Pay the Price: A Dark New Adult Romance

45. Daisy

The compound was teeming with even more people than had been at Summer Shit. Bikers milled around in their Blades cuts, most of them without shirts thanks to the heat, while their guests hung out around big coolers stocked with beer, soda, and water.

The big fire pit sat in the center of the outdoor party space, but a fire wouldn’t be lit until later, after the sun went down and the temperatures cooled. For now, everyone just sat around, drinking and laughing, heavy metal blaring from the outdoor speakers while Pinky barked out orders to the men, handing them aluminum trays of food to put on ice under a series of long folding tables set up in the shade.

The women — biker and otherwise — were scantily clad in tiny shorts or skirts, a lot of them wearing nothing but bikini tops that barely covered their tits.

My own bikini top was under the crop top I’d chosen. It was one of Jace’s picks from when he’d first moved into the house, back when wearing the clothes he’d chosen for me was part of the game, along with the jean shorts that (of course) left my ass cheeks hanging out the back.

In the beginning I’d chosen from Jace’s mandated attire because I’d agreed to it as part of his terms for living in the house. But more and more, I realized I liked them. It was fun to dress-up, to play to my physical strengths (I was willing to admit I had nice tits, if nice meant big), and yeah, to get a little attention from the guys too.

And I’d definitely gotten their attention.

Even now, Wolf stared hungrily at me from across the open area in front of the compound’s main hall while Jace — his gaze raking my body every few seconds — tried to focus on whatever Mac was saying to him.

Otis was helping one of the Blades with a big grill — there were several — that wasn’t working, but even he glanced over every so often, and I wondered if they were plagued by memories of the fun we’d had at the Velvet Rope, because I definitely was.

I nursed a beer in the shade of a giant maple tree. It was hot and humid, the way it was in Blackwell Falls in July and August, and I was already looking forward to tubing. As magical as Wolf’s meadow had been when I’d given him my virginity there, I’d made it clear there would be no detour out of the water for fucking.

I wanted to get in the water and stay there.

I looked up to see Honey approaching with a big bowl of watermelon.

“Hey, sugar! Nice to see you again!”

“You too,” I said. She was almost literally on fire in nothing but a star-spangled bikini, her long legs lean and tan, nipples barely covered by the stars and stripes. ”You look amazing. I love your suit.”

I’d gotten a lot bolder in the months I’d been living with the Beasts — having nothing but a TA-baring wardrobe and getting fucked by two of my brother’s best friends probably had something to do with it — but I could only aspire to the kind of confidence Honey had.

She was gorgeous and she knew it, but she was also at home around the Blades, and she gave them shit like she was one of the guys, which I guess she kind of was even though I’d never seen her actually ride a bike.

“Thanks,” she said. “Even the devil’s sweating today.”

I grinned. “Truly.”

She held out the bowl of watermelon. “Thought you could use something besides beer to cool you off.”

“Oh my god, yes please.” I took a piece of the ice-cold watermelon. “Thank you so much.”

“Anytime, sugar.” Her gaze traveled through the crowd to the Beasts. “I see your men still only have eyes for you.”

I felt myself blushing. “I hate to say it, but the feeling’s mutual.”

Honey nodded. “It must be one unholy mindfuck.”

I laughed, because what else could I do when we were talking about sleeping with the three men who’d murdered my brother? “That’s one way of putting it.”

“Well, it must be worth it. If I wasn’t such a slut I’d be embarrassed by the way they’re looking at you.”

Now I was really blushing. I’d thought I was the only one who could read the naked lust — emphasis on the word naked — in the Beasts’ eyes. Now I wondered if everyone at the party could see it, all four of us thinking not about grilled steak, watermelon, and fireworks, but fucking each other until none of us could walk.

I laughed nervously. “Yeah, it’s pretty… intense.”

Honey lifted her eyebrows. “No better kind of sex than intense.”

So far, it was the only kind of sex that I’d had, so I couldn’t credibly disagree, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t have disagreed even if I’d had the experience to back up the opinion.

“Hey, Honey!” one of the bearded Blades called out. “Bring your sweet tits over here with that watermelon.”

