Music City Diaries: The Complete Series

Chapter 1

One

DARCIE

Panting, I stopped for a second, needing to catch my breath. I’d always thought I was in shape, but apparently, ‘run a moderate timed 5K’ in shape and ‘run for your life’ in shape were two different things. Go figure.

A snap had me jumping, and I took off running again, cursing the leopard print boots that had looked amazing earlier with my outfit.

“Stupid cute boots; why couldn’t you be more functional?” I hissed under my breath as I came out of the trees I’d been trampling through. I’d hoped it'd be a good enough diversion, but it had only slowed me down as much as the person chasing me.

When I finally made it to the street, I sagged in relief, hoping to blend in with the crowd of tourists. It was Friday night, and a festival was going on. People littered the streets, giving me excellent coverage as I weaved in and out of them. Glancing over my shoulder, I didn’t see my pursuer anymore, and I smiled in relief.

Turning down a familiar street, I picked up my pace, needing to only make it a few more blocks, and I’d be home free. My heart raced, my skin covered in a layer of sweat in the summer heat. I didn’t dare look at my make-up, already feeling the eyeliner and mascara sweating down my face. My hair was damp on the back of my neck and felt lifeless as it hung there. I desperately yearned for a shower, but I knew this would be worth it in the end. I was so close.

With throbbing feet, I stomped up the stairs, the lethargy sinking in with each step I took. That had been a close one. Pulling out the keys, I unlocked the door and stepped into the place that had become a second home to me.

My father sat in his chair, his legs spread wide as he regarded me. His long beard hid most of his face, and the rest was obscured by the hand placed there, covering his mouth as he watched me.

I stood, waiting to hear what he’d say. The monitors blinked behind him, the buzz from the servers a soothing sound. Shuffling on my feet, the tiredness in my limbs and the need to wash the stink off got the better of me, and I folded.

“Well? Did I pass?” I asked, biting my lip.

The door opened behind me, my pursuer entering to stand next to me. He knocked into my shoulder, and I smiled, taking the encouragement for what it was.

My dad stood, walking toward me. Hank Preston was an intimidating man. He had to be in order to control the Mississippi Mavericks—the motorcycle club he was President of. For most people, motorcycles were either a hobby or a nuisance; for us and others, they were a way of life.

They were everything.

Hank gripped my arms, pulling me forward. “You were almost caught, but you were able to outsmart him in the end. I thought you were done for when I saw what you were wearing today.” He gave me a disapproving look, but I shrugged, smiling.

“Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for cute footwear.” I beamed at him, pleased he wasn’t yelling. My dad grunted, the corners of his mouth lifting a smidge.

“Well, Mad Dog, what do you think?” my dad asked, using the road name of the man next to me. “Do we have another graduate of the MCD program?”

I looked at the guard next to me, the man as familiar to me as my dad. He’d been around most of my life in some fashion, either visiting with his family, or when he’d come to go through the program himself. He was only a few years older than me and had become the son my father never had. Mad Dog peered down at me with his dark blue eyes, assessing me. Despite being close, I knew he’d never go easy on me. Neither of them would risk it for my pride.

It wasn’t a matter of passing, but life and death.

If they didn’t believe me to be ready, then I’d go back through like I had three times before. But this time, it felt right. This time, I’d felt strong and in control.

“I think she’s ready, Pres,” he finally said. My shoulders relaxed, and I breathed out, a huge smile spreading across my face. My dad pulled me into a hug, holding me tight.

“I’m so proud of you, peanut.” When he held me close, I knew it was my father—the softy—speaking, and not the hardass Pres. “I thought I was done for when your mother gave me a girl, but you’ve shown me how strong a woman can be in this world. I still worry about you, but that’s a father’s right. I don’t want to let you go, but at least now, I know you can handle yourself.” He kissed the side of my head, and I pretended not to feel the wetness that dripped down his face.

Turning to Maddox, I wrapped my arms around him as well, needing his approval. “Promise you didn’t go easy on me?” I whispered so only he could hear.

“Promise. You’re too precious for that.” He squeezed me tight, pulling back a little. “Now, go shower. You stink, Runt.”

Sticking out my tongue, I giggled as I skipped off to the shower. I didn’t care that he called me that today or told me I smelled. The only thing that mattered was I’d officially passed the MCD program. I was a Maverick.

“What are you going to do now?” Chelsie asked. She was a family friend I’d grown up with, but we hadn’t ever been close. We didn't have much in common outside of our ages and our dads being in MCs. My dad had always told me to be friendly, though, needing to build relationships between clubs. She wasn’t bad, just kind of boring. Her older brother was a lot more interesting, but he didn’t always join her when they visited. Which was a shame, since he was hot as fuck.

She’d arrived two days ago with her mother and father, and I was already bored, ready for them to leave. I tended to be more active than this, needing to do something other than lounging out by the pool. But here we were, day two of laying out as the pool glistened in the sunlight, beckoning us in, but Chelsie didn’t want to get her hair wet, so gossip and tanning had become my routine.

Kill me now.

With school ending a week ago, I didn’t even have that to escape to. It felt nice to officially be a college graduate. I’d just finished two years at the Community College getting an Associate’s degree in business management. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I figured I could use it with the club. My only goal for my future had been to be an MCD graduate, and I’d finally done that.

Covering my eyes, I glanced over at her, remembering she’d asked a question.

“Not sure. Ride, I guess. You still going to the University of Tennessee?”

