Origin

by Ana Jolene

  And now that Lennon was well, there was no need for me to be here. It was time for me to go back. Problem was, how was I going to tell Lennon that I was leaving?

  Lennon dropped onto the couch beside me. “You okay?” Her expression was concerned.

  “Yeah.” As much as I enjoyed spending time with my sister, I didn’t belong here. “Let’s just watch this movie, okay?” I curled one arm around her.

  “Okay,” she said, leaning into me.

  As we submerged ourselves into blood, violence, and gore, I couldn’t help but wonder about what I might find in Ward Four when I returned. Who would be the first to shoot me down, Glory MC or Seven?

  On the screen, Mr. Blonde was happily dancing to Stuck in the Middle With You right before he cut off Marvin’s ear with his razor. Beside me, Lennon laughed.

  I sighed. At least someone here was happy.

  FOUR

  Home

  Lucky

  Lennon hadn’t been thrilled when I told her I was leaving. After a few days had passed, she began talking to me again. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had a life of my own to return to. “Do you really have to go back?” she asked for the millionth time today as she hugged me goodbye.

  I gave her a squeeze. “You know I can’t stay here.”

  “I thought you liked staying with me.”

  “I do.” I slid into Dex’s truck. “But I’m thinking Dex probably wants to have his own room back.”

  “You know I don’t mind,” Dex answered from beside me.

  “See.” Lennon leaned into the car window, already reluctant to put space between us. “You don’t really have to go.”

  I ruffled her hair like brothers often did to annoy their sisters. “Trust me. I’ve seen enough of Dex’s ass to last me a lifetime. I’m good.”

  “At least it’s a good ass,” Dex pointed out.

  “I beg to differ.”

  As Dex started the car, Lennon stepped away. A frown was already beginning to appear on her face. “Hey, come here,” I said, reaching a hand out. She grasped it tight, blinking back tears. “If you need anything . . . anything at all, you call me, okay? I’ll always pick up.”

  She nodded. “Okay. I will.”

  “Good.” I promised myself I wouldn’t cry but something must’ve gotten into my eyes because they were suddenly all misty. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Lennon waved as we pulled out of the lot. I watched her in the rearview mirror of the car until she was just a speck. God, please don’t let this be another mistake.

  Beside me, Dex concentrated on the road. By the intense look in his eye, I knew he was trying not to jostle the car around too much. It was one of the things I liked about the guy. He was always considerate of others. And it was why I wasn’t too worried about leaving Lennon with him. With Dex around, I could trust that he’d watch over her.

  Forty minutes later, we pulled up to the storage unit I had gotten when I first came to visit them. “Take care of her,” I said.

  “I will. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

  God, I fucking hoped not. Lennon was the only family I had left. I’d be nothing without her. As we clasped hands and hugged each other, I said, “I appreciate the ride, man.”

  “Keep in touch,” Dex finally said before driving off.

  As I stood there watching him drive away, his words took me back to two months ago.

  “Keep in touch.”

  “Yeah, same to you.”

  Those were the last words I told my best friend. Turned out, I was quite the liar.

  On a tired sigh, I gave a sharp tug on the storage unit door until it opened. Walking inside, I turned to face my Harley.

  I was forced to leave it in storage until I was ready to return. I couldn’t bring anything that identified me as Glory MC to see Lennon. Who knew who would show up on her doorstep next if someone caught wind of her connection to me? For her safety, it was better if I kept my distance.

  The white paint gleamed under the red sun. The stainless steel drag-style handlebars sat on a black riser, making my palms itch to hop on and ride once again. I pulled out my shades and placed them on the bridge of my nose, lifting one leg up and over to straddle my bike. The engine’s roar was music to deaf ears. I’d never heard anything so beautiful. Immediately the tension in my shoulders and in my temples dissipated like smoke.

  This was where I belonged. I knew it without a doubt. If I had stayed with Lennon, a part of me would always be unsatisfied. Happiness only came to me when I was free to ride wherever my heart desired. All I needed now was my cut back on my back. Then I’d feel whole again.

