enough for me to live on my own, I wouldn’t put up with it. He’s never actually done anything, but it’s the very idea of him being so creepy that makes me uncomfortable. I try to ignore it where I can, because aside from the odd look here and there, I really don’t have anything to go on. He’s just one of those men.

  “Yes,” I say, my voice sounding slightly disgusted. “Of course.”

  He pauses and stares at me, making me even more uncomfortable. “I have a business dinner in the conference room on the weekend. I’d like you to join me and listen in; it’ll be a good step in the right direction for you.”

  “No problem,” I say, not making eye contact.

  “Right, well, come into my office when you’re done with these and I’ll go over them before you head home.”

  Wonderful.

  “Okay.”

  He reluctantly leaves, but not before his eyes sweep down to my legs and a small smirk appears on his face. When he’s gone, I let out the breath I was holding. I put my head down and get the work done, because any extra time spent here means extra time with Michael, and I’m not okay with that.

  I manage to get through the papers just before closing time and quickly gather them up, throwing my handbag over my shoulder and rushing down the hall towards Michael’s office.

  When I reach his door, I glance in to see him sitting at his computer, staring at the screen with an expression I desperately want to be reading wrong. He’s got the kind of expression that men get when they’re watching . . . porn. I should know. I’ve seen it; growing up in a motorcycle club didn’t make innocence easy. I raise my hand to knock, but suddenly feel like I’m intruding, and I’m really not sure if I want to interrupt him right now.

  I drop my hand back down and the movement catches his eye. He stares at me and closes his laptop. He doesn’t get up from his seat, but instead gestures that I come in. I plaster a fake smile on my lips and walk inside, placing the papers on his deck. “I’m all done. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.”

  “That’s all. As always, wonderful job.”

  God, the way he’s looking at me really does make me uncomfortable.

  “Well then,” I say, turning, “goodnight.”

  A crash behind me causes me to spin back around. All Michael’s pens are on the ground. “Oh, silly me. Would you mind picking those up, Ava?”

  My stomach turns and I very carefully try to pick up the pens without exposing anything to his prying eyes. It doesn’t stop me feeling like I’m naked on the floor with him watching me, and that feeling makes everything inside me want to shrivel up. I stand quickly and hand the pens to him, my fingers trembling. “Do you have your own car?” he asks, randomly.

  I blink. “Pardon?”

  “A car. Do you have one?”

  “Yes, ah, yes.”

  “So no boyfriend to come and collect you?”

  That question makes me uneasy, and I want to try and avoid it, to lie, to tell him I have a boyfriend, but lying has never come easily to me, and I stumble. I open my mouth to answer, but nothing comes out except a pathetic stammer. He smiles.

  “I should go,” I say.

  “Of course. Goodnight, Ava.”

  I turn and get out of there as fast as my legs will carry me.

  CHAPTER 2

  PAST – LUCAS

  The smile on my face gets bigger and bigger as I watch my daughter, Shylie, running around, her dark hair flowing behind her as she throws her little body towards the swings. She curls her fingers ar
ound the chains and pulls her body on, then enthusiastically stretches her legs out, back and forth to get the swing moving. Laughing, I go over and take the chain, gently pushing her.

  “Higher, Daddy!”

  “No way, baby.” I chuckle. “You’ll go flying.”

  “I want to fly!” she cries, her laughter filling the air.

  “Maybe one day.”

  “Hey there.”

  I turn and see my wife standing beside me. I didn’t hear her approach. She looks up at me, her face alight with happiness. Jennifer isn’t the first person I’ve loved. My first wife and Shylie’s mother, Rachel, died giving birth to her. I quickly became a single dad and struggled for the first two years. When I met Jennifer, she fell in love with me and Shylie, and quickly filled the empty role. She’s been a great step-mother and loves Shylie like she’s her own.

  “Hey gorgeous.” I smile, leaning down and kissing her softly, while my hand stays out to push Shylie when she comes swinging back towards me.

  “I got everything I need for supper. Are you coming home?”

  “I’m going to push Shy a bit longer, but I’ll be back soon.”

