A woman with kind eyes steps forward, taking my arm gently. “Hey, I’m Sadie, and you have nothing to be scared of here. I promise you. Come with me, we’ll head to the kitchen and grab some food.”
There’s something genuinely warm about her that makes me feel safer immediately.
“Thank you,” I manage, grateful beyond measure that I won’t be left to navigate this alone while Chase disappears with the men.
As we walk toward the clubhouse, I steal one last glance at Chase. He’s deep in conversation with Alpha and the other biker, whom I think I overheard him introduce himself to Chase as Maverick, but there’s something serious in their expressions that makes my stomach flutter, and not in a good way, with worry.
Whatexactlyhave we walked into?
But Sadie’s gentle guidance pulls me forward, and I find myself stepping into a world I never could have imagined, hoping that whatever secrets Chase is keeping, they won’t put either of us in danger.
The clubhouse interior is nothing like what I expected. Instead of the seedy, strip-club atmosphere I’d imagined, it’s surprisingly clean and organized. More like a family gathering space than a den of iniquity.
“I get it, you’re wondering where the stripper poles are?” Sadie asks with a knowing smile.
“I mean, I wasn’t not thinking that,” I admit. “You all seem so… normal.”
She laughs. “We’re just a family, Lyric. A slightly unconventional one, maybe, but still a family.”
As she leads me toward the kitchen, introducing me to other women along the way, I start to understand what she means. Despite the leather cuts and intimidating exterior, there’s something genuinely caring about the way these people interact with each other. The kitchen is warm and inviting, with the smell of fresh coffee and something delicious baking in the oven. Several women are gathered around the island, and they all look up with friendly smiles when Sadie brings me in.
“Ladies, this is Lyric. She’s the one who brought Doughnut home,” Sadie announces.
A stunning brunette with kind eyes immediately stands. “Oh my God, thank you so much. I’m Haven. We were so worried about that little guy.”
“I’m Rhyan,” says a young woman with bright energy. “And this is Bea.” She gestures to another beautiful blonde.
“Ellie,” adds an older woman who looks like she could be a model, but she has dirt under her fingernails like she’s been working in a garden.
The warmth in their welcome catches me off guard. These aren’t the kind of women I expected to find in a motorcycle club. They seem educated, confident, and genuinely lovely.
“So you’re a florist?” Haven asks as she pours me a cup of coffee. “That must be such beautiful work.”
“It is,” I say, accepting the mug gratefully. “Though finding a fainting goat in your delivery truck does add some unexpected excitement to the job.”
They all laugh, and I find myself relaxing despite my surroundings.
“How long have you known Chase?” Rhyan asks with the curiosity of someone much younger.
“We literally just met this morning,” I admit. “He offered to help me return Doughnut, and here we are.”
“So you took a road trip with a stranger.” Sadie raises her eyebrows. “Sounds like something from a romance novel,” she says with a knowing smile. “He seems like a really good guy from the small amount I have seen.”
Just then, Rip appears in the kitchen doorway. “Betties, I’m borrowing Chase for a bit. Club business,” he chimes, but his tone is casual enough.
My stomach drops slightly.Club business?What kind of business could Chase have with a motorcycle club?
“Don’t worry,” Haven says, reading my expression. “They probably just want to catch up properly. Men and their bonding rituals.”
But something in her eyes tells me there’s more to it than that.
After Rip disappears, the women immediately close ranks around me in the most natural way possible.
“So,” says a tall brunette who introduces herself as Navy. “Tell us about your shop. Love and Lavender, right? That’s such a beautiful name.”
I don’t know how they already know that I’m a florist, or how they know the name of my shop, but I am just going to go with it. Because if I try to overthink it, I will probably start freaking out.
I describe my business, finding myself drawn into these fascinating women’s world. Haven mentions something about being‘formerly dangerous’with a laugh that suggests it’s not entirely a joke. Rhyan talks about her studies, and it becomes clear she’s brilliant. Sadie mentions her work with the club’s legitimate businesses, and I’m struck by how organized and professional everything seems.
