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Despite the shiny gloss over this city, the underbelly is ugly and impulsive. That’s why Suzanne always keeps Hunter and me under her thumb.
“We have good news,” Aunt Fred explains, resting her hands on her knees and smiling easily. “Those men who survived yesterday have been located and removed from the equation. We were also able to obtain a list of their friends. The Steel Berserkers can check with their own list. We feel confident the threat is over, and Austen will be safe in Banta City.”
I smile gratefully at Aunt Fred while avoiding the men’s gazes. When Noble isn’t doing the “good cop, bad cop” routine with his brother, he just looks grumpy and bored. Zoot seems that way no matter what’s happening.
Thinking back to McMurdo Valley, I recall how Walla Walla’s friends often looked scary, even when they were just talking. However, my sexy blond biker always felt approachable.
I’m aware I’m viewing him through rose-colored glasses. At the clinic, he revealed himself to be a seasoned fighter capable of killing effortlessly.
No matter the facts, I can’t see past Walla Walla’s good looks and warm personality to any possible danger. He remains my dream man, through and through.
MARTIN
Back in my late teens and early twenties, life was a wild, often dangerous ride. The Steel Berserkers went from an idea in Ruin’s head to a fledging power player in McMurdo Valley. There were months when we were living in the woods, hiding from our enemies, and trying to survive the harsh elements.
McMurdo Valley is a gem coveted by many people. Defeating the top dogs—the nasty-as-fuck Jordan family—led to fighting members of the Edwards clan. We’ve had other assholes try to take what we won in bloody battles.
After a while, though, people grew to understand how winning wasn’t possible. McMurdo Valley is drenched in the blood of the Steel Berserkers’ rivals.
As I ride my new motorcycle while wearing my new clothes, I take in the sight of Banta City. The clubhouse is on the south side, not too far from Austen’s clinic. I noticed the stitching on the Backcountry Kings’ vests stated they were the “Basin Chapter.” On its south end, Banta City drops into a dense green valley. Goose and I passed the area on our way into town.
At the north end of Banta City is the more wooded, hilly section of the state. That’s why the terrain changes as we near Suzanne Knutsen’s estate.
I try to imagine living here. If the only way to keep Austen was to call this place home, would I do it? As a child, I felt crushed under the weight of a lifestyle I hated. I could probably handle living in this place using the same skills I honed as a kid—focus on the good parts and ignore the bad ones.
My thoughts return to my home at the Pigsty. I recall the many autumn mornings when I’d wake to find the former lodge’s backyard lit up in gold and red. To win Austen’s heart, I’d give up my home and friends, even if it’d likely kill me.
As the SUV guides us down tree-lined roads until I’m no longer sure where the fuck we are, I wonder if Austen is capable of loving life in McMurdo Valley. She could open a new Pudding Paws in town. Plenty of people need low-cost care for their pets. She’d always be busy.
I could build her a fancy enough house to avoid her feeling like her new life is a step down. I already own a beautiful piece of land in McMurdo Valley, perfect for whatever Austen wants.
However, McMurdo Valley will never be Banta City. My town isn’t drowning in people, noise, and chaos. The only time the place feels busy is during the autumn and spring harvest fairs.
Homesickness gives me a gut punch. The feeling gets worse when I think we’re close to the estate, only to turn another corner and ride past another fancy home hidden behind more dense trees and large security gates.
I miss knowing my space. In McMurdo Valley, I could be dropped off anywhere and hoof it back to the Pigsty without getting lost.
Beyond recognizing my surroundings, I miss the way the Valley breathes. When those ranch hands attacked the club, hitting us all at once, I never struggled to figure out where anyone was located. I felt like I was on autopilot with the Valley guiding me from place to place.
I’ll never enjoy that feeling in Banta City. No amount of riding these roads will ever feel as good as being back home.
Despite my homesickness, I’m convinced Austen Halvorson is the woman I need. All these years, no one has really caught my attention and haunted my thoughts.
I’ve had girlfriends, of course. Funny chicks, sexy chicks, smart chicks, there wasn’t a dud in the bunch. Yet, when things ended, I never felt sad or angry. Not once did I think I was losing the woman of my dreams. That only happened when Austen disappeared.
Maybe I’ve built her up too much. Having made Austen so perfect in my head, no other woman can compete. It’s possible I sabotaged myself long ago, and that’s the real reason I never fell in love.
However, I choose to believe in magic. Not the ugly shit worshipped by my parents, who believe smiling is a sign of weakness.
I believe in the kind of magic flowing through McMurdo Valley. The place draws people to it.
After all, sisters Selene and Yazmin came to the Valley for a second chance. Selene charmed the beast right out of Ruin. Yazmin’s arrival sparked life into Armor’s cold heart.
Magic brought Nomad to the right spot to find a battered woman and her sweet kids. His heart shifted from broken to reborn.
The Valley drew Irina to a life filled with danger and possibilities. No other woman could have brought Eagle out of his shell and made him want more.
The magic is why Xenia chose the Valley for her own second chance. She was like a siren beckoning to Hobo.
