by Debra Kayn
It'd been where Rich took her on that first bike ride and where she'd told him the truth about her past and Thalia's murder. It's where they went when they needed a break from life. Sometimes alone, sometimes with the club members and their women.
Rich wrapped his arms around her from behind. She laid her head back against the broadness of his shoulder. Wayne's idea for everyone to go for a night ride and cool off from the heat of the summer day came at the perfect time.
She and Rich needed some downtime.
Business at Vavoom's Bar was booming, and Rich had been working a lot of overtime at Port Loaders the last month. No matter if they spent twenty-four hours together, it was never enough for her.
She turned her head and kissed his cheek through the beard he refused to trim. He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
"Good?" he asked.
"Of course." She caressed his thighs. "You?"
He sighed in contentment. "Yeah."
Ingrid gasped beside her, sitting behind Glen on his motorcycle. "Oh, look."
Following Ingrid's finger, pointed toward the sky, Gracie gazed up and caught the end of a shooting star before the light fizzled out. Being on top of the mountain, the stars lighting up the sky made her realize how big the world seemed. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed at how small of a part she played at the moment.
While she always remembered where she was and what she was doing, there were times—like now—with Rich in her life that she could put her past behind her. The ugliness and fear couldn't invade her happiness.
But, she never forgot what happened to her and her mother, to Thalia, to so many other females.
She strived to change how she perceived all the information in her head and view what she'd lived through differently. Moments like this with her family surrounding her, Rich loving her, Clara happy, she could see how lucky she was to have the people who were out here on the mountain with her, looking at the view, and being in her life. Very lucky. Blessed.
"Did you read the paper this morning?" asked Thad.
Wayne huffed. "Why the fuck would I read the paper?"
Rich's chest vibrated against her back. Gracie bit her lip to keep from smiling. Despite Clara making it her summer goal to teach Wayne ways to make reading easier for him, he wanted no part in learning shortcuts around his dyslexia.
"There's an article about Notus Motorcycle Club and the number of missing persons we've found this year." Thad shifted Lena on his lap. "It made the second page."
"I thought we voted to decline the interview." Chuck gathered Erikka's hair in his hands. "How'd that happen without our permission?"
"Lieutenant Gomez is dating the female reporter. That's how it happened." Wayne exhaled loudly. "Son of a bitch has a big mouth."
She saw the situation differently. She'd read the article, and she'd cried for the eight families this year that were reunited with their loved one because five men dedicated their lives to finding missing persons.
It wasn't an easy life the members of Notus Motorcycle Club chose. The emotional toll each journey took them on reminded them of each person they'd lost. From Thalia to the twelve-year-old girl who they'd found deceased two months ago, the found couldn't compare to the many, many lost.
But, each member had a gift. The ability to keep going, to hope, to work hard, and to never give up. She loved that about them.
"Change of subject." Ingrid planted her hands on Glen's shoulder. "Jerry's moving in with my mom."
"What?" Clara laughed. "Are they serious about each other?"
It'd been almost three years since Ingrid's dad passed away. Gracie lifted her head off Rich, interested in the news. Ingrid's mom was a beautiful and gentle soul who had gone back to work, learned to have a social life again, and found old friends who she'd lost touch with over the years when she'd devoted her life to taking care of her paraplegic husband.
"I'm not sure it's serious-serious. They have so much fun together and enjoy each other's company." Ingrid's voice cracked. "It's just shocking. She's my mom."
"Is he a good guy?" asked Gracie.
Ingrid smiled. "Very nice. He's a widow, and I think they have a lot in common and are going through the same stages in life after losing their spouses."
"That's great." Erikka slid off Chuck's motorcycle and stretched her back. "Everyone should have someone in their life to lean on."
"I got something you can lean on, love," Chuck whispered loud enough everyone heard in the still of the night.
"Sh." Erikka kissed him "I swear, you don't know how to whisper."
"None of them can whisper," mumbled Clara.
Ingrid and Lena laughed. Gracie rolled her eyes. It was true, but she also knew the Notus members used a lot of looks as a way to communicate with each other. Looks that only came with knowing a person their whole life.
Everyone fell silent. Gracie scanned the view, picking out the bridge, the bar, Safeway, the park, Port Loaders. In the distance, several lights descended in the air.
She patted Rich's arm. "What's that on the other side of town?"
"PDX." He kissed the side of her head. "The lights are from the plane landing."
She couldn't imagine wanting to be somewhere else rather than right here with her man, her family, and in St. John's.
Rubbing her hands over Rich's arms, she looked down. The Notus Motorcycle Club tattoo on his forearm only a dark outline in the darkness. He'd wanted to get the matching tattoo to the others on his one-year anniversary of sobriety. She'd tried to talk him into changing the black square on his calf into something else, but he was adamant about keeping it as a reminder of where he'd been.
Most importantly, she suspected that as long as he knew what was under the black tattoo, that's all that mattered. He'd stayed loyal to Notus his whole life. To him, that's what mattered.
