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“Did wonder why at six months pregnant, Clio was jogging and in this part of town. Didn’t know Clio had a sister,” the stranger mused. He’d a pleasant growly voice that was deep and strangely attractive. I wanted to hear him speak more.
“No, Clio didn’t know either. We were separated as babies. Who are you?” I asked. He leaned forward and stretched out a hand.
“Inglorious, President of the Unwanted Bastards,” he said.
“You’re the one who saved Clio,” I said and stepped forward and took his hand.
“Yup got a heart of a lion, that girl,” Inglorious said.
“Why Unwanted Bastards?” I asked, stepping closer. Inglorious threw his head back and laughed.
“Because, chick, no one wants us around,” he said, still chuckling.
“I don’t see why not,” I said, smiling at his laughter.
“Don’t ya?” Inglorious challenged, suddenly serious. I stabbed my toe into the pavement and twisted my foot.
“You’ve heard, haven’t you?” I asked, and Inglorious frowned.
“Heard what?”
“That I’ve been a real nasty brat, accusing Chance and Hellfire of stupid things,” I muttered, reddening under his steady stare.
“Like what?” Inglorious asked as his bike idled.
“That they were holding her hostage, she’s got Stockholm syndrome, that they’re dirty and illegal,” I whispered. Inglorious gazed at me, and emotions flashed behind his eyes.
“And now?” he asked softly.
“Now I know I was wrong and a judgemental bitch,” I said bluntly, and Inglorious laughed again.
“Well, you can admit your errors, which makes you okay in my book. So you running from your problems or to them?” Inglorious asked.
“Bit of both. Running from my shame and running to discover a way to make it up to Clio. Which is going to be hard as she threw me out of her house last night,” I said, and Inglorious chuckled again.
“Got to love that girl. She better be taking care of my godchild,” Inglorious mused. “She’s got a thing for chicken satays,” he offered.
“Bear’s bribed her with those,” I said mulishly.
“Now that shit I heard about. Can’t imagine what Bear was thinking. That girl is all about Chance. You finished your run?” Inglorious asked in an abrupt change of subject.
“I suppose so. I haven’t discovered my answers,” I replied.
“Then how about you go and shower, and I’ll meet you wherever you’re staying. And then we come up with a plan to make amends with your sister?” Inglorious offered, and I gazed at him hopefully.
“Do you think Clio will forgive me?” I asked.
“If I know your sister, she’s as stubborn and bull-headed as Chance. If not more. But she’s forgiving, and if she’s just discovered a sister, then she’s also probably reeling. Clio says she doesn’t need to know her blood family, as she has a huge one around her. But I’m betting she’ll forgive her sister if you grovel enough,” Inglorious said.
“None of you guys are like what I thought. They should ban Sons of Anarchy from tv; it makes you look like criminals,” I said before I could stop myself. Inglorious laughed again, and I basked in the cheerful sound.
“Honey, half of us are criminals, especially those of us who fought to get clean. My club ain’t been clean as long as Hellfire and Rage, but those fuckers sure showed us the way. Clean doesn’t come easily, not unless you’re an MC like Fallen Warriors or The Devil’s Scythe. Seeing what beauty Hellfire and then Rage got, we wanted a piece of it too,” Inglorious explained.
“Beauty?” I asked, unsure what Inglorious meant.
“Yeah, watching Rage find their old ladies one by one and classy women at that, made us all want one. But knowing we were dirty and only likely to attract skanks made some of our coalition straighten up. Those Rage brothers are loved up beyond belief and spawning the future generation of Rage. When those kids mature, Rage might have to set up a second chapter. But some clubs in the coalition witnessed them gain happiness and want the same. Ain’t fair Hellfire, and Rage gets the classy ladies, and classy ladies ain’t gonna touch a dirty biker. They will touch a clean biker,” Inglorious explained. I thought about that.
“But some women like bad boys,” I argued.