  “All right, darling.” She grins, waving to Shylie as she crosses the road to our little apartment.

  I work hard in the force, having become detective just after Shylie was born. It was hard as a single father and a cop, but I managed to do it with the help of my family, Rachel’s family, and then Jennifer, when I met her. I do my best to give my little girl the life she deserves, but it isn’t always easy. Even now both Jennifer and I work to keep the rent paid, but each week gets a little easier.

  “Come on, baby,” I say, scooping my daughter into my arms and bouncing her as we walk towards the apartment. “It’s time for dinner.”

  “Yippee!” she cries.

  Yes, the light of my life.

  ~*~*~*~

  “So how was work today?” Jen asks later that night as we lie in bed.

  “It was good. Same shit, different day.”

  She laughs softly. “Such a masculine answer.”

  I grin and flip her over so my body is covering hers. Jennifer is a beautiful woman, with long blond hair and blue eyes, and she’s tall as hell, with legs to no end. She didn’t have a good life, and struggled with drinking at a younger age. She pulled through and has been solid in the few years we’ve been together.

  “Did you expect anything less?” I ask, nuzzling her neck.

  “No, I really didn’t.”

  “How was work for you?”

  She hooks an arm around my neck. “It was pretty good—better now I’m at home.”

  I trail my lips over her shoulder. “Always is.”

  “Hmmm, are we still going to my parents for the weekend tomorrow?”

  I grunt. “If we have to.”

  She giggles. “Come on, they’re not so bad, and they adore Shy.”

  “Still, they drive me batshit fucking crazy.”

  “I’ll be with you, and just think—we can swim all weekend. You know how much Shy loves to swim.”

  I smile at the thought of my little girl swimming. She adores the water. She might only be four but she would spend all her time in the water if I let her. I promised her that she could start swimming lessons in the new year, and no doubt she’ll make sure I don’t forget.

  “Swimming is good, if we get some time together to do it alone,” I murmur, nipping Jenn’s neck.

  “You’re such an animal,” she scoffs.

  Jenn doesn’t have the kind of sex drive I do, but we make it work. She’s never been an overly sexual woman, but she’s loving and she’s kind, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

  “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

  She laughs. “No, I wouldn’t, even though you drive me crazy with your need.”

  “Mmmm,” I say, pecking her lips.

  “Mmmm yourself,” she whispers, rolling us over.

  Life is damned good.

  CHAPTER 3

  NOW – AVA

  “So your boss is still a creeper?” Skye asks, throwing herself down onto my cheap couch that has seen better days.

  “Yep,” I answer, popping a grape into my mouth. “Total creeper.”

  “What’re you going to do about it?”

  I shrug. “What can I do? My options are go and work as a waitress or keep my job and put up with him. I’m gaining so much experience in law working there.”

  “That is a problem,” she says, crossing her legs and studying me. “Maybe he’s just one of those creepy guys, and you have nothing to worry about. All talk, no action kind of thing . . .”

  I nod. “Yeah, I think you’re right. I’ve been there six months and he hasn’t done anything.”

  “So, are the rest of the crew coming tonight?”

  I wiggle my brows. “Yes, and really, you’re asking if Danny is coming.”

  She snorts. “I didn’t say that.”

  “Mmmhmmm.”

  She throws a grape in my general direction. I laugh just as the doorbell rings. I don’t even get the chance to answer before it swings open and the crew comes piling in. Danny has his arm around Mercedes, his younger sister who has just turned twenty. Max is rolling his eyes, carrying an arm full of beer.

  “Beer, Max?” I ask, getting up to help him. “You pay the price if Spike finds out you’re giving Mercedes beer.”

  “Mercy ain’t getting beer.” He grins, patting my head and flashing a grin at Mercedes. “It’s all for me.”

  I laugh and spin to Danny and Mercy. “Hey you two, how’s it hanging?”

  “Little to the left,” Danny says, thumping my arm before walking past me, shouting, “Yo, Max, throw me one.”

  My eyes roll back to Mercy. “How’s it going, Merc?”