“The sweet tits are off limits, sugar, but the watermelon is on its way.” She smiled and shook her head. “Gotta get a move on before these monsters get rowdy.”

I watched her cross the dirt- and grass-covered party area to the guy who’d asked for the watermelon.

My life had changed so much in the months I’d been living with the Beasts that it was barely recognizable. I was in an alternate universe where no one was going to judge you for showing your tits and ass, the men weren’t at all shy about showing their appreciation, and somehow it all felt friendly and respectful.

I thought about my conversation with Gray yesterday and felt a cold chill even as the sun beat down on the compound.

I told her I’d give her a tour. Seems only right to… nurture her natural curiosity.

I’d felt more threatened standing with Gray in the lunchroom at Cantwell than I felt with the leather-clad bikers at the Blades’ compound. They were just having fun, and I had zero doubt that if Honey told them to knock that shit off, it would stop then and there.

I also had zero doubt if it didn’t, at least one of the other guys would make it stop.

Somehow I wasn’t sure I would’ve been able to say the same if I’d been in the company of Gray Cantwell and a bunch of his rich buddies on a drinking binge.

Or Calvin, despite his expensive clothes and designer sunglasses.

I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE IT ALONE. NOW YOU’LL LEARN.

The note had to have come from Calvin. The Beasts had told me that he was the only one who’d been by Old Mountain Road the day the broken vase was left on the porch, something they’d found out at almost the exact same moment I was being kidnapped by Calvin.

He’d been quiet since my kidnapping, and I’d assumed my dad told him to stand down, that I’d gotten the message.

Except Calvin wasn’t standing down, and that meant my dad’s lesson wasn’t going to stop with my kidnapping and imprisonment at the dam.

Wolf extricated himself from a group of men standing by the food tables and made his way toward me. Had he been waiting for Honey to leave? Giving us time for girl talk? That would be like Wolf. He seemed to anticipate everything, seemed to know the exact right thing to do and say no matter the situation.

And I had to say, he was looking mighty fine. Unlike a lot of the Blades, he wasn’t wearing a cut, but he didn’t need it. In faded denim and no shirt, the elaborate montage of images on his chest and arms on full display, he looked good enough to eat.

Or fuck.

Or both.

I hoped someday I’d have the time to properly inspect the intertwined images inked onto his body.

“Hey there, sunshine.” He bent to kiss me, right there in front of everyone, and no one batted an eye. Did everyone in the MC know about me and the Beasts? Did I care?

“Hey,” I said. I hadn’t told the Beasts about the latest letter. I was going to, but I’d just gotten it the day before, and I wasn’t scheduled to work again for five days.

I just wanted to enjoy the holiday before they went into Secret Service mode.

“You about ready to hop in the river?” Wolf asked.

“More than ready. I’m dying. I’m so glad the pool company is starting next week.”

“Same.” He bent down to murmur in my ear. “Although I have to say, I think I’m as excited to watch you swim naked as I am about the relief from the heat.”

“Who said I was going to swim naked?”

“Are you saying you won’t?” he asked. “Because I was definitely planning to join you, and I’m willing to bet Otis and Jace will be more than happy to join us both.”

Heat rushed between my thighs at the thought of swimming naked with all three Beasts, our bodies sliding together in the water.

He laughed like he could read my mind. “I get the feeling you’re reconsidering.”

“I never said I wouldn’t. I just don’t want you to take it for granted.”

His grin was devilish. “Never. You always keep me guessing, sunshine.”

“It’s hotter than Hades out here!” one of the Blades said, tearing off his cut. His giant hairy thighs were on display in cutoff shorts made comical by his clunky black biker boots. “Time to tube!”

A whoop went up from the crowd, followed by a handful of people yelling, “Time to tube!”

Otis and Jace made their way through the crowd to join Wolf and me.

“Don’t think you’re keeping Daisy to yourself this time,” Otis said.

Wolf grinned. “I think that’s up to Daisy.”

“Who gives a fuck?” Jace said, back to his surly self, which was par for the course of every day ending in “Y.” “Let’s get wet.”