Against All Odds (Full Throttle Book 1)

by Elizabeth Knox

  It doesn’t hurt that I like the guy, but that’s not what this is about. This isn’t about finding who ignites my fire. This is about who is right for Miami. My city is the only thing that matters...not my heart, and I’ll continue to remind myself of that. It’s exactly why I need to meet Ascher, even if I did just have my fun riding his brother like my favorite bull at the rodeo.

  “Where can I find Ascher?” I ask Philip, who tilts his head as a confused filled expression drags across his face. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, and I won’t. I know you have the ability to get in contact with him, so, pick up your damn phone and tell Ascher to meet me at Zola’s at seven tonight for dinner.”

  I walk straight past Philip, knowing he just heard everything I instructed him to do and head for my car. Destination: home. This girl needs a nap and a hot shower. I’ve got tons of business to handle later tonight.

  ***

  Seven came sooner than I anticipated. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t planning on making Ascher wait. I wanted him to, and if he stuck around it would show just how serious the man is about the city. I park on the side of the street. Looking up I see Zola’s flashing neon pink sign just a couple hundred feet away. I grab my rear-view mirror, taking a good look at my reflection. My makeup is flawless, lipstick impeccable. I’m ready to handle this shit. I open my car door, exiting out into the humid Miami air. It’s always humid here, no matter what you do, you just can’t escape it.

  As I take step after step, my dress continues to hug my body in the best way possible. A bodycon, wrap mixture that accentuates the curves that I do have. Before I know it, I’m walking through the doors into the chill air of Zola’s. If you think it’s fancy, exquisite or anything close to it. You’re dead wrong. Such an exotic name, for such a simple joint. I strut down the carpeted floors until I reach my table, a woman is already dancing on the pole, and when I look behind her I spot Ascher. Fuck, those two look identical. The only indication I can tell that he’s Ascher and not Phoenix is because he has a little bit of facial hair, and I can spot the top of a tattoo on his chest, higher than where Phoenix’s skull starts.

  “Shit. Tell me your Kenna Vernon,” He hisses, eyes raking over my body.

  “Ascher, nice to meet you,” I say to him, taking a seat across from him in the booth I turn to the girl dancing before us. “Bring a bottle, darling.” She nods her head and walks off the table, towards the bar where she’ll fetch our drink for us.

  “You are hard to track down, but I’m guessing I don’t have to tell you that.” Ascher was more than difficult to pinpoint. Philip came to me and told me just how hard he was to track down, but he did manage to get in contact with Ascher, which is how he’s sitting across from me right now. He also told me a few other things about Ascher, that I may not really care for.

  “Most of the people who want to track me down aren’t gorgeous gals.” He offers me a wink, and a toothy smile that matches his brothers. Hmm. I’m looking at Ascher and yet the only person I’m really thinking about is Phoenix. That might be a little fucked up.

  “What is it that you do, Ascher?” I ask, cutting to the chase. I’ve found out everything that I need to about Devil’s Ash, what I really need to know is what Ascher’s got his hands in. Something tells me that he isn’t as clean cut as his brother.

  “A bit of this, and a bit of that. The thing is, you don’t gotta worry about what I’m doin’ Kenna. You let the man handle the business, while you sit back and get that mani pedi that you girls like so much.” I take in a deep breath at his words, wondering who the hell it is that he thinks he’s speaking to. I’m no Malibu Barbie. I’m Kenna-fucking-Vernon. I’ve been born and bred to lead, and this little grease monkey needs to learn his place.

  “You’ve amazed me. In less than five minutes, I’ve already found many reasons on why I prefer your brother’s company compared to yours. For one, he’s not an arrogant ass who believes this is the nineteen fifties, where the men control the household and the women are just here for fucking and to stare at. He also didn’t hide his business from me, the good or the bad. You know why I called this meeting today, Ascher, because my father had seen something in you, but to be quite honest I’m not sure what that is.”

