2. Mia
MIA
I’d grown up in the MC, and as much as I loved the brothers and the lifestyle, it wasn’t for the faint of heart.
There were always secrets floating around, ones laced with danger and mayhem, and as women, we were rarely privy to what was going on.
We’re told that it’s for our own safety, but there were times when I wasn’t so sure that was the case. But I wasn’t allowed to question it.
I could, but I wouldn’t get an answer—at least not a real one.
I was expected to do what I was told.
That was one of the many expectations that came with being the enforcer’s daughter.
It was something I didn’t always understand.
The brothers loved my father. They respected him, but with that respect came an element of fear.
And that fear often led them to be either overprotective and overbearing or cold and aloof, avoiding me at all costs.
It wasn’t always easy.
But they taught me a lot, like how to deal with stubborn men.
I learned not to worry about what others think and to fight for what I want.
I learned a great deal from the women in the club, too,
Cotton’s daughters, Darby and Susana, were my dearest friends.
They were like sisters to me, right along with Maverick’s and Big’s daughters, Lexie and Addie.
We went to school together, played together, and during that time, they taught me that you could achieve anything with a little patience and determination.
I loved them. I loved being with them and growing up with them, but as we grew older, it got harder and harder to spend time together.
We’d all gone off to college or to work and lived in different cities, and we didn’t get to spend as much time together, just holidays and major lockdowns—like the one we were under now.
None of us had any idea why Cotton had called the lockdown.
That was one of those things that was never shared with us, but we knew it had to be something serious for him to call us home during the middle of a semester.
Our suspicions were confirmed later in the week when several fires were set at the clubhouse.
It sent us all into a frenzy, and I started to worry that we were in real trouble.
It was that worry that had me rushing to find my father.
I waited until all the excitement had died down and most had returned to the quarters before I started down the hall to find him. I hadn’t gotten far when I spotted Wrath walking towards me, and oh my.
No matter how many times I saw him, I could never get used to how incredibly hot he was.
His dirty blonde hair was pulled back, revealing his intense, ocean-blue eyes, and he was wearing jeans with a long sleeve t-shirt and his Fury cut.
Most of his tattoos were covered, but I knew they were there.
He’d gotten his first one while he was overseas, and every time I blinked, it seemed like he got another until he was completely covered in them.
I was thinking about the last time I’d seen him without a shirt on and how incredible he looked when his baby blues met mine, and he gave me one of his nonchalant nods. “Mia.”
“Hey, Wrath.” I swallowed hard, but it did little to get my hormones in check. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going. You?”
“It’s going okay. I was just looking for my dad. Have you seen him?”
“He’s kind of tied up at the moment.” Concern marked his face as he stopped and asked, “Why? Something wrong?”
“I was hoping to ask him that.”
“Everything’s good. You don’t have to worry.”
“The clubhouse was on fire, Wrath,” I argued. “Everything isn’t good.”
“The fires are out, and everyone’s fine. That’s what matters.” His eyes skirted over me, sending a wicked chill down my spine. “You certainly look like you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“See? All is well.” He started back down the hall as he said, “I’ll let Stitch know you were looking for him.”
“Thanks!”
As I stood there watching him continue down the hall, I thought about an earlier conversation I’d had with the girls.
“I’m over it.” Darby threw her hands and huffed, “I refuse to go out with another momma’s boy with control issues.”
“Oh, God. Don’t get me started on the control issues,” Casey grumbled. “I love Lewis, but if he doesn’t stop pouting every time he doesn’t get his way, I’m gonna lose it.”
“Ugh. I hate that.” Susana threw her head back with an aggravated groan. “I hate it even more when they try guilt-tripping you into doing stuff you don’t wanna do, like going to their stupid frat parties or staying the night when you’d rather go home.”
“What about when they try to check up on you all the time? It’s like they’re trying to catch you doing something.” Darby giggled as she added, “Which I usually am.”
“We’re dating the wrong men.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Actually, men is the wrong word. We’ve been dating boys. Immature, spoiled-rotten boys. We need to be dating men.”
“I agree.” Susana shrugged. “But men are in short supply.”
“Not around here.” I thought back to that night in the family room, and a smirk crossed my face as I confessed, “In fact, there is one that’s caught my eye, and I’m thinking about starting something up with him.”
“With who?”
“Wrath?”
“Wrath?” Darby gasped. “Our Wrath?”
“The one and only.”
“You’ve got to be kidding?”
“No, I’m not kidding. Not at all.” I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger as I told them, “I’m telling ya, I’ve dated the bankers, the lawyers, and the preppy college boys, and none of them have ever made me feel the way I do when that man looks at me.”
“He’s definitely hot, and he’s got that whole intense thing going.” Concern marked Susana’s face as she asked, “But what about your dad?”
“What about him?”
“If he even thinks about getting involved with you, Stitch will kill him!”
“Dad loves Wrath.”
“He likes Wrath. He loves you, and you know how protective he...”
Our conversation got cut short because of the fires and commotion outside, but I’d said all there was to say.
I was interested in Wrath. A part of me always had been, but I’d never acted on it.
I’d convinced myself that I didn’t want to get involved with a biker, especially one of the brothers I’d grown up with, so I’d never let myself consider him as an option.
After being in countless bad relationships, I was starting to reconsider.
I had no idea if Wrath would be interested in starting something up with me, but I was going to find out—one way or another.
I decided to skip going to find my father and went straight to my room.
I went over to my desk and pulled up the images I’d been editing for the past three days.
After spending two years studying photography, I landed a job with an up-and-coming photographer.
He was amazing. He had talent that I only dreamed of having, but with his guidance, I was learning.
I had some edits that were due, but with everything that had been going on, it had been hard to get anything done. Not that I minded. I’d enjoyed hanging out with the girls, but it was time for me to get my act together.
I got to work on my edits, and by the time I was done, it was well after dark.
I decided to call it a night, and the follow morning, I woke to the sound of the guys rumbling around in the hall.
Something was going on, but the brothers said nothing to anyone.
They just holed up in the conference room for hours, discussing God knows what.
Later that afternoon, the guys rolled out of the clubhouse looking like they were ready to fight the battle of a lifetime; only to return two hours later with the same expression on their faces.
I had a sneaking suspicion that the brothers of Satan’s Fury were facing something they’d never faced before, and it had them rattled.
And that rattled me.
It was a feeling I wasn’t accustomed to, and I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like it one bit.