by Nikki Landis
“Thank you, Jean.”
MY GPS SHOWED THE ADDRESS was located in a nice part of town, an upper middle-class neighborhood with modest two-story homes and attached garages, big front and backyards that reached all the way to the bike trails and sidewalks in near perfect condition. Most properties boasted two new or fairly new cars or SUV’s and freshly mowed and manicured lawns with blooming flowerbeds.
The second I exited my car I could hear children laughing and playing up and down the street. I parked in front of the house since I wasn’t sure if anyone was going to need the driveway. Picking up my clipboard and purse, I swung the bag across my body and made my way toward the front door. I’d timed my arrival right around dinner at six p.m. when families congregated together for their evening meal.
The first time I pressed the doorbell nothing happened. I waited for a couple of minutes and then pressed it again. Glancing at my watch, I frowned. Where was everyone? Backyard maybe?
I was all set to walk around the house and check when the door was flung open. In all my years of volunteering, working at the food pantry, following up on critical child removal orders, and serious cases of neglect – I’d never seen such an intimidating and menacing looking man glaring down with intense dark eyes. Tall as the arch in the doorway which was at least a good foot above my height, he loomed from above like some monster ready to tear his prey apart.
My eyes widened, glancing over the dark denim of his long, thick legs upward to the tight blue t-shirt that covered a broad chest molded with grooves and valleys of corded muscle. A black leather vest hung on his frame as if it was a badge of honor, the patch over his chest boasting Treasurer. Ravage Riders MC was stitched on the front and I knew if he turned around, I would see the skull that wore a helmet and wings, the logo that belonged to his club. It wasn’t the first time that I saw bikers in Providence, but it was the first time I had met any members up close.
“Uh, hello,” I greeted, swallowing hard. “This is the residence of Leah James, right?”
“Shit,” he cursed. “Who are you? Social services?”
Great. I could already see how badly this visit was going to go. “Well, kind of. Is Rae Stenson available?”
The biker gave me a once over, muttered something I couldn’t hear under his breath, and turned his head, yelling for Leah’s sister. “Rae! You’ve got company.”
Chapter 3 – R.J.
After Church, I rode with Edge home and pulled up in the driveway, parking my Harley next to Rae’s dark cherry red RAV4. We entered the house together and I smiled as he greeted Rae and Leah with kisses. Both girls loved the big guy and couldn’t get enough of his attention.
My phone vibrated inside my cut as I watched Edge swing little Leah around the room, and she giggled. Three incoming texts. All from my mother.
Great. What now?
Mom: Need some cigarettes.
That was usually the only time she texted. When she needed something.
Me: I’ll swing by later.
She didn’t reply.
There was a light knock on the front door. Might as well answer it for Edge and Rae. They weren’t paying attention anyway.
“I’ve got it,” I mumbled, opening the door wide with a bit of frustration. A hot little brunette was standing on the front porch, her long dark hair reaching almost to her waist. She was holding a clipboard and wore sunglasses that she shoved gently upward to rest over her forehead.
At first, I thought she was some kind of solicitor, but then a sinking feeling began to churn in my stomach. This wasn’t a social call. Something was up.
“Uh, hello,” she greeted, swallowing hard as her dark green eyes appraised me from head to toe, never skipping a beat. Couldn’t tell what she was thinking but her expression didn’t bode well. “This is the residence of Leah James, right?”
“Shit,” I cursed. Edge wasn’t gonna be happy. We didn’t need some nosy child protective services agency in our business or giving Rae a headache. “Who are you? Social services?”
“Well, kind of.” I knew it. “Is Rae Stenson available?”
Annoyed, I muttered a few choice words under my breath, and turned my head, yelling for Rae. I wondered if she knew that a social worker was coming over. “Rae! You’ve got company.”
