Origin

by Ana Jolene

  I scoffed, taking another shot as I slid a glance at Seven. The girls were all happily chatting with one another, oblivious to our conversation just a foot away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Seven flashed a stunning beauty queen smile at something Hanna said and I stiffened. All right, so I could see what Kitt said about her being pretty, but that didn’t make up for her sparkling personality. My gaze panned from the women towards the rest of the crowd at Neptune’s. It was filled with other members of Glory MC, a few stragglers and the regulars who enjoyed a bar fight to go with their beer.

  A lot of the men’s eyes were trained on Seven’s slender figure, shown off by the booty-hugging shorts she wore. Previously, the bar was merely interesting. Now, with her here, men sat up a little straighter and downed quick shots, hoping it would be enough liquid courage to give them the balls they needed to get up and talk to her.

  The leering gazes of men had me tightening my fists at my sides. There was no question what was on their minds at the moment. It was there in the glassy eyes, the lopsided grins, and the licking of their lips. As if they couldn’t wait to find out if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

  Kitt’s voice intervened in my thoughts. “I don’t know what your problem is with her. She’s letting you stay in her house, free of charge, I may add. Ease up on her.”

  “Like you’ve been?”

  Kitt elbowed me. Hard. “Fuck you, don’t be a jackass. She’s not that bad.”

  “Christ, are you even listening to yourself? What did she feed you? You’re not thinking clearly.”

  “So you are jealous.”

  “What?”

  “Listen, man. You’re not mad at me. Whatever shit is going on between you two, fix it. Otherwise, you’ll continue to claw at each other like rabid animals.”

  I stared at him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Whatever. I won’t be dealing with her wrath when she finds out there aren’t any generators to go around.” Shit. He had a point. I didn’t want to tell her and watch her go red and sprout horns like the devil. “And the stove is broken,” he added. “So good luck fixing that, too.”

  “What? It was working when I left. What the hell did you two do to it?”

  From beside me, Seven answered, her voice rising over the music in the dive bar. I transferred my annoyed gaze to her. “It wouldn’t have been a problem if you had the other one fixed. Now we’re without a generator and a stove.”

  “I placed an order for the generator already. Just wait a few days.”

  “How many?”

  “I don’t know. A few days at most.”

  “A couple of days we can handle. But if it’s weeks, Lucky, we’re looking at some serious problems.” I couldn’t exactly argue with her. Generators were integral in the post-flare world.

  “Look, I’ll check the stove when I get home later. Trust me. I got this.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, giving me a seething look. “Somehow that doesn’t reassure me.” No more than a few minutes ago, I was loosening up. Now, with Seven here, I was finding myself getting angry all over again.

  “Look at them,” Kitt observed out loud. “It’s like they fall into another argument without even trying.” Hanna and Indy nodded in agreement while Seven and I ignored them.

  “I told you, I’ll fix it.”

  Seven’s chin tipped up higher in challenge. “And when you can’t fix it, what are we going to do?”

  Why did she always doubt my abilities? I reached out, grabbing onto her shoulders firmly. Yelling would achieve nothing but create more noise. “Seven, just trust me. Can you do that?”

  Her cerulean blue eyes remained large as she looked down at my hands holding her. It was the first time I had touched her since I kissed her.

  I released her when I realized I was still holding onto her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. You just—” God, stop talking! I broke off and licked my lips.

  Seven’s gaze followed the movement and her lips pursed together. “It’s okay,” she whispered. Hanna, Kitt, and Indy were oddly quiet as they watched on.

  “I have a church meeting soon but I’ll check it out tonight. Don’t worry.”

  “Right.” It came out as just a breath.

  “Go on,” I said, tipping my head back to the bar. “Have a drink. I’ll find you later.”

  The look in her eyes gave me a front row view of her desire. I watched as she turned away, the bodies of other men rotating like clockwork to catch of glimpse of her as she walked past them. She seemed so damn oblivious to the attentions she received.

