4. Rowan
4
ROWAN
Through my window, I hear a truck door slam, heavy boots on the pavement, and male voices that make my hands clench on the dish towel.
The timer dings too soon and not soon enough. The cupcakes are perfect and have risen just right. Mom would be proud if she could see me now, using her lessons to cope with disaster instead of club business.
They need to cool before frosting, but I don’t think I have that kind of time. The voices outside are getting closer. The boots on the pavement sound like a countdown.
Just as I set the cupcakes on the cooling rack, the pounding starts on my door. It shudders under the first blow. Three more hits, and the lock gives way completely, and suddenly, my kitchen feels very small.
They fill the doorway as if they own it. Three men who have no business being that attractive while breaking and entering. My first panicked thought is that Dad found me, but then my eyes dart to their exposed arms. I don’t see the snake brand that marks Viper members. These men are too beautiful to be part of Dad’s brutal world.
The one in front radiates authority, but not the crude kind I grew up with. His green eyes sweep my apartment with controlled power while his muscles shift under a shirt that fits him too well. Everything about him screams that he’s the leader, but with a refinement the Vipers never had.
The second prowls past me into my kitchen, all lean grace and dangerous charm. A grin plays on lips that probably talks women into terrible decisions regularly. The way he moves reminds me of panthers I’ve seen in documentaries—beautiful but deadly.
But it’s the third one who steals my breath. Silent, watchful, moving through my space like smoke. He reminds me so much of Jason it hurts—that boy from the Shadow Riders MC I met at sixteen during a bike rally. The one who never spoke but watched everything with eyes that seemed to see too much. The one who made me realize not all bikers are like my father’s men.
This man has that same quiet intensity, that same way of looking at you like he’s memorizing every detail. But Jason was young danger, and this man is all grown-up threat wrapped in a body that belongs on magazine covers.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” The words burst out before I can stop them. “You could have knocked like normal people instead of destroying my door!”
A muscle ticks in the leader’s jaw, but his lips curve slightly. “Feisty for someone who destroyed three custom bikes and ran.”
My heart stops. The bikes. But no—they’re too calm for men who just lost thousands in custom work. Dad’s men would already be throwing punches. These guys look more amused than angry.
Unless…
My mind races through possibilities, each worse than the last. It could be the River Kings MC—they’ve been trying to steal Dad’s operation for years. They’re known for being subtle, getting what they want through careful manipulation instead of brute force. Maybe they tracked me here, thinking they could force me to work in their kitchens.
Or worse, they could be the Desert Demons. They’re the only ones pretty enough to be models while still being deadly. Last I heard, they were expanding territory, looking for new ways to clean money. A bakery would be the perfect cover.
“We haven’t properly introduced ourselves.” The leader’s voice breaks through my spiraling thoughts. “I’m Brick Kane. These are my brothers, Maddox and Ryder. We own Black Dog Garage.”
The garage. The bikes. Oh god.
“And those beautiful machines you turned into modern art this morning?” Maddox’s grin holds sharp edges. “Those were ours.”
Something that might be relief hits me—they’re not Dad’s enemies. But as I look between the three men who radiate controlled power, I’m not sure this is any better.
“I didn’t—” I start, but Ryder moves, silent steps bringing him closer. His eyes never leave mine, and suddenly, I can’t remember what I was going to say.
“Didn’t what?” Brick advances slowly. “Didn’t mean to destroy months of work? Or didn’t mean to run after?”
I back up a step, trying to keep them all in view. Stupid. I’m already cornered in my own kitchen.
“I can explain,” I start, but Brick cuts me off.
“Five thousand in damages.” He advances slowly, all controlled power. “Custom builds. Months of work.”
“I’ll pay for—” My voice dies as Ryder moves past me to my bedroom. The other two don’t stop him.
“Nice place.” Maddox slouches against my counter, too close. His height makes me feel small. “Settling in okay?”