"It's been two years, honey." His arms left her, and she felt him move behind her before embracing her again and holding up his hand in front of her. She cupped her fingers, and he dropped a two-year bronze AA coin into her hand.
Warmth filled her. He'd only had one slip up, a month after telling her why he'd spent twenty-five years apart from Notus. The day after he bought the beer and drank it, he voluntarily started attending AA meetings. That time in both their lives had been hard—she refused to soften how hard he'd struggled and how scared she'd been that he would never win the battle, but he continued to succeed, one day at a time.
"I'm so proud of you." She twisted her upper body and kissed him deeply.
He slid his hand along her neck and cupped her head, lingering longer. She sighed in his mouth, and he pulled away, looking into her eyes. Her nipples peaked, and she leaned closer.
"I love you." She ran her thumb over his bottom lip. "So, so much."
"Love you, too." He brushed her hair back from her cheek and kissed her again. "Tonight's been good."
She smiled happily. "Very good."
"We need to do this more often." He lowered his hand, picked up her leg, and set her side sideways in front of him.
Cradled in his arms, she listened to his heartbeat through his leather vest. She thought nobody would ever be able to get as close to her as Clara, being her twin, but she'd been wrong.
Rich knew what she wanted and needed before she could clear things in her mind and know what she wanted and needed herself. She wasn't high maintenance in the clothes and makeup area of her life, but she found herself greedy for love. And, he gave her that.
"We got a call from Gomez." Wayne held the phone to his ear.
Rich's body tensed. Gracie sat up and slid off the Harley. One by one, each Notus member joined Wayne at the edge of the mountain. She walked over to Clara where the other women joined them.
"Maybe Lieutenant Gomez is calling about something else than a missing person." Clara frowned, looking at the men. "I thought we were finally going to get one night together without something coming up."
"Me, too." Erikka folded her arms. "The bo
nds business is exploding lately. I haven't been able to get home before eight o'clock for the last two weeks. It's been exhausting. Rachel and I have been talking about hiring another bondsman or bondswoman to work part-time to help us out. I think it's time. I'd like to be able to get home and cook dinner for Chuck rather than relying on picking up food at Vavoom's every night."
Clara looked at Gracie and motioned her head in Lena's direction. Gracie gazed at Lena, noticing her hand on her flat stomach, and smiled back at her sister. Everyone knew Thad and Lena wanted to try for a second baby.
Gracie nudged Ingrid with her elbow and flicked her gaze in Lena's direction. The other woman looked and after a few seconds hid her smile behind her hand.
"What's going on?" Lena looked around the group. "Everyone went quiet."
"Um, do you have something to tell us?" asked Clara.
Lena removed her hand from her belly and raised her brows. "No."
"Liar. You're pregnant, aren't you? said Erikka, catching on to the behind the scenes conversation going on.
Lena clamped her lips together.
"Oh, my God. You are." Erikka threw her arms around Lena.
"Stop." Lena laughed. "We don't know, and until we do know for sure, I'm not saying anything."
"You're late?" asked Gracie.
Lena nodded. "Only four days."
"Oh, geez." Clara smiled. "There is no way I could wait that long to find out."
"We're going to do a test tomorrow." Lena accepted everyone's hugs for good luck.
Gracie smiled at everyone's excitement and her own. She and Clara always planned to have kids around the same time so their children could grow up close together in age. Lately, her sister had been talking more about having kids—which got her thinking of what it would be like to have a child with Rich.
He wasn't against having kids, and the longer he went in his sobriety, the more willing he was to talk about the possibilities.
Wayne walked away from the group of men. "Let's ride out."
Rich headed straight to Gracie. She followed him to the motorcycle. Slipping on the helmet, she leaned close to him.
"What's going on?" She latched her D strap.
"Missing person." Rich threw his leg over the seat of the bike. "I'm riding with them."
She had no time to ask him why. He hadn't gone on any searches in the last two years because he focused on straightening out his life, staying sober, and working.
"Do you want to stay with your sister or go home while I'm gone?" he asked.
She slid in behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and made an instant decision. "Home."
One after another, the Notus Motorcycle Club members looped their motorcycles around and headed down the road. All members together, living their purpose.
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading Hard Reality, the fifth and final book of the Notus Motorcycle Club series. Whether you picked up Rich's story first or started reading at the beginning of the series with Hard Proof, I hope all readers are more aware of the shocking amount of people who go missing each day. If we stay alert and notice the people around us, more lost loved ones will be found.
With every book I write, I achieve something new from the process of creating, developing, and choosing which kind of characters I give to readers. While writing the Notus Motorcycle Club series, I received much more from readers. The personal stories readers shared with me as they connected to the stories touched my heart. Thank you for blessing my life.
I'd also like to thank the readers who leave an honest review and tell their friends about Notus Motorcycle Club series. I want to invite everyone to come over to my Facebook page and join my other readers to keep up to date, share your love of reading, and have fun with me.
Love,
Debra
Author Bio
Debra Kayn is published by Grand Central Publishing, Simon & Schuster Publishing, Carina Press - Harlequin Enterprises Limited, and repped by agent, Stephany Evans of FinePrint Literary Management. She has well over forty contemporary novels available worldwide where heroes and heroines come from the most unlikely characters.