  Sliding smoothly into motion, I rode into Ward Four, the red dust flicking up as gravel crunched beneath the tires. It was still a far distance until I’d reach Neptune’s, but for once, I was glad for the long road ahead of me. It’d give me time to think.

  And prepare.

  Seven

  Trey was prompt in picking me up at my house at eight. True to his gentlemanly reputation, he held the door open for me and waited for me to sit at our table at Neptune’s. He never once interrupted me while I spoke and laughed at every one of my jokes. So far, my latest attempt at dating in the post flare world was a smashing success. With my terrible track record with men, this was the big break I’d been hoping for. Going out with Trey was turning out to be the best decision I had made yet.

  I could picture Trey settling down with a young, beautiful wife, treating her with respect and offering her comfort when life’s stresses got too tough. Time with Trey would be simple. Easy. Fun.

  I wasn’t the type of woman who planned out her whole life like this, but if things continued well enough, I’d definitely be open to another date.

  I scanned the crowd at Neptune’s, noticing my best friend behind the bar. Indy was moving quickly, chatting and pouring drafts for the patrons of the club. This was her element and I smiled knowing that she was finally happy.

  The music matched my mood. Cheerful. Upbeat. I grinned at Trey when he caught my eye. “Who are you looking at?”

  “See that girl?” I leaned into him. “The brunette over there?”

  “The bartender?”

  I nodded. “She’s my best friend.”

  Trey’s lips curled into a shy smile. “Oh, so this place is nothing new to you. I thought I’d bring you here and maybe . . .”

  “Maybe, what?”

  He lifted his shoulders in a half shrug, a dimple appearing in his cheek. “I don’t know. Impress you with this dangerous lifestyle.”

  My grin widened. “So you know about Neptune’s dangerous reputation, huh?”

  “Yeah, it’s Glory MC’s clubhouse. I’ve only been here a handful of times but I’ve never actually seen them.” His eyes brightened with mischief and for a second, I wondered if there was a dangerous bad boy buried deep within. “Do you think they’ll come in tonight?”

  “I have no idea.” Glory MC ran on their own schedule. Business was conducted in any way they saw fit. So it came as no surprise to discover that these bikers would do anything to get what they needed, even if it meant bending their own rules to achieve it.

  For me, the allure of the biker lifestyle lay in the fact that they weren’t ever hindered by anything. The post-flare world was open ground for many opportunities. They didn’t see the flares as a catastrophic event that took out half of the world’s population. They saw it as a purging of the weak. That “survival of the fittest” mentality appealed to my most basic human nature. I’d always been a firm believer that in any world people had to adapt to their surrounding environment to survive.

  Motion at the corner of my eye brought my attention to the door. Over the sounds of chatter and music, I hadn’t heard an engine, but it was impossible not to notice the large silhouette that took up the doorway of Neptune’s. I frowned, slow to pinpoint why the man seemed so familiar.

  Dark shades covered his eyes as the man scanned Neptun
e’s before his gaze settled on the bar. Despite the way he towered over others, he moved with an ease of a wild jungle cat. Silently, he settled onto a stool, keeping to himself.

  My body tensed as an unfamiliar feeling coursed through my body. Hold up a second, I knew that hair. “What’s the matter?” Trey asked as I frowned. His bright eyes scanned the crowd, searching for what I was looking at.

  Two months! He’d been gone for two months and suddenly Lucky was back? Where had he gone? Did Glory MC know he had returned? If so, how would they react? With open arms or open fire?

  When Indy spotted him, her amber eyes grew big. “Lucky!” Slamming down the rag she used to clean the bar down, she tackled him into a bear hug. “Where have you been?”

  A lopsided smile was Lucky’s only response to the question. “Can I get a drink?”

  “Of course.” Indy rushed back behind the bar, pouring him a glass of whiskey. It seemed so strange seeing him back at the bar, asking for his favorite drink as if he hadn’t been away all this time. What the hell had happened to him?