  “Shoot, I’m sorry Ken’. Look, I’m just trying to ease you a little bit baby. You don’t gotta worry about all that shit with me, cause I’m here to tell you that I’ll handle as much as I can. I’m your resource, so use me.” I can’t help but roll my eyes at the way he’s trying to backtrack to save his own ass.

  “I only use those I trust, those who I have faith and confidence in the ability to represent me in the right way. So, no, I don’t believe I will use you, because you are not a resource. You’re just a tool.”

  The girl who was dancing on our table a few minutes ago comes back with our drinks, handing both myself and Ascher one. I sit back, sipping on the bubbly liquid and watch as she puts the bottle of champagne on ice and leaves it to the side, returning to her rightful place on the table.

  “Shit. He your watchdog already?” Ascher hisses, standing up in the booth, glaring behind me. I turn my body in the direction of the door and see the one man who I’ve been unable to get out of my head the entire day.

  Phoenix.

  Chapter 10

  Phoenix

  I wasn’t initially coming here to see her but there she is sitting at a table with Ascher. I can’t even tell you the amount of rage that races through my system when I see them together. Heat burns through me and the thought of crushing his face with my fist isn’t far from my mind.

  “Oh, this is gonna be good,” Leo mumbles under his breath next to me. We were coming in here to have a meet with another MC to talk over a few details of what’s been happening with Blood Brothers MC and that little shoot out they started but now I think I need to make my presence known.

  They both see me, Kenna looks over her shoulder with a small smile on her face. She looks gorgeous in that dress and from what I can see it’s hugging her body in all the right places. I stalk toward the table and lean down, kissing her lips without giving a shit that Ascher is sitting there seething.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Ascher hisses but my focus is on Kenna.

  “You look sexy as hell, darlin’. Missed you all day,” I whisper against her neck before placing another small kiss and standing back up.

  “I have a meetin’ and saw my girl. Thought I’d say hi and check on her.”

  “She’s fine. She is with me after all,” Ascher snaps. I chuckle and run my hand over the back of my neck.

  “That’s exactly why I was checkin’ on her. She doesn't need your bullshit in her life, Ascher.” My body is coiled tightly and letting loose and kicking his ass would make me feel a lot better but not here or now. Kenna needs to see for herself that Ascher isn’t what she needs and I’m man enough to give her that chance.

  “You want a war, brother?” Ascher inches closer to me. Leo isn’t far from my side, but he knows I can handle him on my own. Ascher is inches from me, I could reach out and choke the fucker if I wanted to.

  “You wanna throw down, brother? I have no problem with that but not here or now. She deserves a little more respect than that. I got shit to do,” I tell him taking a step back and leaning down to Kenna. I grab her face in my hands and kiss her roughly letting my tongue snake into her mouth. I know Ascher is pissed and I don’t give a shit. This woman is mine.

  “Call me later. I gotta handle this meetin’ or I’d take you home and fuck you senseless again.” Kenna giggles as she looks up at me.

  “You’re not mad?” Her face changes, the smile falling. She almost looks worried. I smile back at her and shake my head.

  “Do I like that you’re here with him? Fuck no I don’t but I’m not your boss, Kenna. I know what you have to do and what choices you have to make. I’m not gonna step in your way of that.” One last kiss on her lips and I walk over to the back table and sit with Leo right behin
d me.

  “What the hell was that?” Chimp, the President of Solid Stones MC asks with a grin.

  “A little brotherly love,” I say smugly. He chuckles and looks back over at Kenna and Ascher.

  “Seems a little intense there, Phoenix,” he adds. I turn my head and glance back over catching the serious look on Kenna’s face. Whatever is being said between the two must be getting heated. Her face is serious but Ascher just looks like the smug bastard that he is. I shake my head and refocus on why I’m here to begin with.

  “What are your thoughts on Blood Brothers?” Chimp huffs out a breath and runs his hand over his face.

