by Addison Jane
“I hope you know that now you say you’ve signed up for it, that shit’s legally binding,” I murmured, making her pull back and smile up at me with this brilliant fucking light in her eyes. “No take backs.”
She grinned. “No take backs.”
DAKOTA
“Dakota will you hurry up dammit, we’re going to be late!”
I cringed at Meyah’s impatient voice. The entire concept of time wasn’t something that my brain computed very well, so while being late to class was usually a natural part of my day, today there was an actual reason. One Meyah wasn’t going to like.
“I’m coming,” I called from the bathroom before jamming my toothbrush back in my mouth. I fought with my white Vans, hopping down the hallway to the front door as I struggled to pull the damn things on.
I opened my mouth to let out a very rushed, extremely apologetic please-don’t-kill-me explanation, but realized my mouth was still foaming with toothpaste. I ripped the toothbrush out and leaned over the small potted plant by my front door, decorating it in mint green toothpaste.
“Dude,” Meyah scolded. “That’s gross, even for you.”
I slammed my toothbrush down on the side table, and quickly tied my shoelace before I made this even more awkward, and tripped myself over or something fucking stupid. Then I took a deep breath. “Look, I’m tired, I haven’t read the pages we should’ve read, and there’s something I need to tell—”
“Can you give me a ride to the clubhouse to get my bike?”
And there it was.
Meyah’s face dropped, her mouth practically hitting the floor as her brother stepped out of the hallway behind me, adjusting his hoodie and smirking like the fucking cat who just got the cream. I wanted to punch him in his stupid smug face, but at that moment, my heart was jammed so far up into my throat that even I was struggling to breathe. Let’s not mention the fact that I thought I might vomit any second, and that fear was keeping me frozen to the spot.
Her eyes moved to Ripley and then back to me before once again returning to her brother, almost as if her brain was trying to put our two puzzle pieces together and form a picture. One that I knew wasn’t exactly what she wanted to see on a Monday morning at 8:00 a.m.
“You’re kidding, right?”
I could feel tears burning in my throat.
I felt like I’d betrayed her. Like there was some unwritten rule about sleeping with your best friend’s brothers or some shit like that.
Ripley, on the other hand, felt no fucking remorse whatsoever. He pulled on his leather club cut over his shoulders. Then just when I thought he was about to walk out the door without looking back, he hooked his arm around my neck and pulled me into his side. His body was warm, and I couldn’t help but smile as I curled into him.
He pressed a kiss to my cheek and my entire body instantly flushed. I was heating up, my skin catching on fire as I felt this sweetness travel through my body, exciting me, and warming me all at once. I didn’t get to see this Ripley often, mostly just in moments between the two of us when there’s no one else around, but his sister—and my best friend—was standing a few feet from us with her mouth practically on the floor, and he was still refusing to let me go.
This was new.
But I kind of liked it.
“When did… how long have…” Meyah mumbled before obviously giving up, trying to make sense of what was going on and shaking new words lose from her mouth. “I can’t even right now. Dakota. Car. Now. We’re going to be late.” I felt like I was a child being scolded. And it didn’t feel good. “And you, brother o’ mine, I don’t have time to take you to the clubhouse where I assumed you must have crashed after chatting with Ham last night about Empire, so you’re going to have to catch an Uber.”
I could hear the sharpness in her tone, and I decided that right at that moment, it was better if I just got the hell out of her way. So, when she pulled open the apartment door, I quickly ducked out and jogged down the path to the car. I tried not to watch as Meyah spoke, her eyes looking at me, but her words directed at him. I had no idea what she was saying, but my stomach swirled anyway with a mixture of guilt, lies, and betrayals.
By the time she climbed into the driver’s seat and we started our ninety-minute trek to school, I was about ready to puke all over her brand new SUV.
I was contemplating what I should say when she suddenly beat me to it.
“How long have you guys been—”
“Been what?” I asked, trying not to smile at the awkward way Meyah was attempting to be all respectful and not intrusive. She was good like that, but it made it kind of awkward for conversations like these. Not that I planned on sleeping with any more of her brothers.
Drake wasn’t my type.
“I swear to God, don’t make me say it, Dakota,” she grumbled, her eyes trying to look at me and narrow at the same time.
I decided I should probably just put her out of her pain. “Since I called you to pick me up after dinner with my brother and Caleb showed up.”
Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and she shook her head. “God, wait till I tell Ham.” I snorted and quickly tried to cover it with my hand. “He knew!”
Meyah was already onto me, and although I should have felt sorry for dumping him in it, I knew that Meyah would be angry for a moment and then Ham would be the perfect man, and she would just end up falling in love with him more.
So, the lesson is, I bring people together.
She was still ranting about it as we walked through the college campus to our class. “You know, he’s been really stressed because they had a shipment pulled over, and the boys who were riding with it were taken into custody for a few hours while they sorted out what was on board.”
Don’t ask.
Don’t ask.
It’s none of your business.
She will know.
“Did they get released?”