Rae hustled toward the front door as she exited the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. My breath almost caught in my throat as she smiled up at me and then focused her attention on the young woman at the door. It was still hard to look at her and know that she wasn’t mine. Edge and I both loved Rae as long as I could remember but what Edge and Rae had was special. Even I could see that.
When we were kids, Edge was known as Pete. He had been her personal protector and close friend from the time the three of us were old enough to attend school together. We grew up around one another and naturally became close. It was bound to happen that one of us would end up with Rae. I always knew it would be Pete, but it still hurt sometimes. I was as welcome and included as family, but the last few months had been tense, especially once they became engaged.
Rae was lost to us for a short time when she was taken into the Witness Protection program. We spent five years searching. Once Edge found her, he made up for all the lost time. They were inseparable now and planning their wedding. I was happy for them, but I felt out of place, like I didn’t truly belong.
Most of my life I had felt that way.
My family life was shit with a whore for a mother and a stepdad who taught me what I knew from life with his fists. Pete had taken me in, and I lived with him off and on over the years when it got too bad to stay in the trailer with my mom. I was reminded every single fuckin’ day why I wanted to escape and make a better life. Not that it happened.
Fate was a goddamn bitch.
I ended up with a Ravage Riders patch on my back in a motorcycle club that was known for its crime and drug affiliation in addition to the war we had going on with Satan’s Outlaws. Those assholes were ruthless. The violence this morning was only a warning.
“Come in,” Rae was saying as I focused on the conversation. “It’s nice to meet you, Cara.”
I must have missed the introduction.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to barge in like this. Hope you don’t mind.”
Yeah, right. These social worker types knew just how to be sweet and inconvenient at the same time.
“Sure. No problem.” Rae ushered Cara inside as I stood with my arms folded across my chest, scowling at the little troublemaker and the checklist I could see on her clipboard.
Cara graciously ignored me and followed Rae into the kitchen, looking around at the spacious and modern décor. The whole house had been remodeled after Rae’s mother was shot and killed. It stood empty for months after the only renter vacated the property and skipped out early on the lease. When Rae returned to Providence, she insisted on moving back home. Her mother Sarah left it in her name which luckily didn’t pose any legal difficulties.
The last few months had been rocky, but Rae and Edge were settling into their home and their life with Leah. After Rae fought for the right to care for her sister, the little sweetheart had come home. Leah was the glue that kept this place together. She was born and raised in this house and without her smiles, hugs, and constant singing it would feel empty and hollow.
My gaze traveled over Cara and down her back, resting on that succulent and shapely ass that swished a little when she walked. I blamed the tight black skirt she wore that hugged her curves all the way down her thighs and that trim waist that seemed to show off just how rounded and perfect her bottom was. Paired with heels . . . fuck. I was completely sucked in.
She had this innocent teacher + sensual goddess thing goin’ on that I wanted to explore. My fingers itched to reach out and roam the generous swell of her hips, to grip that skirt and push the material higher until I glimpsed the apex of her thighs. Was she the kind of girl who wore a thong? Or nothing at all?
Fuck me.
I shouldn’t be checking her out. Cara pushed back a few strands of hair that fell in her face and drifted across her back, teasing the apple of those generous cheeks. I had to stifle a groan. Shaking my head, I turned to see Edge leaning against the back door with an amused expression on his face.
“You wanna tell me why you look like you want to either fuck someone or fuck them up?”
Flipping him off, I didn’t answer as he chuckled and sauntered into the kitchen, pausing to place a kiss on Rae’s cheek.
“Hey, my Rae.”
“Pete,” she began, and he narrowed his eyes in response. She only called him by his real name when things were serious. “This is Cara. She’s from Leah’s school.”
“A teacher?”
“Uh, no,” Rae replied carefully. “She’s a Child Welfare Caseworker.”
Edge immediately stiffened, pulling Rae close. “I see.”
Cara blushed. “I understand your reaction. I’m only here because –”
“Cara!” Leah’s little voice interrupted as she came inside from the backyard and ran to Cara, wrapping her little arms around her waist. “You came to my house.” She sounded shocked.