  Kitt cleared his throat from behind me. “You ready?”

  “Yeah.” For the first time ever, I found it difficult to take my eyes off Seven and turn away.

  NINE

  Burn the World

  Lucky

  Two seats away from me, Knuckle lit a cigar and brought it to his lips. The tip burned a bright red before he exhaled, spreading smoke across the tension-filled air. To my right, Kitt settled in, settling his pistol on the table before him.

  As the musky aroma filled the room, the door opened and Hastie walked in. His dark hair was mussed up in all different directions and his lips looked swollen and puffy. Judging by his appearance, he must’ve found some private time with Indy. He flashed me a smile as he approached and the vice-prez of Glory MC settled his large frame in the empty seat to my left.

  “So,” I leaned forward to rest my elbows on the edge of the table. “What’s this shit about the Phantoms making a move?”

  “The fuckers aren’t satisfied with the imposed boundaries,” Knuckle said after clearing his throat. “They’ve been infiltrating other Wards and extorting businesses and such, gaining power that way. Bronson has revealed that the Phantoms have been using force, threatening others that if they don’t pay a protection fee, their businesses will falter.”

  Falter. Right. More like they planned to burn them to the ground.

  With no ruling government or person of authority to come in and settle matters easily, greedy bastards were trying to take over in the only way they knew how—by force. Nothing was a guarantee in the post-flare world. Leaders could be overthrown or taken out, leaving many opportunities to conquer. The Phantoms were gunning for that top spot.

  The club was familiar with their means. If the Phantoms made a move, that meant there was going to be a lot of violence and death on the horizon. And Glory MC had already seen too much of that lately. “Where have the Phantoms attacked?”

  “In Ward Three now,” Hastie answered. “Several other Wards have reported a few instances here and there as well.”

  “They’re just gearing up,” I speculated.

  “Yeah. Bronson has been holding off on paying. He doesn’t want to make the same mistake Brennan made. But there’s only so much time the Phantoms will allow them. Bronson is looking for some assistance.”

  “Don’t you ever wonder if this is a trap?”

  “It crossed my mind,” the prez of Glory MC said. “But it seems that all the Wards are being targeted one by one. Who knows when we’ll need help?”

  “So what, we just sit and wait, hoping that the Phantoms don’t target us next?”

  “They’ve taken a hit from us already. But I doubt it will keep them away from us for too long. They’re power hungry.”

  “And so am I,” Knuckle added. “With the recent hits to the club, our numbers have been dwindling. We can’t afford to lose any more members.”

  “I agree,” Beck intoned. “But the recruiting process takes a long damn time. Sometimes even years.”

  “This is something we’ll need to think about for the future,” Knuckle told the group. “But in the meantime, keep an eye out for any Phantoms lurking in the shadows. I want to know about their plans before they can act them out.” The Phantoms were quickly becoming pests that wouldn’t go away.

  “What about Ward Seven?” Wa
rd Seven was the most affluent of all the Wards, dealing primarily in the distribution of narcotics. Jacques Bonheur was the Ward’s current leader and past dealings with him had gone well so far. Having them on our side could provide added power and men.

  “Ward Seven hasn’t received any reports of extortion yet. I don’t know what Bonheur has offered the Phantoms, but Bronson seems to think that a deal was made between the two that has kept them off their hit list.”

  “Shit,” I muttered. “That can’t be good.” If Ward Seven, the most powerful of the current Wards, could be manipulated by the Phantoms, there would be no hope for the rest of us. With seven Wards each specializing in different areas of expertise, the aim was to rebuild the world that we had lost. However, in this world of chaos, it seemed that every player was battling criminal tendencies.

  “Do you think we’re next?” Hastie asked.

  I glanced at everyone in the room. “If we are, we’ll have to be ready.” The rest of my sentence didn’t need to be said to be understood. For war would always be the constant threat that came with being in a motorcycle club.

