Chapter 10
Ten
DARCIE
I spent an hour searching the MCD database before giving up. Maddox hadn’t logged into the server for a while. I spotted a few entries from my father, but as usual, none were for me. I didn’t know if it was frustrating or comforting knowing he was checking in on me. I wished he’d reach out and speak with me. Maybe then I could process some of the anger I had toward him.
Tossing my tablet onto the bed, I lay back with a groan.
“Everything okay?” Brooks asked from the doorway.
I turned my head, taking him in. I smiled at him, beckoning him in.
“I’m trying to find Maddox. I looked through our database, but he hasn’t been on in years. I don’t know what to try next.”
Brooks smirked, walked closer to me, and sat on the bed. “May I?” he asked.
Nodding, I leaned up on my elbows as he picked up my tablet. He typed in a few things before stopping to look at me.
“Last name?” he asked.
“King.”
“Do you know what state he was in last?”
“Georgia, I believe.”
He hit a few more keys on the tablet and then turned it toward me. “That him?”
I sat up, grabbed the tablet, and stared at the mugshot. I swallowed, nodding. “How? Where?” I asked, glancing up with tears in my eyes. It was overwhelming having found him.
“There’s actually a prison database. You just need their name and state, and you can find anyone.”
“Oh.” My cheeks heated, the obvious solution staring me in the face.
“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s cute you didn’t know. Means you’ve never had to use it before.”
I wiped my eyes, nodding. “Thanks, Brooks.”
“Of course.”
I glanced back down, reading the information. “Wait, does this mean he’s out?” I asked. Turning the tablet around, I pointed to a line. Brooks peered closer, his brows furrowing as he concentrated.
“Hmm, it could be a couple of things. He might have just been transferred. But it doesn’t look like he’s in that prison anymore.”
The hope I had sank as I faced another dead end. If he was out, why hadn’t he come to me? Despite knowing he had no idea where I was, our love felt like something you could feel at times, manifesting a path from me to him.
“At least I know.”
Brooks watched me, concern washing over his features. “Hey, I’m sure if he could, he’d get in touch. He doesn’t know your number or address, right?”
I nodded, realizing how dumb I was being. I couldn’t tell Brooks how I felt; it always felt like Maddox intrinsically knew where I was. We’d never needed addresses or phones before. We just found our way to one another.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m being silly.”
“No, you’re not. Could you leave a message on that database you mentioned?”
My eyes shot up to his, a smile growing. Excitedly, I hugged him, almost falling into his lap in my exuberance.
“Oof,” he said, chuckling.
“You’re a genius, Brooks. Thanks. Seriously. Most men wouldn’t be so kind to help me find an old boyfriend.”
“He wasn’t just a boyfriend, though, was he?”
I shook my head, dropping my eyes. “No. He wasn’t. How are you okay with this?”
He sighed, his thumb coming up to cup my cheek. “That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. Is now a good time?”
“Absolutely. Let me just leave this first before I forget.”
His ears were a little red, but he nodded, letting me sit back on the bed. I signed back into the site, leaving a message on our old message board.
Rosebud: I took a trip to visit a friend. The air tastes too of envy, Darling. How everyone always responds to summer is killing me.
I chuckled at my nonsense message but knew he’d get it. It was the MCD code, after all, to use the first letter of each word. Hopefully he would understand it from there. I sat the tablet down and scooted closer to Brooks.
“Did you want to talk here?” I asked, grabbing his hand.
“Yeah. It works.” He swallowed, his eyes roaming my face. I smiled, hoping to encourage him.
“What I’m going to say might sound crazy, but I hope you’ll hear me out.” I nodded, rubbing my thumb across his palm. “Before I met Grayson and Waylon, I never fit in. I was always on the outside, never belonging. I grew up in foster care and was shuffled from home to home. When I turned eighteen, I was given a bus ticket and two hundred dollars. I had no idea what I was going to do. I found an ad in a paper for a rodeo school. I’d always loved horses, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I met Grayson after one show. He had been there to promote one of the brands. I was sitting alone at the bar, trying to get up the nerve to talk to a girl.”