Meyah nodded. “Yeah, the shipment was a hand full of custom designed mini choppers for them to auction off. They just wanted a few of the boys to travel with them to drop off at the auction to represent the club.”
Jesus Christ, I’d got it wrong.
I was happy as hell there was nothing onboard to get them into trouble, but I felt bad they had to go through those problems and were dragged into custody, but holy shit, was I happy to hear there was nothing there for them to be charged.
“Ham thinks Caleb must have someone hooking into their GPS or just someone following them.” She shook her head. “Scary right?” She paused for a second and narrowed her eyes on my hair. “Is there pink frosting in your hair?”
I was about to answer with complete denial when something caught my eye to the side of the building. To anyone else, he looked like a professor or some staff member who was just hanging about, waiting for class to start, but he wasn’t.
“I’m just going to go to the bathroom,” I told Meyah quickly as we reached the classroom door. By this time, he’d stepped back out of sight which I was thankful for, but she still looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
“Class literally starts in two minutes.”
I started to back away. “I know! It can’t wait though, my stomach is really sore.” I rubbed at it in circles which looked more like an ‘I’m hungry’ sign than an ‘I have to poo because I ate something bad.’
Eventually, she just shook her head and pushed open the classroom door behind her.
I jogged down the short path and rounded the corner to find Caleb leaning against the wall looking every bit the part of the college senior. I pulled to a sharp stop, and he started to click his tongue at me. “Dakota, Dakota,” he tsked. “I’m disappointed in you.”
I stood tall, but kept my distance, refusing to step all the way around the corner and into a space where he could attack me. Hell no. The campus had students constantly moving around, and I needed to use that to my advantage because I could tell by the stormy look in his eyes he was not happy. And he’d already
proven just how willing he was to use his hands when his point wasn’t getting across.
“I gave you the information,” I defended.
“The wrong information,” he hissed, his body lurching forward. His hands were clenched at his side, and I instantly scrambled back. I was out in the open. There were students not far away sitting on a bench and a couple of guys standing outside a classroom talking. As long as I kept in view, he wouldn’t touch me.
He stood just in the shadow of the building, his lip curled up as he fought to gain control of himself.
My heart felt like at any moment it could burst out of my chest, and I could actually feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins making my entire body tingle, and my skin begin to heat.
“I didn’t know that,” I managed to finally reply. “I thought it was something else. That’s not my fault. I’m doing my best, okay?”
“Your best isn’t fucking good enough,” he snapped, slamming his palm against the side of the building with force. Even though he hadn’t hit me, I could practically feel the contact with my cheek if I’d been too close. “Get me something, Dakota.”
“I’m trying,” I hissed loudly, taking another step back into the open.
His eyes narrowed. He knew what I was doing. “This is your warning, don’t try and play me.”
I needed to get the hell out of there. “I have class,” I replied urgently, moving away, one step after another.
“Dakota!” he warned, his voice low and threatening. “You don’t want to fuck with me.”
“I have to go,” I hurried out before turning and jogging back to my class, not caring that I could feel his gaze burning into my back. He was annoyed that I’d found a loophole, and that he was scared of showing himself in public. It had given me one up, at least for today, but I knew that this wouldn’t be the end. I needed something else, something that was going to satisfy him, but wouldn’t hurt the club, and I was running out of ideas.
I needed time.
I needed ideas.
And I had neither.
RIPLEY
Fucking sister, making me catch a damn Uber back to the club to pick up my ride.
The car pulled up outside the compound, and I climbed out, gruffly thanking the kid with glasses who was driving, and looking like he needed to get out of there as fast as possible. Which he did, his wheels spinning on the loose gravel as he fought to get away.
I walked in through the gates. Shake, Shotgun and Repo were all standing in under the roller door laughing. “You assholes can shut up,” I ordered as I walked toward them.
I knew just how funny they found it by the fact that Repo’s grin was so wide you could clearly see it beneath his monster of a beard. It was honestly one of the most impressive ones I’d seen, rivaling my dad’s.
He chuckled as he wiped his hands on a rag which looked like it had basically had its day because it was so soaked in oil and other shit that was never going to clean anything off his skin. If anything, it was probably going to make them dirtier than before.
“So, sale got approved today,” Shake informed me. “Drake’s on his way down to sign all the paperwork and contest the contest to our permits.”
I cursed. “They got declined again?”
Shotgun snorted. “Yeah, for stupid shit. Someone’s playing games, trying to slow shit down. Someone who has some standing and a bit of power.”
I knew exactly who he was hinting at. “Fucker,” I muttered, shaking my head. “If you see Drake before I do, get him to call me. I’d be happy to go downtown with him and let them know what the fuck I think of their contests.”
Shake snickered. “How’d things go with Dakota last night? You two kiss and make up?”
I snorted as I headed for my bike, ready to get the hell out of there. Honestly, bikers gossiped more than bitches that I could tell you for fucking sure. Sometimes I wondered how we managed to get anything done at the clubhouse.
“I’m sure Meyah will let you know tonight when she tells you what she walked in on this morning, and then figures out that you already knew,” I called over my shoulder before I started my ride and let the low rumble drown out the slew of expletives he called after me as I pulled away from the clubhouse.
