FOUR
Harper
There was something special about hanging out at the clubhouse.
When Harper was only a kid, she used to think coming to the RSMC clubhouse was like going to a Disneyland castle. Today, she knew it was the HQ of a conglomerate business managed by her family. Her father was still heavily at the helm, though Knox was itching to take the gavel. Other than Rider Marinos, that day was unknown, and everyone knew not to rush her father.
Whenever a decision had to be made, he was the one to handle it.
Only Zara (Harper’s mom) and Hawk (the VP and her favorite uncle) would learn about his retirement first.
Although it was where all the business took place, for Harper, it always felt like the ultimate gathering spot for her friend group and extended family.
Almost anything would bring the crew together for a hangout. Someone’s birthday, a new baby, an anniversary. Heck, sometimes it was only Thursday, and the phone tree was activated to bring a hog and to put butts on seats at the clubhouse.
Getting the fall classes wrapped up would be good, so she could chill for five minutes.
Though all the second generation were primarily adults now, they were still treated like kids. Only Knox and Sebastian had crossed over. Both were so ingrained in the MC lifestyle that they were bikers down to their souls.
The MC became a part of you. It wasn’t just a hobby, like most people thought.
It was a family at the heart of everything.
Harper could go to any of them for help, which would be given without question. Okay, tons of questions were gonna fly because that’s how everyone was. Always so damn nosy and all up in other people’s business.
She loved them all.
Laughing at something Sunshine Hawk was saying, she sipped her diet coke and played with the straw through the liquid.
Although Harper had always gravitated toward guy friends, Sunny was her closest female friend in age. Something about her cousin by blood attracted people to her proximity. She was her namesake. Nothing much bothered Sunny except one thing. And that one thing had her friend in a bad mood.
Sebastian Priest. The eldest son of Preacher and Ruby.
They’d just watched him striding into the forecourt, looking mighty fine; if Harper said so, though she’d never felt a flicker of interest toward him, she could still appreciate a good-looking boy. Growing up with all those boys was something else. They felt more like family. She’d rather sew her lips shut than kiss any of them.
But Sunny had always had it bad for the guy since the year dot, though Seb was much older than her.
“What’s he done this time?” Harper had to know. The Sunshine and Sebastian show was like watching the best daytime soap opera, where all plotlines were on the table.
“Nothing. I can’t talk about it,” huffed Sunny, staring at the doorway longingly.
“Tell that to your lips, babe. You look like you’re sucking a lemon. We’re on vacation, and it’s time to enjoy it.”
“You’re horrid!” she laughed, relaxing. “Do I look that bad?”
“You’re a hot little bitch, but you also look like you wanna rip him a new asshole. Did he go out on a date or bang a club groupie?”
Sunny frowned, and Harper felt sympathy for her pining friend. Seb had grown up being Sunshine’s protector and friend. Friend only. Definitely not dating material. While Sunny’s heart pined openly for him, he treated her like a sister.
“I don’t care what he does.” She lied, but Harper didn’t call her on it.
“Can I be frank?”
“If I can be Ralph.” Their laughter echoed. “Okay, give me the tough love.” Sunny’s shoulders rose toward her ears like she was preparing for Harper’s sharp tongue.
“You’re the hottest babe around this place, Sunny.”
She snorted in return. “Hardly. I’m like a shapeless stick standing next to you.”
“Is that why you always stand across the street?” amused Harper to make her friend laugh. “As I was saying before, you started eyeing my boobs.”
“They’re luscious, though.”
“Thanks, I like them, too.”
“Do I get a say on the tits?” inquired another voice, and Harper shot Saint Penn a squinty-eyed stare. She’d forgotten the mastermind lunatic-in-training was sitting close by. He was mostly always ghostly silent. He was looking down at his phone, his legs spread out in front of him, dressed all in black.
“You dare, and I’ll knock your teeth out.” She warned, and he only smirked, still not looking up from his phone. There was no blood connecting their DNA, but it would be weird as fuck if he had a say on her luscious boobs because he was Angie’s son, therefore her nephew. This wasn’t Alabama.