  “Don’t like them. I know they are a shady bunch and they want this city. I know that they want your ass on a platter too.” These are things I already know.

  “So, what do you think? You willin’ to step up with us and handle that shit?” Chimp doesn’t even take a minute to think about it before he answers.

  “You’re damn right I am. What’re you thinkin’?”

  “We hit them fast and quick. Take them down and move on. They aren’t a big club and they sure as shit don’t have a place here in Miami. I don’t need them tryin’ to move in here. They aren’t in Miami now so why should we let them get a spot?”

  “Where does that leave my club?” Chimp asks not sounding so sure of things.

  “You’re good for this city, Chimp. Never had a problem with you. Fuck, half your shit is legit and that’s what this city needs,” I inform him. Chimp extends his hand across the table and I take it in mine. We shake on our deal when my eyes drift back over to Kenna. The conversation seems to be getting out of hand and that pisses me off a little further. Shoving out of my seat, I stomp through the room toward her. Grabbing her arm, I pull her from her seat before she can respond. She looks up at me with questions in her eyes.

  “What the hell Phoenix?” she snaps, but I just smile.

  “Dinner is over. Let’s get outta here.” She doesn’t protest so I don’t stop as I pull her from the restaurant and out onto the street. The night life is amazing here in Miami. People are everywhere and having a good time. I’m about to say more to Kenna when I’m shoved from behind. I stumble forward losing my grip on her, but I know who it is. I spin around ready to handle this shit once and for all. My fists ball at my sides as I eye him.

  “You don’t get to walk in and fuck up my date!” Ascher roars with hatred in his eyes.

  “Date was over, man. The lady wasn’t havin’ a good time,” I tell him keeping my eyes on him. Ascher is sneaky and will come at me if I don’t keep an eye on him.

  “The lady can speak for herself!” Kenna snaps. She looks up at me and fuck, do I want to kiss those lips again.

  “I get what you’re doing here, Phoenix. The situation was getting a little out of control, but I can handle him,” she says glancing over her shoulder at Ascher. He smirks and that pisses me off a little more.

  “Yeah, let the lady handle me,” Ascher says in a snide tone. He takes a step toward me, grabbing my cut in his hands. I’m about to lose my shit and take him out when Kenna shoves his arm away and steps in between us.

  “No fighting! This is all bullshit. You’re both acting childish. I can handle myself and I don’t need either one of you to act all caveman over me or any of this!” Kenna snaps looking between the two of us. It’s that fire I love about her. She can hold her own, I have no doubt about that. I nod my head and take a step back, letting her have her space. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I need to stay out of this but there is something about her that calls out to me, that wants more of her. I don’t want to leave her alone.

  “Okay then. When you’re done playin’ games you know where to find me, Kenna.” With that I turn on my heel, slap a hand across Leo’s chest and head for the bikes. The meeting with Chimp went well and that’s what I need to focus on for the moment. Although I have no fucking clue how that’s going to happen when all I can see in my head is that red-haired blue-eyed woman that is working her way under my skin.

  Chapter 11

  Never announce your moves before you make them.

  - @FutureSuccessors

  Kenna

  “He’s such a fuckin’ tool. You can’t seriously tell me that you like him.” Ascher grumbles as Phoenix walks away, that brotherly hatred spewing right through his tone.

  The thing is, I do like him, and I like him a fucking lot. I probably shouldn’t... Okay, I really shouldn’t, but I do, and it has something to do with that booming personality of his and the fact that he is concerned about Miami and what happens in it. I was expecting some sort of blow back to what I had to say last night, but nope - Phoenix didn’t argue with anything I said. He nodded and agreed with my opinion. That is the type of man I’m looking to have by my side, not some schmuck who’s a complete asshole like Ascher has proven to be tonight. To be honest, I don’t know what my father sees in this motorhead who’s before me. Is this just my father’s plan to somehow ploy Phoenix into being more serious about me? Or does my father already know that Phoenix is the better choice, and this is some pony show? I’m not sure, but I’m aggravated.

