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Since the married men have moved into their own homes, the compound is usually quiet in the morning hours, but something’s going on because I can hear Vi and Ava running after their brood, and Hanna’s humming in the kitchen.
The good news is that when Hanna’s around, we eat like kings. Then again, when the entire Lady Pride is in attendance, it means something’s afoot. Normally, this doesn’t worry me, but as I’m walking through the living area, I hear Ava say, “I don’t think we should all go over and ambush the poor girl.”
As I turn the corner, I see Vi throw up her hands and say, “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Oh sure! You’re the most intimidating of all of us,” Ava tells her.
Hanna and Maddie giggle, and Vi turns her head to them with her hands on her hips. “I am not! I’m as sweet as pie,” she announces loudly. “Well, I am.”
Abby and Izzy put their arms around Vi. Abby says, “Well, of course, you are, but even you have to admit that you’re a no-nonsense type of lady and we don’t know this person. She might be super shy.”
“We adore you, Vi. You know that,” Izzy says, soothing her with her soft tone.
“I have to go,” Sofia says. “I’m her representation here in the United States. She’s from London, England, you know.” I didn’t know, and I’m further intrigued that someone so young would leave the big city of London to retreat to a small place like this. “My office has already informed her that I’ll be dropping in this afternoon.”
“I think it’s brave to go on an adventure like she’s on. Leaving all she knows and all,” Willow says.
“You need another adventure, baby?” Roscoe sidles up next to his wife, giving her a swift kiss on the mouth.
“I have all the adventure I need as long as you’re with me,” she murmurs before she kisses him back. Those two are so fucking adorable together. Willow makes Roscoe happy. You gotta love Willow. There’s no way you can’t love the women of the Lady Pride. Each one, in her own unique way, is a fabulous woman. Together, they add flavor to our already crazy Satan’s Pride family. If it weren’t for Izzy, I never would have met the Pride at all. My sweet baby sister married Saint, who is not only a Pride member, but an amazing doctor with a clinic in town. I wasn’t too sure about Saint until I met him, but we immediately hit it off. We’re both military men, and so are Orion, Risk, and some of the others.
Once I finished my last tour, I had to get out. I was stuck about what I wanted to do next, and although my parents wanted me to go to Florida to be closer to them, it felt right to stay here. The clincher was my talk with Guard, our president and Ava’s husband.
Guard’s a man unlike any other I’ve ever met. He has an uncanny ability to read people. It’s like he can see into your soul. I’ve been through two tours in Afghanistan and have seen more tragedy than anyone should ever have to, and yet I found my first meeting with Guard unsettling. After Saint’s introduction to the club, Guard took me for a ride out near a lake.
“What your eyes have seen will stay with you forever,” he said. “So much hate exists. You gotta wonder how fucking angry you have to be to put a gun in a five-year-old’s hands and make them a killer.” His words took me right back to the moment I decided I was done with that life.
Me and four of my unit mates were driving into the town to help with the evacuation of the civilians. We heard the rebel soldiers were planning an attack and wanted to get as many out as we could, as soon as possible. We’d loaded up the last of the farmers and were heading back to base when I saw a small child standing in the middle of the dirt road, holding a rifle. The fucking thing was bigger than the kid. I stepped out, and he aimed the gun right at me. I tried to talk him down, but when I watched his finger begin to squeeze the trigger, I knew it was a lost cause.
Jack Wagner has to live with his decision to shoot and kill the child. It was the child or me. Jack never made it back to our unit. He was sent home, and the last time I saw him, he was still in therapy for that one incident that changed our lives forever. I replay that moment in my mind over and over, agonizing about what I could have done to change the outcome.
“They took that child’s life away from him the second they took him from his family. You didn’t do that, they did,” Guard insisted. “The club has firm rules, but the first one is loyalty and honor. I see an honorable man standing before me. You understand family, or you wouldn’t have come all this way to check up on Izzy. You’re never going to forget that boy, nor should you. His death serves a purpose. It’s ugly but real. It’s our duty to protect those who can’t protect themselves. We do this in our neck of the woods the best way we know how.”
I knew then that I wanted to be part of Satan’s Pride. I still had two months to finish on my last tour, but as soon as I could, I came back. Izzy and Saint wanted me to stay with them, but I needed a place of my own. For one thing, those two were constantly on top of each other, and as much as I love them both, I felt like a third wheel. I ended up at the club, and I love it here.
I’m doing work I love, with Ghost leading the team in our bounty-hunting business. Roscoe, Wildcard, Priest, and I were brought in at the ground floor of this new venture, and we’re rocking it. We’re already making a profit, and Ghost is even talking about expanding into other states.
“Hammer. Hammer!” I’m so lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t hear Risk calling. He waits for me to focus on him before saying, “Heading across the way to do some minor repairs. I could use a hand.”
“I’m meeting with Ms. Deleigh this afternoon,” Sofia interrupts. “We can head over together, as planned.”
“I’m in,” I say quickly.
Risk gives me a sly smile and shakes his head. “Come help me pack my truck, then,” he orders, and I follow him out.
A few hours later, we’re driving up the newly paved driveway to Bell Blue Cottage. The place was named after the hordes of bluebell flowers all over the property. In the spring, all you see are flowers surrounding the cottage.
Sofia knocks on the front door, while Risk and I carry bundles of goodies from Hanna and the other ladies. When the door opens, I’m stunned into silence at the beauty standing in front of me. Her eyes are the color of the cool blue ocean, and long blonde waves frame her heart-shaped face. With her cute button nose and perfectly bow-shaped pink lips, she looks like a delicate doll.
“Hello,” she says softly and greets us with a sweet smile.
“Hi. I’m Sofia Bardon, your attorney. I’m here for our meeting,” Sofia says, then turns to introduce us. “This is Risk, your contractor, and this is Hammer.”
“Please come in. Excuse the boxes. I’m still in the midst of unpacking.” Francesca steps back from the door to make room to let us through.
“Nice to meet you in person, Ms. Deleigh,” Risk says.