He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory.
“We got to talking, and I realized he was one of the first people I didn’t feel awkward around. Grayson just has that way about him. He makes everyone feel comfortable. We exchanged numbers, and I promised to reach out if I was ever in the area. When I graduated from rodeo school, I felt more lost than before I'd started. I was on the road, constantly traveling from rodeo to rodeo, and I felt so alone. One night, when I was feeling really low, I messaged Grayson. From there, our friendship grew. He doesn’t know this, but he saved me. He helped me feel like I belonged. I eventually came through town and met Waylon. He became like a big brother to me instantly. He taught me how to drive a motorcycle and everything about them.”
He smiled down at me, pure happiness radiating through his eyes.
“When they asked me if I wanted to be part of the Brotherhood, I didn’t hesitate. I felt like I belonged here. Something I’d been searching for my whole life. Rodeo is a job for now, but these guys are my brothers for life.”
“I know what you mean. It’s what I love about the MC life. People outside of it don’t get it. But I do. There’s nothing more powerful than that feeling of family and belonging. It was one of the hardest parts of having to leave it. I didn’t just lose my dad, but my road family too.”
“So this might not sound so crazy to you then,” he started, clearing his throat. “There used to be a fourth member of our Brotherhood. Jackson. He was closer to Waylon’s age. They’d grown up together and were close. When he left, it created this void in us, Waylon the most.”
“Why did he leave?” I asked, curious.
“I’m getting there, sweetheart.” He smiled at me, making my insides warm. I mimed zipping my lips, making him chuckle.
“Jackson met a woman he wanted to make his old lady. He didn’t know how to do that and be in the club. Ours is a bit different in that we only have a few of us who are actual members. Some guys in town and the next hang out at the local bar and will ride with us on occasion. The four of us shared everything like you’ve probably seen. We shared the bills, meals, and chores. We shared our problems and dreams. Jackson didn’t know how to fit his new dream into that model. So, he eventually left. You’re in his room, actually.”
I looked around but couldn’t find any traces of the man who’d been there.
“While we understood why he left, it was a hard blow. One night, the three of us were drinking and talking. We were trying to find a solution, one where we didn’t end up in the same situation. None of us wanted to leave the others. I joked that, as a group, we’d be the perfect man for one woman. I had the sweet side, Grayson the smooth side, and Waylon the protector side. I’d thrown it out there as a joke, but then we all started thinking about it and realized it was the perfect solution. If we could all fall in love with the same woman, we wouldn’t have to break up our Brotherhood.”
I blinked, not having expected that explanation.
“So, you’re saying that if I date you, then I can only be long-term if I’m willing to date the others?”
Brooks paled, his eyes going wide. “No, I mean. I don’t think I’m explaining this correctly.” He took a breath, squeezing my hand. “I like you a lot, Darcie. You’re my dream girl. In fact, I never thought I’d ever be able to meet someone as amazing as you, much less talk to them. The fact you like me as well blows my mind. And if I’m honest, if there was ever someone to make me willing to leave the guys for, it would be you. But I can’t deny the chemistry I see between you and each of them. I’m not saying you have to date them, too, just that I think you’d be the perfect woman for us. I could never deny my brothers the happiness I think you could give them.”
I stared at him, a bit stunned. I’d joked with Lennox about getting my own harem, but I never expected it despite my feelings for multiple men. I didn’t know why. Probably my belief no one ever stayed. What was the point in worrying about complicated feelings if they were never around long? It was a ridiculous way to live, but I hadn’t really been doing much of that either.
Brooks was showing me how I could change that. How I could live in the moment and the future. It sounded scary, but I couldn’t deny I was interested.
“Have you talked to the other two? Are they on board with this? Because I don’t think Waylon likes me like that. I’m more of an annoying kid sister to him.”
I said the words, despite knowing they weren’t true. It felt too real to admit the attraction between us just yet.