  “I like him a hell of a lot more than you. The only thing you’ve done this entire time is disrespect me and my capabilities. Phoenix is smart enough to not make that mistake. I’m not some little girl who’s afraid to run business the way it needs to be done. Fuck, you haven’t even told me what you do because I shouldn’t be worrying about it. It’s the man’s job after all, isn’t it?” I snap at him, rolling my eyes as I wait for a response. I’ve about had it with this “I am a man, I take care of things” bullshit, cause that’s what it is, a hefty serving of bullshit.

  “Shit, you are a lil’ firecracker, just like your daddy told me you were. He warned me about this, that you’d wanna control everything, that you wouldn’t allow me to take over jack shit ‘cause you feel obligated to handle it. Just because Miami knows the Vernon name.” With each word that Ascher speaks, I find myself getting more and more irritated, but I’m not sure where my frustrations lay. Is it with my father, or with Ascher? Maybe it’s both.

  “I’ll tell you this once, and I mean it - once. Got it? My father isn’t me. He can tell you things, but unless it’s coming out of my mouth, don’t read into it too much. He’s right in one thing, I won’t allow anyone to have control over what’s mine, over my damned birthright but never have I felt obligated to run this city. It isn’t an obligation, Ascher, it’s my damn choice and I’m choosing to do it.”

  He doesn’t utter a word for a moment, so I take that as an invitation to continue. “I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t fucking like you. I think you’re crass, disrespectful and an ass. I don’t even know what you do because you haven’t had the decency to tell me. So, why should I waste my damn time?”

  “I don’t meet a lot of women who want to hear about the way I run my business. Most of them just want to be kept in the dark. It’s easier that way.”

  “I’m not most women.”

  “True,” he smirks, before he continues. “I’m a street racer, and I’ve got a crew. We do some shady shit, but it puts cash in our pockets and that’s what matters. I gotta keep my people safe, happy and fed, so we do odd jobs every once in a while. Sometimes we race and collect bets, other times we’re transporting guns, cocaine...depends on the day. We’ve got our hands in a couple of other things but from that look on your face I can tell that ya aren’t really liking what I’m tellin’ you much.”

  “No, I’m not,” I admit. I don’t know Ascher, and granted while I don’t know Phoenix either, I do know enough about Phoenix that he means what he says when he’s going to stop shit. I can trust his word. He makes me feel safe and valued. What I can’t trust is Ascher. From the first second I met him he’s done nothing but rub me the wrong way.

  Fuck.

  Why am I even wasting my time?

  “Look, I think you can tell that you and I are never going to make anything work. Profession
ally, or personally. No hard feelings, but I have some place I need to be.” I whiz around and dart out the front door. I take two steps down onto the street when I hear laughing from behind me, coming from a voice that I’m beginning to come familiar with.

  “See, told you she’d be out in less than ten minutes, but you didn’t wanna believe me,” Leo chuckles as I turn around and see him jabbing Phoenix in the side with his elbow.

  “Lookin’ for somethin’ darlin?”

  “I was, but I’m pretty sure I found it.” I smile, peering up at those blue eyes of his. “I’m not a fan of wasting my time,” I add, taking his hand in my own I start to tug him down the street to where my car is.

  “Where are we headed?”

  “You showed me your place, it’s about time I show you mine”

  I drive Phoenix down to my place, weaving in and out of the now illuminated streets of Miami. The air is hot, sticky and humid as all hell, but it’s home and I’ve come to love it, even if it is a giant pain in my ass. The car ride is silent, not because it’s awkward, but because it doesn’t have to be filled with senseless chatter. Sure, there is loads I want to learn about Phoenix, but it doesn’t have to be right this second. Right now, all I really want is to be in his presence.

  I pull into my driveway and park just in front of the front steps that lead up to my place. Before I even step out of the car, Phoenix is already up the steps, looking at my grand front door. “You’ve got some fancy shit.”