It’s not really a question. His eyes say he knows exactly how long I’ve been here.
A drawer opens in my bedroom. Fabric rustles. When Ryder emerges, my brain takes a second to process what I’m seeing.
He’s holding my underwear. Black lace that cost too much but made me feel human again after months of running. As I watch, he slides my panties into his back pocket like it’s perfectly normal.
Heat floods my face. Not just embarrassment—something else. Something that has no business stirring in my blood while these men invade my space.
“What are you—” But my protest dies as Brick steps closer. He doesn’t see what his brother just did. He moves like someone used to people backing down.
I should be terrified. Should be planning escape routes. Instead, I’m noticing how good he smells, despite working at a garage.
“Five thousand dollars.” His voice drops lower. “That’s a lot of money for someone who just moved to town.”
Maddox’s laugh holds no humor. “Lot of money for someone who keeps checking the window like she’s expecting trouble.”
They’ve been watching me. Studying me. My hands clench at my sides.
“The cupcakes are done.” I don’t know why I say it. Maybe because baking’s always been my safe space. Maybe because I need them to stop looking at me like this. Like they can see every secret I’m carrying.
“Cupcakes?” Maddox’s eyebrow rises. “That’s your play here?”
But he’s already reaching for one, movements casual like he’s not still blocking my exit. Like his brothers aren’t boxing me in from both sides.
The first bite changes everything.
I see it hit him—the perfect crumb, the real vanilla, the way everything balances. His eyes widen slightly.
“Holy shit.” He takes another bite. “Brick, you need to try this.”
“We’re not here for baked goods.” But Brick’s looking at me differently now.
“Yes, we are.” Maddox grabs another cupcake. “These are professional level. Like, seriously professional.”
Ryder appears at my other side, silent but somehow louder than his brothers. He doesn’t reach for a cupcake. Just watches me with that intensity that makes my skin burn.
I feel the shift in the air. The moment they stop seeing me as just someone who wrecked their bikes.
“You’re a baker.” Brick’s voice holds new interest. “A good one.”
“Used to work in Seattle.” The lie comes easy. Easier than noticing how they’ve moved closer, caging me in with their bodies.
“Seattle.” Maddox’s grin says he knows that’s not true. “Long way from here.”
“Needed a change.” My back hits the counter. No more space to retreat.
Ryder reaches past me for a cupcake. His arm brushes mine, sending electricity down my spine, and his eyes never leave my face as he takes a bite.
The sound he makes should be illegal.
“Interesting timing.” Brick watches me react to his brother. “Moving to a new town. Damaging expensive property. Baking peace offerings.”
“Not peace offerings. Just something to do while I waited.”
“Waited for what?” Maddox is definitely in my space now, all predatory grace. “For us to find you?”
Yes. No. I don’t know anymore. Everything’s spinning out of control.
“I’ll pay for the damages.” My voice sounds steadier than I feel. “However much it takes.”
“Five thousand’s a lot for a baker just starting out.” Brick’s eyes narrow. “Unless there’s something else funding your fresh start?”
The question hits too close to the truth. My hand twitches toward where I hid my emergency money.
“Here’s what’s going to happen.” Brick’s voice drops to something dangerous and smooth. “You’re going to tell us exactly who you are and what brought you to our town.”
“Or?”
“Or we start asking questions you don’t want answered.” His smile makes promises I can’t think about. “Your choice, little baker.”
Ryder shifts beside me, his hand brushing my hip. Reminding me that he has my underwear in his pocket.
“Let’s start with the truth.” Maddox takes another cupcake, watching me over it. “About everything.”
I fold my arms, mirroring his stance even though my pulse is hammering in my throat. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Brick’s gaze sharpens. “You sure about that?”
“Positive.” I tilt my chin up, refusing to flinch under the weight of his stare. “I’m not hiding anything.”