She turned back to Sunny. “As I was saying before this pervert derailed me. You’re gorgeous, babe. If it was going to happen with Seb, don’t you think it would have happened by now? You counted down the days till you were eighteen for him, Sunny, but nothing happened.”
Her friend sighed and turned red.
“That’s just pitiful.” Saint smirked, and Harper kicked his boot.
“You’ll find someone who will love you the way you deserve. He’ll see all of you, Sunny.”
“Tits included.” Imparted Saint again.
“I swear to god, Saint.” Warned Harper. “If you have nothing sensible to offer, then shut the fuck up.”
Saint was a button pusher.
But underneath all his smirk and snark was the heart of a protector, albeit a demented one. Harper was surrounded by a lot of psychopaths, that was for damn sure.
“I get what you’re saying.” Said Sunny, frowning. “I’ve been stupid for a long time.”
“Shut up. You are not stupid for caring. You’re so soft-hearted that I sometimes want to put you in my pocket so no one will hurt you.”
Sunny snorted. “Thanks, Harps. Make sure there are pocket snacks. I like to eat every two hours.”
Just then, from across the room, sitting in the TV area, they heard a raspy voice raise. “You little cunt, I’m gonna ruin your entire lineage.” Harper looked over and then asked Saint. “What has your dad in killer mode?”
Without looking up from his phone, Saint shrugged. “He’s chasing a hacker trying to infiltrate the club records.”
Oh. Harper’s belly clutched as she set her gaze over toward Lawless again. He was hunched over the compact computer, muttering, looking evil and determined.
Just then, Zara Marinos came out from the back rooms and gave Harper a wave. Harper might look like her mother with the same icy blonde hair and blue eyes, but everyone knew she was Rider Marinos’ daughter, with his same bossy tendencies. It’s why she couldn’t stand seeing Sunny miserable when there was so much more out there to explore.
Everyone had fake IDs, thanks to Saint, so she suggested they had a night out.
“I’ll come.” It was the first time Saint looked up. “So will Alpha, to make sure you girls don’t get kidnapped.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Because we’re helpless maidens.”
“Oh, what are we to do without big and strong macho men around to protect our virtues, Harper?” Mocked Sunny. “Saint Penn, you’re our hero.” She fluttered her lashes at him. “I might swoon at your manliness.”
Harper dissolved into snorting laughter.
Saint was unfazed. He rarely reacted. She was pretty sure Angela didn’t give birth to him—she must have had him assembled at a robot factory instead.
Over the next few hours, more legacy kids joined their table until it was rowdy with laughter, good jibes, and endless conversation.
Harper was correct about her hunch that night. Sunny had fun talking with different guys at a local bar but didn’t accept one phone number.
“It’s impossible,” Sunny whispered, laying her head on Harper’s shoulder on the ride home.
“I know, my little Sunny delight. We’re young, silly girls, but my mom assures me that wisdom kicks in any day now. And then you’re going to slay some guy’s heart open, and Sebastian Priest can eat a bag of dicks with regret.”
That made Sunny laugh. “You make me sound like a murderer.”
“Hey, this is our world now; we can do what we want. That means using men.”
She didn’t mean it, but a face popped into her mind. She’d been thinking about Cain for the last few days, wondering if she’d ever see him again. He hadn’t asked for her number the last time, though he professed wanting to see her again. And she hadn’t offered her number, either.
While being driven to her apartment by Saint—as promised, he and Knox had kept an eye out for them—Harper’s heart raced at the thought of the tall man with fiery eyes, who listened to her attentively.
She’d had her head turned. That much was true.
She couldn’t remember ever being this drawn to someone—especially on an intellectual level. Not even her senior-year crush, a four-month fling with the sharp-witted quarterback. Back then, she’d thought it was love. Now, she knew better—it was just her first spark of adult attraction.
She’d wasted so many kisses on Teon, yet could barely picture his face now. But Cain’s? That grave, brooding expression was burned into her memory.
And as she went to sleep, she wondered where the mysterious man was, what he was up to, and if he’d spared her a thought.