Cara smoothed the loose hair back from her eyes and smiled. “We didn’t get to talk long this afternoon after the swings. I wanted to come by your house and say hi to your sister.”
Leah looked up at Rae and reached for her hand, tugging her closer as she leaned her head against Rae’s stomach. “My sister has a baby in her belly and she’s really sick. I hear her throwing up every morning.”
Silence engulfed the room as Edge appeared shocked, slapping a hand down on the nearby counter as his jaw dropped a little. I didn’t have a single thought in my head except for the loneliness I felt at the news. Edge and Rae were starting a family. Together with Leah, they had the beginning of their happily ever after. A bitter rush of something close to regret and anguish swished around in my head. Maybe it was foolish, but I felt completely discarded by the news.
Cara cleared her throat. “Is that why you’ve been so sad at school?”
Rae gasped, looking down at Leah. “You’ve been sad?”
“Yeah,” Leah admitted, hugging her sister. “I hope you’ll still love me when the baby comes.”
Rae’s big brown eyes filled with tears. She dropped to her knees, cupping her little sister’s face. “I will always, always love you, Leah. Even when this baby comes, I’ll still love you just as much.”
Leah seemed relieved. “Good, because that was a secret and I wasn’t supposed to tell.”
Rae held Leah close, whispering in her ear, “It’s okay. I’m not mad.”
Cara smiled and backed away, glancing around the kitchen. She placed her pen inside her purse and held the clipboard to her chest. “I think we have the mystery solved.”
Rae sighed softly, hugging Leah close. “That’s why you came.”
“Yes,” Cara confirmed. “I can see Leah is loved and well cared for. Consider this the one and only visit from my office.” She reached out and patted Leah on the top of the head. “I’ll see you in school.”
“Bye, Cara!”
I watched as Cara headed toward the front door, a small secret smile lingering on her lips. Edge seemed to come to his senses and gathered both his precious little women into his arms as I turned and followed Cara.
“I never caught your name.”
Staring down at her with curiosity, I shrugged. “R.J.”
“Well, R.J. It was . . . interesting to meet you. Have a lovely evening.”
I ticked my head in answer, leaning against the front door as I shut it and pulled a smoke from the pack located inside my cut, lighting up as Cara slung her bag into her car and then climbed inside. She backed slowly down the driveway as our gaze locked and I couldn’t resist a wicked grin. Even from here, I caught her answering blush.
Once she was out on the street, I tossed my cigarette down and stomped it out with my boot. Time to learn a little bit more about Cara. I threw a leg over my bike and fired it up, hauling ass down the road until I saw which way she’d gone. Riding at a distance, I followed Cara for several miles until she parked her car on the other side of town.
Providence was mostly a nice community with a low crime rate and plenty of happy neighborhoods filled with families that were oblivious to the bikers who ran their town. On the edge of city was where things changed. When Cara entered the homeless shelter by the old railroad tracks, I became more than a little curious.
What business did a pretty young social worker have in a place like this?
Unable to help myself, I climbed off my hog and decided on a little recon. Through the back entrance, I could see into the shelter and watched in total surprise as she emerged from a small room, her clothing changed. She was in jeans and a t-shirt as she pulled her hair up and tied it back, then added an apron around her waist. She moved to the kitchen area where Cara washed her hands and then began helping with food preparation.
Huh.
Maybe I had judged her a little too quickly.
This girl was a bit too saintly in my opinion, one of those types who helped everyone and had a perfect life. She probably had an expensive education and plenty of awards up on her wall. A true humanitarian and selfless caregiver.
Snorting, I shook my head.
I’d corrupt and sully that sweet innocence real fast.
A girl like that was all wrong for me. Not that I wasn’t more than a little attracted to her purity. There was just something about her that almost reminded me of Rae, but it didn’t matter. Cara’s life couldn’t be more different than my own. I was a born sinner, hung out on the wrong side of the law, and didn’t follow the rules. As a Rider with my club, I was both lethal and involved in some serious shit. We were two people on opposite ends of the spectrum.