Maddox snorts, licking a stray bit of frosting off his thumb. “See, that’s funny. Because people who aren’t hiding anything don’t run from the scene of an accident. And they sure as hell don’t look like they’re planning an escape route mid-conversation.”
I force my shoulders to stay relaxed, even as Ryder shifts closer. His presence is like a weight pressing into my skin, demanding my attention without a single word.
“I panicked.” It’s not even a lie. “I heard the crash, and I freaked out. Where I come from, if you stick around after you break something, it usually doesn’t end well.”
Brick exhales through his nose, watching me too closely. “And where is that, exactly?”
“Nowhere important.”
“That so?” Maddox leans against my counter like he’s got all the time in the world, licking frosting off his fingers. “Because the way you keep dodging makes it seem real important.”
I shake my head. “Look, I get it. You’re pissed. You have every right to be. But I didn’t wake up this morning planning to wreck your bikes, and I sure as hell wasn’t trying to start trouble.”
Brick and Maddox exchange a look—one of those silent conversations that only comes from knowing someone for years. It makes my stomach drop. Whatever they’re thinking, I’m not going to like it.
“You owe us five grand,” Brick finally says. “What’s your plan to pay it back?”
I blow out a slow breath, my mind racing. “I?—”
And then it hits me.
I glance at the counter, at the row of perfectly frosted cupcakes. At the way Maddox is already reaching for another one, his expression shifting into something almost reverent.
“You own a business, right?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
“Black Dog Garage,” Brick confirms, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“But there’s more than just the garage,” I press. “People said you’re starting up a new business, right? A lounge? Something.”
Maddox’s grin is lazy, amused. “Look at you, asking questions like we don’t already have you backed into a corner.”
Brick ignores him. “Yeah. We’ve got a diner. It’s new, opening soon.”
I nod, my mind moving too fast to second-guess myself. “Then let me work off what I owe.”
Brick’s gaze narrows. “Doing what?”
I gesture to the cupcakes. “I bake. Professionally. Or I did, before I moved here. If you’ve got a diner, that means you serve food. Let me run your kitchen.”
Maddox raises an eyebrow. “You think making cupcakes is gonna cover five grand?”
“Not just cupcakes,” I shoot back. “I can do pasta, bread, full dessert menus. I can make your place stand out.”
Brick looks at me like he’s measuring something, like he’s considering the weight of my words. “How long would it take?”
I do the math quickly in my head. “If I make, say, eight hundred a week? That’s six weeks. A month and two weeks.”
Maddox whistles. “Damn. You sure can do quick math.”
I ignore that. “Two months, and we’re even. But since we’re talking about debts…” I cross my arms again. “You owe me too.”
Brick’s brow lifts, and Maddox full-on barks out a laugh. Ryder stays silent, but there’s something in the way he tilts his head—like he’s actually interested in where I’m going with this.
“You broke my door,” I say, lifting my chin. “That’s two hundred dollars in damages. So, technically, I only owe you forty-eight hundred.”
Maddox wipes a fake tear from his eye. “Oh, I like you.”
Brick doesn’t smile. He just stares at me for a long, drawn-out moment before finally giving a small nod. “Fine. Two months. You work for us until your debt is paid. And we’ll fix your door.”
Relief sweeps through me, but I keep my face neutral. I don’t trust them yet.
“And we start tomorrow,” Brick adds. “We’ll pick you up at six-thirty. It’s a long drive.”
“Six,” Maddox corrects. “I wanna get a head start on annoying her.”
I roll my eyes. “Can’t wait.”
Maddox grins, grabbing another cupcake as he heads for the door. “Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea.”
Brick follows, his presence still heavy even as he leaves. Ryder lingers a second longer, his gray eyes scanning my face, my body, like he’s trying to pin something down. He says nothing.
And he still doesn’t return my underwear.
I exhale as the door clicks shut, my heartbeat thundering against my ribs.
I just agreed to work for three men who break down doors and steal my things like they own the world.
But I wasn’t running this time.
And that has to count for something.