  Time away had brought on changes to Lucky’s appearance. He was leaner somehow. There was a sharpness to his features that wasn’t there before, as if what he’d experienced while away had chipped away at his easy demeanor. His clothing was worn and dirty. His hair was greasy and unwashed and yet he still looked sexy as hell. Ugh! How annoying was that?

  Trey’s hand dropped over my own on the table and my eyes darted towards the movement. “You all right?” Concern transformed his boyish features.

  “Oh!” I exclaimed a bit too loudly. I had completely zoned out. “Yes, I’m fine. I just . . .”

  Poor Trey. My attention was once again ripped from him as a large figure approached. My eyes grew wide when Lucky appeared by our table. “Seven,” he said cheerfully. “Did you miss me while I was gone?” He flashed a friendly smile at Trey as well.

  Cocky bastard. For two months I’d hoped for a chance to speak to him. But here I was, on a date with someone else and now he wanted to talk?

  I straightened in my seat, feigning a non-caring attitude, even though inside I was still recovering from my shock. “What are you doing here?”

  Lucky jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Why can’t you be more like Indy?” Without waiting, he turned to Trey and introduced himself. “I’m Lucky.”

  Trey sent him an icy look. “I’m Trey.”

  “Okay, now you’ve met him,” I said, a tinge of irritation lacing my words. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came back,” Lucky answered simply.

  “Came back? I thought you were kicked out of the club.”

  “I didn’t get kicked out. I left.”

  “That’s not what Knuckle’s been telling everyone.”

  “I had to take care of some business.”

  Business, huh? More like bullshit. What was Lucky hiding? I brought my bottle of beer to my lips and took a pull. “Two months is a long time to be gone.”

  “I’m here now,” he grated, some irritation finally slipping through. “I need to speak to you.” He shot an irritated glance at Trey. “Privately,” he tacked on.

  “Can’t you see I’m on a date?”

  His eyebrows flew up in surprise before narrowing. “You don’t date.”

  Hopefully neither of the men noticed my twitching at Lucky’s words. “Does Glory MC know that you’re even here?” I asked, swiftly changing the subject.

  His body grew taut as a trip wire. Well, well, well, it seemed that Glory MC wasn’t aware that their secretary and treasurer had returned. “Oh man,” I said, unable to hide my amusement. “I don’t want to know what kind of deep shit you’re in, but I can’t wait to see Glory’s reaction when they get word of this!”

  Lucky’s features darkened with my words. “It’s like you want to see me suffer.”

  Oh, I did. I really did. I made a show of excitedly clapping my hands. “It’s just so fun!”

  “It’s nothing you have to worry about, honey lumpkins,” Lucky replied sweetly. “I’ll handle him.”

  Honey lumpkins? Ugh. Were we really going back to that?

  Trey cleared his throat, reminding me again that we weren’t alone. Oh, right. “If you’ll excuse me . . .” There was a touch of smugness in my tone. “I’m in the middle of a date.”

  Turning my back on Lucky, I offered Trey an apologetic smile. Just as I was about to say something, Lucky cut in. “I’m surprised you even bothered to take her out. Usually Seven spreads like jam, there’s no need to sweeten her up.”

  My jaw dropped at the insult. How could he say that? “You’re still a fucking asshole, I see.”

  “And you’re still an uppity bitch,” he replied with the same tone. Yup. This was exactly where we had left off before he had disappeared.

  “I’m easy . . . I’m a stuck-up bitch. Pick a side and stick with it, moron.” As I said the words, I grabbed my purse and stood. Lucky stared down at me with that smug-ass grin. “Get out of my way,” I snapped.

  “You’re leaving?” He faked concern. “I really hope it’s not due to my presence.”

  “It’s always about you. You ruin everything.”

  He grinned at Trey. “At least you know it wasn’t anything you did.”

  Ugh, he was so frustrating! “Come on, Trey, let’s go.” I was already moving towards the entrance, desperate to get as far away as possible from Lucky when a sound like rumbling thunder echoed over the music in the dive bar. I stilled, glancing over my shoulder.