  “Find a way to stop the extortions,” Knuckle said, his voice dropping to a commanding level. “And that’s how we’ll stop the Phantoms once and for all.”

  Seven

  Sitting in Neptune’s during a solar flare should have been fun. With darkness enveloping us like a blanket, the generators were working overtime, grinding out electricity to keep the lights and music going. Hanna was already in the process of lighting the candles littered around the dive bar. It seemed that everyone was in a pleasant mood but for me.

  Despite the company of my good friends, I was distracted. The music didn’t make me want to dance. The smiles from different men didn’t hold my attention. And the alcohol tasted off. All of this was because my mind was still on Lucky.

  I’d seen Lucky mad before. But not like this. His tight grip on my arms hadn’t scared me in the least, but only made me aware of how close he was to me, his words adding to the intimacy. Seven, just trust me. Can you do that?

  The second he pulled away, the heat he’d generated simmered away. I was left feeling confused about my emotions again. Could I do what he asked and trust him?

  No, I realized. I couldn’t. Not with the generators. Not with my feelings for him.

  He’d left without an explanation, leaving me to deal with it all. Was that the reason why I was so angry with him still? Was I wrong to blame him for what confusion I felt?

  Just one touch and his demeanor shifted. His eyes turned from angry to . . . heated. As if enlivened, my own body reacted. Goose bumps multiplied on my arms and my nipples peaked beneath the tight top I wore. Damn my traitorous body! No matter how hard I tried to remain immune to him, Lucky always managed to reach inside of me.

  Have a drink. I’ll find you later, he had said.

  What for? I wouldn’t be waiting for him tonight. I wanted to get out of here and center myself before I could face him again. Dammit. Why was Lucky the only one who could do this to me?

  Men rarely surprised me now. They were like books. You read one, and suddenly the machinations of them all seemed the same. They all followed the same schemes until nothing ever seemed to shock you anymore. Lucky was proving to be a game-changer I’d never encountered before.

  A frown curled my lips as I brought the bottle of beer to my mouth. The cold refreshment was a pale comparison to the taste of Lucky’s lips. The memory replayed in my mind, but this time, my imagination embellished it with far more intimate details. Of skin rubbing against each other. Of hot breaths on sweat-sheened skin. Of fingers reaching out to wind tightly in my hair.

  I jolted up from my seat, refusing to acknowledge the fact that I had just fantasized about Lucky Winters.

  “Are you all right?” Indy asked, staring at me oddly.

  My answer was automatic, sounding stiff even to my own ears. “Yeah. I’m going to head home though.” I needed some air.

  Concern edged over Indy’s features. “What’s wrong?”

  “Just a headache,” I lied. Before she could respond, I walked towards the door. The farther away I got from Lucky, the less likely he’d crawl into my thoughts like some diseased cockroach.

  Since Kitt had brought me here and he was still in the meeting, I’d have to walk back home. But at least the long trek would give me time to gather myself before I saw Lucky again.

  * * *

  The creaking of the bedroom door opening told me I was no longer alone later that evening. Without turning over, I knew who it was.

  Lucky’s breathing was low, but in the stillness of the room, I could hear it clearly. He’d also made a lot of noise when he came through the door earlier. “Are you up?”

  “You’re pretty loud,” I muttered into the air, just enough for him to hear me. “Anyone who wasn’t deaf could’ve heard you coming in.” Though it was likely past midnight, I hadn’t slept a wink since sliding between the sheets hours ago.

  There was a smile in his voice when he spoke. “I’ve got good news.”

  “What is it?” Intrigued, I finally turned over in bed, catching a glimpse of him holding a candle as he stood in the doorway to my room.

  “I checked out the stove.”

  “Did you fix it?” A smile was my only response. “Did you?” I tugged the sheets back, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. Uncaring about my state of undress, I stood before him.