Brooks's lips tilted up to the side, his brows lifting. He didn’t say anything, just gave me that look. I squirmed under his gaze, too stubborn to back down.
“We both know that isn’t true, sweetheart. He wouldn’t have let you ride his bike if he didn't care about you. He’s only let one other person on it since he got it, and that was only because Grayson was working on it.”
My mouth dropped open, shocked at what he said. Deep down, I knew what he said was true. A man and their motorcycle were a sacred thing. I hadn’t even blinked when he gave me the keys. I’d been away from the club too long.
At least that was my excuse and not the growing feelings in my belly for the brute.
“I’m not saying I’m on board, but where would Maddox fit? I don’t know where things are with us, but I’m not sure I could close the door.”
He sighed, nodding. “I know. And that’s something we’ll discuss when he returns. For now, I just need to know if you’re interested in this.”
I thought over everything he said. It didn’t make me feel like I would be used like a sweet butt, passed around from one member to the next. Instead, they wanted to avoid all that and share a woman. I did find Waylon and Grayson attractive; the chemistry between us was electric. I didn’t know if it would turn into anything more, but that wasn’t what he was asking me.
“Just to be clear, you’re asking if I’d be interested in dating all three of you and seeing where it goes? I’m not making a commitment or anything to be your club whore?”
Brooks reared back, shaking his head. “Never. You’d be our queen.”
His voice held so much reverence that I believed him. It sent tingles over my body at the promise in his words.
“Are the others on board with this?”
He cringed, his eyes moving toward the door. Grayson appeared, a smile on his face.
“I am,” he said as he walked over, plopping down next to me. His whole body touched mine, and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop it from showing just how much I liked it.
Okay, so maybe there was no denying I found him attractive. Our touch alone was igniting things in me.
“As for Bubba,” Grayson started, “he’s going to deny himself and push you away. You’re already under his skin, so it won’t take long if you keep trying. Plus, I think it will be fun to push his buttons, don’t you?”
I chuckled, nodding. “Yeah. I do have a passion for making the Viking ginger tick.”
The guys laughed, something passing between them. Grayson picked up my other hand, his eyes caressing my face as he looked at me.
“I know this isn’t conventional, Darcie. But if you gave it a try, I think it could be amazing. I think you’re gorgeous, hilarious, and sweet. You fit in with us so well. I doubt you even realize it. So give us a chance to show you.”
I licked my lips, his words bringing goosebumps to my skin. “Okay. I’m willing to be open and try.”
Grayson leveled me with a megawatt smile, almost knocking me over with its magnitude. I fully understood how he got modeling gigs. The boy was too pretty for his own good.
“I shall leave you then. I look forward to tomorrow, and perhaps after work, you’ll let me take you dancing?”
“Dancing, huh? I’d like that.” My face naturally lit up, the fun and joy he brought to the room bleeding over onto me. I couldn’t help but smile in his presence.
He leaned over and kissed my cheek before hopping off the bed and sauntering out of the room. I watched him, unable to take my eyes off his ass.
Brooks chuckled, pulling me back to the moment.
My cheeks heated at being caught. “That doesn’t make you jealous?” I asked, curious how it worked.
“No. It really doesn’t, at least with my brothers.”
I nodded, understanding in a way. Brooks leaned forward, his lips nearing mine.
“Can I kiss you now, Darcie?”
I nodded, my eyes fluttering closed as he bridged the distance. Brooks's lips were soft as they touched mine. He pressed into me but didn’t do anything else. I knew he’d been shy with girls, but I didn’t know what that translated to. Had he kissed anyone before? Had he done more?
It was something I’d want to know later, but for now, I enjoyed the sweet kiss, storing it away as a perfect first kiss.
“Night, Darcie.”
“Night, Cowboy,” I whispered, not wanting to break the magic of the moment.
He walked out, stopping at the door to look back. I smiled, the feeling more natural the longer I was around them.
Laying back on the bed, I giggled to myself as happiness filled me.