  Lucky was frozen in place, a look of fear transforming his features. When his eyes met mine, I couldn’t help but smile sweetly. “On second thought,” I told my date, never once breaking eye contact with Lucky. “Why don’t you go on home . . . I think I’ll stay for a while.”

  Lucky

  The smile on Seven’s heart-shaped face made me want to throttle her. Glory MC was approaching fast and they’d soon find out that I was here. While I knew an ass-kicking was coming for me when I stepped into Neptune’s, I didn’t exactly want Seven here to witness it all. Nothing would amuse the fiend more than seeing me get mauled by my brothers.

  The decision to come back was proving to be a mistake so far. It seemed that Seven had forgotten all about me already, which only proved what a man-eater she truly was. And by the looks of it, Glory MC were getting along well without their treasurer and secretary around too.

  As Seven tried to convince her date to leave her, my eyes shot around the dive bar, assessing the chances of escaping without being caught. That little tirade lasted about a full minute before I cursed myself. These were my brothers. They wouldn’t hurt me. And I was the one that owed them an explanation after disappearing for two months.

  As panic diffused through my system, I prepped myself for a long and boring explanation, exploring the details of my horrid past and dealings with my coke-addicted sister. Fun, fun.

  Pretty Boy finally left after much arguing from Seven. God, he was such a douchebag. Why the hell did Seven keep picking losers like that? I didn’t feel a bit of remorse as I teased her. In coming home, I had hoped for a return to normalcy. Bickering with Seven had taken my mind off things, if only for a few minutes.

  But to be interrupting a date? That wasn’t something I had expected. Seven never dated anyone. One-night stands or long nights of teasing men were more her style. How long had she been seeing this guy?

  Through the doors, a sea of black leather formed as Glory MC appeared. When Hastie saw me, he froze and my stomach dropped. “What the fuck?” he growled.

  Oh shit. Here we go.

  Of course Seven chose that moment to bust out laughing, clutching her tummy as she took in the vice-prez’s expression of shock. The look I shot her possessed all the hostility I could muster, but it only helped in making her laugh harder.

  Shut. Up.

  A second voice followed Hastie’s outrage. “Move your fucking ass, Hastie.” My best friend was pushed to the side as one of the sergeant at a
rms of Glory MC barreled past him. Just like Hastie, Kitt stumbled to a stop when he saw me standing here. “Holy shit,” he breathed.

  “Yeah.”

  “Holy. Fucking. Shit!” Kitt repeated on a choked laugh. He circled me, making me feel like a freak on display. “So you are alive!”

  Yup, alive for now, but we’ll see how well I fared after this.

  The next thing I saw was Hastie coming at me. At full speed. Oh fuck!

  A note to the naïve: You never, ever wanted Hastie gunning for you. He was a big motherfucker and the scathing glare aimed in my direction was the only warning I had before my internal alarms went off.

  There was a patch of sparks then seething agony. I groaned as I clutched my bleeding lip. The fucker had hit me! “Fucking hell, man. That hurt!”

  Seven was no longer laughing, her smile replaced by a look of shock. What? Was she scared of a little blood? I shot her a smile as I bent over at my middle, deliberating showing teeth covered in blood as I removed my hand.

  Hastie grabbed the front of my shirt, hoisting me against him until we looked like lovers instead of ex-best-friends. “Where the fuck have you been?”

  I stared at him, struck by the sense of nostalgia at seeing him again. Of all the guys in Glory MC, Hastie had been the one to extend a hand, reaching out to an outsider and a loner before I joined the club. I had shared everything with him. Only he knew the extent of my past, knew every gruesome detail and why I wanted out. He gave me a shake when I didn’t immediately answer. “Where the fuck have you been?” he repeated, no less pissed off.

  “You know where,” I whispered.

  We stared at each other for a long moment. His reaction shouldn’t have come as a surprise. I had expected this. But it was proving to be harder to deal with than I thought. Letting people down always messed with you a little.

  The angry features on Hastie’s face softened slightly as his fist loosened on my shirt. He wrapped his arms around me in a manly hug. “Christ, I thought you were dead,” he whispered against my ear.