  I tipped my head up at him and saw his white teeth flash in the dark. “I thought you had a headache,” he said.

  “I did.” At least that had been the excuse I’d given him when he called me down for dinner. “It’s gone now.”

  “Uh huh.” His tone told me he didn’t believe me.

  “Well, are you going to show me?”

  The corner of his lips pulled up. “Don’t trust my handyman skills?”

  “I don’t doubt you’re good with your hands,” I shot back and then blushed as I realized how that must’ve sounded. Lucky wasn’t a gentleman about these sorts of things so it didn’t surprise me when he laughed. “I just want to see for my own eyes.”

  His grin widened. “You still don’t trust me.”

  “Why should I? You’ve never really given me a good reason to. You’re hardly the guy people can rely on, Lucky.”

  His smile abruptly disappeared. Shit. Had I offended him? I hadn’t meant to. But when I opened my mouth to apologize, his face was a mask of impenetrable force. He stepped back, giving me enough room to slip through. “Go,” he said with a tilt of his chin. His voice had taken on a hard edge again, like earlier at the dive bar. “Take the candle with you and check it out. If it doesn’t work, give me a holler and I’ll come take another look at it for you.”

  With that, he turned and headed towards his bedroom, shutting the door with a soft click. My guilt was overshadowed by the excitement of a working stove. I practically ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. Setting the candle on the edge of the countertops, I turned on the stove, hearing that blissful click that told me it was working.

  Lucky had fixed it like he promised he would, proving me wrong about him. “Huh,” I mumbled to myself quietly. My smile steadily built to a full-on grin. “Maybe you’re not so useless after all, Lucky.”

  Lucky

  For once, I was grateful for the lack of womanly company in my bed tonight. The sheets were too damn warm and with another body taking up space, it would only drive me more insane. Maybe abiding by Seven’s rule of no women in the house would be easier to stick to than I initially thought.

  Stripping off the covers, I strode naked to the window, cranking it open wider to allow more air in. I know it defeated the purpose since the air outside was hotter than hellfire, but even a light wind would be heavenly on my overheated skin.

  Flopping back into bed, I crammed my arm under my head and stared at the blank ceiling. These flares were really beginning to be a pain in the ass. Not only did they create so much heat that
it felt like you were being poached like an egg, but it also kept me from checking in on Lennon.

  With my phone in my hand, I stared at the useless device. A single call wasn’t possible until the power was restored and the lines were back up. Sometimes it was only a few hours, but sometimes it lasted days. Who the fuck knew when we’d get it back this time? What if she needed me? What if she was lonely and needed someone to talk to?

  I prayed that she was able to kick temptation in the ass and stay away from the drugs that kept her away from me. Loneliness was what drew her to addiction in the first place. Without our mother around to guide her, she’d fallen into the wrong group and had developed a taste for the terrible. Hopefully, Dex was keeping an eye on her.

  The sudden urge to hop onto my bike and go see her was overwhelming, but I held myself in check. The recent meeting had stated it clearly: Ward Four was experiencing some drastic issues. I wouldn’t turn my back on them and make the same mistake of bailing on Glory MC again. I loved the patch on my back too much to have it removed from me another time.

  Tonight’s growing frustration only reminded me of a time when things were left out of my control, leaving me feeling trapped and hopeless as the mounting pressure of caring for someone else lay on my shoulders.

  Like always, the memory came back swiftly, as if it hadn’t been dulled by the passage of time.

  “Ma?”

  She groaned but didn’t rise. I patted her shoulder gently.

  “Ma,” I repeated. “I have to go to school. Lennon isn’t feeling well. She’s been throwing up all night.”

  At that, Ma turned over. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. In the dim light of the early morning, her skin looked as thin as tissue paper on her bones. “Honey, I—”

  “Right,” I cut in, knowing full well what the next words would be to fall out of her mouth. I was ten and I had to be a parent to my younger sister. “I’ll just deal with it.”