“Yep. I can’t wait to get out of Alabama and away from all of the Rebels crap.” She grimaced, looking over at me, remembering I didn’t hate MC life as much as she did. I waved her off, not caring what she thought; to each their own.

“What are you studying again?” I asked, fighting a yawn.

She opened her mouth to answer when a body zoomed by, cannonballing into the pool, a large splash spraying us. Chelsie screamed, cursing out the offender. All the while, I laughed, the cool water feeling nice on my warm skin.

The body emerged from the water, and I sucked in a breath, sure I’d fallen asleep and was fantasizing. Chase, Chelsie’s older brother, lifted himself out of the water like a commercial model. The water beaded and rolled off his skin hypnotically. He sat on the ledge, flipping his hair back, smoothing it out of his face, and I swear it was all in slow motion. When he turned, my insides quivered, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

He was too fucking good-looking. Chase had an air of danger, and there was something about him that called to me. It was probably destructive as fuck, but I was twenty, so what did I care? Living in an MC, you’d think I’d get all the dangerous urges out of me. But here was the thing. When you were a princess in an MC, no one touched you, no one looked at you, and they most definitely didn’t harbor any illicit thoughts about you. Nada.

It wasn’t any better at school. Without it even having to be said, everyone knew not to try. That, or no guy was brave enough to face my father when they picked me up.

Basically, I was twenty, a virgin, and horny as hell.

And prime cut man candy was directly in front of me. So what if he was the son of my father’s rival? They were friendly, a truce having been called years ago. In fact, they were here now to talk about a bigger alliance. It was the first one my father was going to let me in on now that I’d passed.

“Chase! You’re such an ass,” Chelsie chided, glaring at him.

He looked over at me, winking. I almost swallowed my tongue, my cheeks heating at the gesture. He’d never looked at me that way before, but as his eyes bore into me, scanning my body, I didn’t know what to do.

Was it because I was a graduate now? Or was it just the bikini? Should I push my breasts out more? Arch my back? Wink back? Flirt? Shit! How did one flirt? I take it back. I was so not prepared to date.

As the litany of things ran through my head, Chase and Chelsie had gotten into one of their epic arguments, allowing me to calm down and center myself.

“Quit being such a little bitch. You don’t own people. I can flirt with whoever I want.”

“Oh, is that what you’re doing? Every time there’s a girl around me, you hit on them. I can’t bring friends over because you always end up fucking them, breaking their hearts, and then I’m one friend less because ‘my brother sucks,’” she screamed.

“Actually, they usually do the sucking.” He laughed, dodging her hand. She’d gotten up to swat at him at some point, and I watched the two go back and forth. It was a good reminder. I couldn’t let myself get distracted by a cute smile. I wanted to show my father I could be part of the club, which meant not being distracted by dick.

Chelsie walked over, towering over my chair. “Just so you know. He fucked like three girls before we came here. I wouldn’t be surprised if his dick fell off. I wouldn’t touch him with a 10ft pole if I were you, but I can see on your face you don’t care. So, just use protection and don’t hate me when he breaks your heart.” She turned, the silk robe she’d worn to the pool flying out behind her in her haste. “And this is why I can’t fucking wait to head to Tennessee,” she muttered before slamming the door to the house.

Turning back, I found Chase staring at me, nothing but lust in his eyes. He sat down on my lounge chair, trailing a finger up my leg.

“Don’t listen to her. She’s just jealous that her friends only talk to her to get to me.”

The comment made me bristle, and I wondered if I’d been under the cute guy spell myself. Clearing my throat, I moved my leg, pulling both up to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my legs.

“Well, maybe you should expand your fuck pool to exclude her friends.”

He moved forward, eating up the space I’d just created. Leaning close, he whispered in my ear as his fingers trailed over my arm. “It sounds so erotic when you say fuck. Hank’s lil’ girl is all grown up now. I wonder what else has changed.”

He skated his nose against my neck, causing goosebumps to break out. My head warred with my body as it wanted to give into him, accepting what he had to offer.

“Chase, you're needed inside,” Maddox said, his voice stern. We jumped apart, and I avoided looking over at him. Chase sighed, leaning his head down. His hand still gripped my ankle, his thumb brushing against the top of it.

“Yes, Sir Cockblock.”

Maddox growled, but didn’t retort, waiting for him to let go of me and leave.

“This isn’t over, babe. We’ll continue this conversation later.” He stood, walking off, and I kept my eyes fixed on the water. My breathing was heavy, and I didn’t know how I felt. Was I embarrassed I’d been caught? Had I wanted him to touch me? I thought I had, but maybe that was the fantasy and not reality.

A shadow loomed over me, and I looked up, meeting familiar dark blue eyes. “You okay, Runt?” I nodded, not able to find the words. His jaw tensed as he held eye contact, a storm brewing within.

“Don’t tell my father, please.” I finally managed to say. “This deal is important to him.”

“What don’t you want him to know? Was that not consensual?” he asked, his tone changing as he stepped forward. His fist unclenched and re-clenched as he stared at me.

“Just let it go, okay? I’m fine.”

I stood, picked up my pool cover-up, and placed it over my head. I ignored how close we stood and how good his skin felt when I brushed my arm against his. I ignored how better it felt compared to Chase. I most definitely ignored the way his eyes zeroed in on my chest or how he seemed to suck in a breath as I brushed past.

Yeah, I was good at ignoring things.

Too bad things weren’t good at ignoring me.