  She smiles; god, she’s beautiful. She looks like Spike—blond hair, big brown eyes . . . stunning. “It’s good, how are you, Ava?”

  “You know,” I say, shrugging. “Kicking on.”

  “Yo, kiddo,” Skye calls. “Come sit by me and tell me where you got that adorable dress.”

  Mercy goes over and plonks down next to Skye, and the two of them start chatting. Skye’s green eyes light up, and she starts waving her hands around animatedly during the conversation. I laugh, walking into the kitchen, and snatch a beer from Max’s hand just after he’s opened it. He frowns, but his eyes are alight with humor.

  “How’s it going, boys?”

  “Kicking,” Max answers. “You’re looking good, Ava. You been working out?”

  I snort. “If you call the act of eating cheeseburgers working out.”

  Danny chuckles. “It’ll catch up to you one day, Ant.”

  I take a drink of my beer and scrunch my nose up at him. “You’ll still be my friend.”

  “Probably, but I’ll have to come up with a new nickname for you. Ant just won’t cut it.”

  I laugh.

  “How’s the job?” Max asks, following me as I turn to head back out into the living room.

  “It’s good,” I semi-lie.

  “Awesome.”

  We all sit in the lounge room and spend the next four hours chatting and laughing. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without these guys.

  ~*~*~*~

  “Lots of break-ins around that area,” Dad says down the phone later that night after everyone is gone and I’m getting ready for bed. He calls every night; he always has. If he was away, he’d call; the moment I moved out, he calls.

  “Dad,” I say, fighting a yawn. “It’s fine.”

  He scoffs. “What’re you goin’ to do if someone breaks in?”

  “Shoot them.”

  He chuckles.

  “You taught me well, old man. Now will you stop worrying?”

  He grunts. “I’ll never stop worrying about you, baby girl. If something ever happened to you . . .”

  I smile, and my chest warms. “I know, and that’s awesome, but I’m perfectly safe.”

  H
e sighs. “Fine, but I’m still sendin’ a guy past if they’re in that area.”

  Compromise. I can work with it. “I can live with that.”

  “How’s work?” he asks, finally changing the subject.

  “You already asked me that today . . .”

  “Good point. Did you have a good day, though?”

  “Yeah. Max, Mercy, Skye and Danny came by tonight.”

  He groans dramatically. “Trouble wrapped in one pretty bow.”

  I laugh. “I’m sure we take after our parents.”

  “Can’t deny that.”

  “I can only imagine the trouble you guys got up to when you were younger. It’d probably be too hard for you now, though, Granddad.”

  He grunts. “Not ready to be a granddad again, kid. Skye is enough for any one man. Give me a few more years, yeah?”

  “Does going from old to ancient upset you?”

  He laughs. “My girl has a sense of humor tonight.”

  I smile. “Always.”

  “Right, go to bed. I was just callin’ to check in.”

  “And making sure I’m still alive.”

  “Got your back forever, kid. You know that.”

  “I know,” I whisper. “Love you, old man.”

  “Love you too, baby. Night.”

  “Night Daddy.”

  I hang up and smile at the phone before placing it on my bedside table.

  Yes, where would I be without them indeed.

  CHAPTER 4

  NOW - AVA

  Work is slow on Saturday night, but I push through the conference and Michael’s creepy advances and then head out to my car. I’m supposed to head straight over to the cookout at the club, but I don’t even know if it’s still happening. Mom called earlier telling me Dad had to go and deal with business, and she wasn’t sure if he’d be back. He’s been doing that a lot lately.

  Whatever is bothering the club, it’s kept my dad on his toes. He’s been there a lot, and the guys have been going on a lot of rides, which usually means they’re trying to deal with something. It makes me uneasy when he does this, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ve learned to push past the worry and accept that it’s just his life and it always will be.

  I reach my car, and it’s darker down here than usual. I look up to see the lights are dimmed—one of them has blown. Great. I plonk my handbag on the hood of my vehicle and start digging around, trying to find the keys. I come across everything but them. God, I hope I didn’t leave them in the building, because I’d really rather not go back in and talk to Michael again.