She lives with her family in the Bitterroot Mountains of beautiful Northern Idaho where she enjoys the outdoors, the four seasons, and small-town living.
Website: www.debrakayn.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DebraKayn
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DebraKaynFanPage
Debra Kayn's Backlist
Hard Reality – Notus Motorcycle Club
Hard Mistake – Notus Motorcycle Club
Hard Drifter – Notus Motorcycle Club
Hard Escape – Notus Motorcycle Club
Hard Proof — Notus Motorcycle Club
The Higher You Fly
...or something – Ronacks Motorcycle Club
Don't Say It – Ronacks Motorcycle Club
Rather Be Wrong – Ronacks Motorcycle Club
Can't Stop Fate – Ronacks Motorcycle Club
Blow Softly – Red Light: Silver Girls series
Touch Slowly – Red Light: Silver Girls series
Fall Gently – Red Light: Silver Girls series
Wrapped Around Him – Moroad MC series
For Life – Moroad MC series
His Crime – Moroad MC series
Time Owed – Moroad MC series
Falling For Crazy – Moroad MC series
Chasing Down Changes – Moroad MC series
Breathing His Air – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Aching To Exhale – Lagsturns Motorcycle Club
Soothing His Madness – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Grasping for Freedom – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Fighting To Ride – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Struggling For Justice – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Starving For Vengeance – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Living A Beautiful War – Bantorus Motorcycle Club
Laying Down His Colors – Bantorus Motorcycle Club, anthology titled Melt My Heart
Archer – A Hard Body Novel
Weston – A Hard Body Novel
Biker Babe in Black – The Chromes and Wheels Gang
Ride Free – The Chromes and Wheels Gang
Healing Trace
Wildly – Playing For Hearts
Seductively – Playing For Hearts
Conveniently – Playing For Hearts
Secretly – Playing For Hearts
Surprisingly – Playing For Hearts
Modern Love - Anthology
Chantilly's Cowboy – The Sisters of McDougal Ranch
Val's Rancher – The Sisters of McDougal Ranch
Margot's Lawman – The Sisters of McDougal Ranch
Florentine's Hero – The Sisters of McDougal Ranch
Suite Cowboy
Hijinks
Resurrecting Charlie's Girl
Betraying the Prince
Love Rescued Me
Double Agent
Breaking Fire Code
SNEAK PEEK — ... or something
Ronacks Motorcycle Club, book #1
By Debra Kayn
Chapter One
The dart missed hitting one of the hundred colorful balloons pinned to the board at the back of the booth, and the little boy's head fell forward, disappearing below the edge of the counter. Battery lit another cigarette from across the flow of foot traffic at the carnival, watching the young carny girl knock on the plywood and slide one more dart in front of the child, even though the kid had already used up his throws.
At three tries for five dollars, she'd already made a killing for CrazyTown Carnival.
"Look at the balloon you want to hit. Don't take your eye off the target," she said loud enough Battery could hear her over the crowd. "Hop up on the stool so that you can see better."
His gut tightened at the smooth caress of her sultry voice. The kind of voice where he expected the next words out of her mouth to describe how he made her feel and
what she wanted him to do to her. A voice he'd have a hard time ignoring and hell, a voice that made him want her to keep talking because he was feeling damn good listening.
The man behind the boy handed over more cash. The young carny shook her head in refusal and ignored the father. Battery inhaled a drag off his smoke. The odds were against the kid hitting any of the balloons tacked to the board. The slight rush of air from the dart usually moved the target. It's how the carnival made money.
But, it wasn't impossible to win.
The boy lifted the dart to his shoulder, aimed, and let it go. The sharp pop at contact almost knocked the kid off the stool, and his dad had to catch him. The carny whooped and raised her hands in the air, dancing behind the counter.
Battery forgot about his cigarette and stared at her young body barely contained in the tank top and cutoffs. He exhaled, and a low growl came from his throat. Anyone with half a fucking brain would know the girl was nowhere near eighteen years old—the required age to work for the carnival.
What they saw was sex. Her large breasts on a slender body. The wide hips that at first fooled you, until you noticed her walk was carefree and not calculated. Her movements animated and wild, untamed. Green eyes, more mysterious than flirty.
It had taken him five minutes to convince himself that the girl he found was indeed Bree. Though he felt it the second he spotted her.
That's what I'm talking about, folks." The girl pointed at the child. "We've got a winner and a future dart master at my booth. You won right on time because this booth closes in five minutes."
The boy smiled, his gaze already going to the large stuffed animals hanging above him. Before the kid could get his hopes too high, Bree jumped over to the side bin with the six-inch, China-made, cheap toys.
"Pick a prize from this wide assortment of beautiful toys." Bree picked up an alligator. "This one is looking for a new home. What do you say?"
The boy shook his head and pointed. "The dog."
She scanned the pile of stuffed animals and held up what Battery thought looked like a spotted panda bear. "This one?"