Fuck Caleb and his stupid ass thinking he can stick his shit in places that don’t concern him.
Hopefully, he gets the message soon because honestly, my rope was getting a little thin, and if he wasn’t careful, I was going to wrap it around his neck. I was already in a badass mood, but my day was about to get a shit load worse.
The loud whoop, whoop of a police siren behind me as I headed back to Dakota’s place didn’t surprise me. It was a sound over the years that I’ve become pretty damn accustomed to.
I instantly pulled my ride to the curb, the low rumble of my Harley as it changed down was something I honestly enjoyed more than when it was moving at speed. It was deep and you could feel it right in your chest, and throughout the rest of your body as it rumbled to a pause.
I pulled off my helmet and hung it on the steering wheel before throwing my leg over and getting to my feet so I could dig my details out of my pocket. When the car door closed, I looked up, frowning, when I spotted Dakota’s brother, Austin, walking toward me. His eyes were narrowed, and he stood a good four inches taller, but I wondered whether he could throw a punch.
“How can I help you today, officer?”
“You the asshole fucking my sister?”
I folded my arms across my chest to try and keep from punching this fucker in the face. “How ‘bout you try that again, and this time you ask me without disrespecting her by fucking talking like that?”
I could already tell that this conversation was not going to go fucking well, and if I got out of here without being fucking arrested, I was going to class that as a win.
“You’re lecturing me about disrespect?” Austin laughed, shaking his head as he pulled his notebook and a pen from in his vest pocket. “Can I have your details, please?”
I gritted my teeth but gave him everything he needed to know, and with that he turned around and walked back to the car, ordering me to hold on while he ran my details, looking for arrest records, warrants, any fucking thing he could have a bitch about.
How in the actual fuck is this bastard related to Dakota?
You couldn’t get two more polar opposites.
Where Dakota was funny, carefree, laid back, her brother looked like he had a carrot jammed up his ass, and he had his dick tied in a knot. He strolled back from his patrol car with a heavy frown, and I knew why.
“Didn’t find anything? Isn’t it a fucking bitch when you want to slam something on me, beat the shit out of me, have some fucking excuse to shoot me right here in the middle of the day, but you fucking don’t.” I laughed and turned back to my bike, reaching for my helmet.
“Dakota has a good heart,” Austin announced loudly, forcing me to freeze. “She doesn’t need a guy like you bringing her down.”
“I get that you’re her brother, which is why I haven’t told you to go fuck yourself yet,” I informed him casually. That pushed the limit, I could tell instantly. “But you don’t get to choose what she needs or doesn’t need anymore. If you haven’t noticed, Dakota can choose her own shit and fight her own wars.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, she can, but she always seems to be using her effort to fight for the wrong people.”
“You have something to say? May as well just get it out there!”
He didn’t miss a beat. “I’m not about to let Dakota be dragged down and hurt by scum like you.”
The laugh that came from my mouth was totally and entirely obnoxious. “I’m sorry. Hurt by me? As opposed to how your buddy Caleb slammed her head against a brick wall a couple weeks ago while you were sitting inside the restaurant waiting for him, all nice and cozy on the other side of the wall.”
He rushed forward, grabbing my cut in his fist and pulling my body toward his.
/> My temper hit an all-time fucking high. “Don’t fucking touch my colors, pig,” I spat, looking him directly in the eye.
“You’re full of shit,” he hissed, right in my face.
“Am I? Or are you being fucking played by some asshole who has gone around city after city making a point of destroying people, and clubs, and families? That what you’re into?” I taunted, standing right at the edge of the line and then tiptoeing over it because I was a fucking bastard. “Wouldn’t your dad be proud?”
He shoved me back, and I stumbled but managed to catch myself on my feet.
“Get the fuck out of my sight,” he spat before turning and stomping right back to his car.
The air swirled, the storm that was brewing above us still pumped and raging. I turned to get back on my bike just as my cell phone began to buzz in my pocket. “Fucking Jesus,” I cursed, yanking it out and seeing my brother’s phone number. “What?” I snapped holding it to my ear.
“Need you back up here,” he said, ignoring my crappy tone.
“Why?” I asked sharply. Then I shook my head in confusion. “Shouldn’t you be on your way down here to deal with the theater permits?” I asked, climbing onto my ride with a frown.
Austin’s squad car pulled past me, kicking up some loose stones and flicking them at my baby. I gritted my teeth and fought the urge to go after him and scratch my knife down the side of his car.
“Yeah, but then Lauren showed up here with the shit kicked out of her and her dad is calling for a fucking meeting to figure out who did it, and what’s going to be done to protect his precious little girl.” The sarcasm in his tone didn’t fall on deaf ears.
“She bad?”
“Her face is a little messed up, and she’s kind of jumpy. She wouldn’t really answer any questions. Said she thinks she blacked out for a bit. So, Mouse took her into the hospital to get checked up,” Drake explained, saying what he couldn’t say.