There was nothing in common between a sinner and a saint.
Chapter 4 – R.J.
Business still had to run in Providence, even if shit with the Outlaws was getting serious. It was only a few hours later that I arrived at my destination. My shit day had gone from bad to worse as I glared at the entrance lit up with bright neon lights. Parking my bike, I sighed. This was gonna be a long night.
I pushed through the front doors of Scarlet Syn pissed off that I was called in for yet another moment of drama between the little pole dancers that filled this establishment. Gentleman’s club? Ha. Try naked women, pussy flaunting in your face, alcohol and drugs, and money you couldn’t pay me to touch with my bare hands. I wasn’t about to get some dude’s shit on my fingers.
No thanks.
I knew how many lap dances happened around here each night and ended with happy endings. Not to mention the warehouse about fifteen minutes away where we filmed adult movies with many of these same girls.
Fuck.
Why did I get stuck with this job? My dumb luck and eager to please heart. One look from Edge and a pleading smile from Rae – that was all it took. Now I was here babysitting after a bunch of girls who were old enough to have their shit together and know better.
They didn’t.
Mack wasn’t about to end up here either and as pres, he had the right. I wouldn’t let Edge even after he said he would since that was sure to bother Rae so guess who was the fucking martyr? Yep, me.
Maybe I could get Valan or Ghost to work the club. I’d give almost anything to get the hell out of here and not answer calls at two a.m. almost every damn night. GQ was a pussy magnet. Why the hell wasn’t he here?
The commotion coming from the back of the building proved my point as I sauntered toward the bar. Stopping to toss back a quick shot of Jack, I felt the burn as it slid down my throat and welcomed the familiar rush of heat as it buried in my stomach. Cherry was working the pole, a cute little redhead that could suck a mean dick, but I didn’t have time for her tonight. Would have been nice to lose some of the tension in my body but I wasn’t here for pleasure.
Candy and Star were fighting. Aga
in.
I really hated drama.
“Mother dick,” I muttered under my breath, taking a cue from one of my favorite characters on The Walking Dead. Why did Abraham have to die? Oh yeah, a woman. Always comes down to pussy.
Fuck, it was my problem too.
It was common knowledge I was having one hell of a time getting over Rae.
Sore subject.
“Candy? Star?” I called out as I approached cautiously, having learned my lesson the last time I entered the dressing room a little too quickly.
No answer. Shit.
Five seconds later a six-inch black stiletto sailed directly over my head and imbedded the crimson satin wallpaper, missing my head by about three inches. Angrily, I yanked the shoe from the wall, squared my shoulders, and burst into the girl’s dressing room, ducking just as the other heel soared by my right ear.
“Fucking hell!” I yelled as the room silenced. “What in the goddamn world is wrong with you two now? I don’t have time for this bullshit.”
“She’s fucking my guy,” Candy accused.
My teeth ground in my jaw as I was tempted to roll my eyes. These two fucked every guy in the club. It was always the same fight.
“You bitch! He’s mine!” Star screamed and ran for Candy.
I managed to jump in between them, holding each girl at arm’s length without much effort. I was a big guy, stronger than most men. My MC Brothers were all the same. Our DNA held the key, enhanced with abilities I was only beginning to learn. Needless to say, I was a tough guy with a lot of muscle. “Stop this shit. Now. Or you’ll both be gone. I warned you last time and I wasn’t fucking kidding around. There’s plenty of chicks to take your place,” I threatened, hoping they’d cut the drama.
Both girls stood taller, eyeing the other with the intent to kill but weren’t following it through.
Small victories.
“R.J. sweetie, I’m sorry,” Candy apologized. “We should have taken care of this later.”
“Huh,” I grunted in agreement. Fuckin’ broads, man.