Chapter Three
Grace
The bar we pull beside looks like something out of a vintage western, but there’s a row of Harleys out front instead of horses. A red and green vintage sign flashes above the roof with fluorescent lights that spell out Lucky Lady.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the tattoo shop. It sits in the alley beside the bar, but the lights are off, so I assume they’ve closed for the day.
Ink turns off the bike, and we sit silence.
I’m terrified.
Ink grabs my hand and squeezes it. “Something you need to know before we go in. It will be hard enough, so I don’t want you to have any surprises.”
I tense.
“I have a twin sister.”
I freeze. Of all the possibilities I’d considered, this one hadn’t crossed my radar. “I don’t understand.”
“Found out earlier this year that I was adopted and that I had a twin. She was in a car accident and almost died, so her adopted Dad pulled some weight and got her adoption records. The rest is history.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because she lives here and works in the tattoo shop with me. You might meet her when you get inside.”
“Does she look like you?” I grin when he nods. “That poor woman.”
He grabs my hips as we dismount and pulls me close, his body tight against mine. His touch makes me feel things I’m better off forgetting.
“You never complained,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear.
I reach for his biceps, letting him ground me. “Didn’t want to hurt your feelings. That ego of yours has always been…”
I gasp when he presses his body against me, letting me feel his hard cock.
“Big?”
I shake my head, laughing. “Deep down, you’re still my Sean, aren’t you?”
His smile disappears. He releases me and steps back. “You better get your sidekick before we go in,” he says.
I unhook Harley and pull him into my arms, trying to ignore the pain in my gut. Whether he knew it or not, he was mine. I’d never replaced him—didn’t want to, despite what I’d said that night. He was it for me.
“Come on, Harley,” I say as we follow Ink into the bar. “You’re my date. The most handsome guy here.”
Ink snorts as he holds the door for us. Once inside, he puts his hand on the small of my back to lead me to a small room at the side of the bar.
“Stay here.” He points a finger at Harley. “You too. I need to prepare Bear. He doesn’t take surprises well.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak, watching him walk away to find my brother.
Ink
I’m surprised to see Bear seated at the bar milking a beer. He mostly keeps to himself these days. The years have hardened him, turned him into a man more prone to grunts and growls than words.
The last time we staged an intervention, he beat the shit out of us, so we kept our mouths shut and let him be. But that doesn’t mean we’re not concerned.
“Hey, man.” I slide into the stool next to him. “We need to talk.”
Bear grunts, but he puts down his beer. That’s good enough.
My eyes lock on Crow’s. He’s the Scorpions’ President and our former squad leader. He knows Bear almost as well as I do. There must be something in my gaze because he leans down to kiss his wife and then walks across the bar.
“What”s wrong?”
I laugh. “Not all news is bad news.”
He doesn’t share my mirth, but leans in and murmurs. “Something has you fucking jacked. I could tell from across the bar.”
His words get Bear’s attention, and he turns to face us.
I blow out a hard breath. “Someone’s here you’re going to want to see.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, Bear. You.” I have no idea how to tell him. “She’s in the meeting room.”
I ignore Crow’s warning glance. The room is generally off-limits, but this is an exception.
Bear takes a swig of his beer. “She?”
It”s better just to come out with it.
“It’s your sister. Grace.” I step back, dodging the blow I know is coming. “I swear, Bear. I passed her truck pulled over on the highway outside town. I stopped to help, and it was her.”
“Fuck.” He rubs a hand through his cropped blond hair. “She’s dead.” He shoves away from the bar.
I grab his arm. “I’m not lying.”
He freezes, glaring at my hand. “Want me to rip it off?”
I don’t let go but look to Crow for support. He steps between us, barely missing Bear’s fist as it flies at my head.
“Use your brain, Bear,” Crow demands. “Why would he lie? He’s your best friend.”
Bear”s arms drop to his side when we release him.
I know the moment he decides to believe me. I step out of his way, calling, “I put her in the meeting room because I didn’t want to give you a heart attack.”
I’ll never forget the look on Bear’s face before he races across the bar to find his sister.