Prologue
REBEL
One Week Ago . . .
Opening the door to the Devil’s Riot MC Bar, I didn’t intend to be coming in here to work.
In fact, I wasn’t planning on coming here at all.
I try to avoid the club’s establishments as much as possible.
Which is hard to do considering my cousin, Cy, is a member of the Devil’s Riot and had convinced me to become the club’s lawyer.
If not for a friend who’s a part of the Local PD calling me to give a heads up about what’s going down tonight, Grant and I would be at our spot.
Instead, I had to call and tell him I am needed here to handle business.
Being a gentleman, Grant Devore had said he’d meet me outside of the bar when I finish. I’ve known the man for years now and we run in the same circles. He’s one of my best friends, and it just so happens we sleep together when the mood strikes us.
I open the door to the bar and step inside, curling my lip in disgust at the scene playing out in front of me. Spotting the scum ball I need to speak with, I walk into the room steeling myself against this asshole, along with feeling the eyes of one man in particular staring daggers at me.
Making my way toward Walton, the said scum ball, who is a detective for the police department and disgrace to anyone who has a badge. He’s also a lying, cheating son-in-law to Judge Raymond. Both men despise a woman being in a seat of power, such as myself. Especially me, because of my age.
“What’s the meaning of this?” I demand, holding out my hand for the warrant Walton is holding in his.
“Ms. McAlister, I don’t believe you were invited to this party,” Walton sneers.
“And you’re a tiny prick, Walton, these men are my clients. I, for one, will not tolerate you coming into this establishment and disrupting a night out for all those people I saw rushing out of here,” I snap, waving my hand in demand for him to give me the papers.
“Fuck me,” I hear Rogue grumble from where he’s lying face down on the floor. I’m sure he doesn’t approve of my way of handling things.
Being this close to him only infuriates me even more than it does when I think about him.
I inwardly slap myself for allowing him to still cause my emotions to go haywire.
They always have when it comes to him. He’s the man I’d wanted to marry over ten years ago.
Then everything went to shit between us.
I hate him and myself for letting lies and deceit come between us.
Walton reluctantly hands over the warrant, and I turn it in my direction to scan over it.
Once I finish going through it, I lift my gaze to meet Walton’s and wave the paper in the air while curling my lip in disgust. “According to this, you’re looking for something that doesn’t even exist, regardless of if it were, this warrant is bullshit.
The fact you got Judge Raymond to sign off on it is laughable considering he’d just been asked to resign earlier today by his boss. ”
“That can’t be,” Walton sputters angrily, his face taking on a bright red color.
“Oh, but it is. See, I know the games you all are playing and have a few tricks up my sleeve as well. So, I suggest you all pack up and leave. This warrant is not valid,” I snicker folding the piece of paper before sliding it into her back pocket.
“I would also suggest you turn in your badge, because when you get to the station, you’ll find several of your buddies doing the same. ”
“Bitch,” he snarls, glaring daggers at her. “You just signed your own death warrant.”
All the members of the club stand to their feet, getting ready to come to my defense.
Before anyone can respond to Walton’s threat, the doors open.
I know who it is without even looking. Grant, he must’ve just got here.
With the fact the club does business with the Devore brothers, it’s no surprise he would be comfortable waltzing in here.
Alongside Grant are his other three brothers. Oh boy, they came for a show—great.
“Rebel, babe, what’s going on?” Grant asks, coming up and placing an arm around my waist.
“I’m finishing up handling some business here, Grant,” I say, glancing up to him and flashing him a smile.
I catch sight of Rogue out the corner of my eye, then get back to it so I can get out of here.
“Better get going, Walton, and shove your threats where the sun doesn’t shine.
” Turning my back on Walton, I look at Hammer, the president of the club.
“Be careful with what you do for the time being. I’m out of here. ”
Moving with Grant, I walk out of the bar with him and his brothers following.
“You want to tell me what happened tonight?” Grant asks, running a hand along my naked spine.
Lifting my head from the pillow, I glance up at the gorgeous man lying next to me, propped up on his elbow, looking at me.
My body is still humming from the release he’d given me.
See, our friendship when it comes to the bedroom is different from your typical couple.
He’s in control of my body, and I submit to him.
Being in the world I’m a part of, I need this escape and Grant gives it to me. I could have easily gone and found a Dom at a club to start a sexual relationship with, but I already trust Grant. What we have is mutually beneficial to both of us.
“What do you mean?” Please tell me he’s not talking about earlier at the bar.
“Babe, I’m not blind, and I would be stupid to have not noticed the death glares I received from Rogue,” Grant says. “Do you have something going on with him?”
“No. It’s nothing like that. Honestly, he and I can’t stand to be around each other,” I utter defensively, trying my hardest to keep eye contact with him.
“You’re lying, babe. Remember, I know you. Probably better than you know yourself.” Of course, he would say it. It’s probably true too.
“Grant,” I murmur, not knowing what I should say.
“Tell me, Rebel, what’s going on between you two?”
Sighing, I twist to sit up and clutch the sheet to my chest. I rake a hand through my hair and let out a breath. This isn’t something I like to relive. My heart had ended up being shattered into tiny bits and pieces as a result.
Closing my eyes, I can still see it as if it were yesterday.
Walking through the halls of the high school, I’ve always felt like a freak, because of my being smart.
At sixteen, I’m already a senior and getting ready to graduate at the end of this year.
People are constantly calling me names or spreading rumors about how I’m really just dumb and using my body.
These lies I try not to let bother me, because I know they’re not true.
I have a boyfriend. Xander. He just turned twenty and is part of the Devil’s Riot MC alongside my cousin, Cy. My uncle is helping my mom raise me. With her job, she’s gone a lot of the time. But I’m not ashamed to say I’m proud of her—she’s in the military—doing what she needs to support me.
During the day, while I’m at school, Xander works for the club and goes to school himself at the community college in the next town over. I don’t know how he manages it, but every day when school is over, he’s always there to pick me up. I love it. He makes me feel special in every way.
Today is no different. Only at the end of the day, I’m putting stuff in my locker when a manila folder falls out. Frowning, I pick it up and open it to find images that churn my stomach. I can barely look at them. I know Xander’s outside waiting for me—he texted to tell me.
How can I face him right now? I can’t do it. Needing some time alone, I call my one and only friend in this school to see if she’s still here, Harmony. Unfortunately, she doesn’t answer. This isn’t good.
Clenching my eyes closed, I sigh. Guess he and I have to talk about it sooner or later. I clutch the images in my hands and head for the doors. Making my way to them, I wish I could change everything.
I tell Grant everything about Rogue and me including how Rogue and I ended up breaking up, and I drove myself further into my schoolwork. Soon as I graduated, I didn’t even waste time in the summer to be around Rogue. I couldn’t handle it. My work became my focus.
Tears stream down my face, and I suck in a deep breath, not realizing how much weight I’ve truly had on my chest.
“Babe, hate to say this,” Grant says, brushing my long blonde hair off my shoulders. “Tonight, you were different than any other time. I’m putting it down to the fact you have unresolved feelings for Rogue.”
“Grant,” I whisper.
“No, let me finish, Rebel. I’ll always be here for you. But I can’t be your Dom when I know who Rogue is and the fact, he’s also a Dom.”
“How do you know that?” I didn’t think he knew Rogue.
“Rebel, of course, I know about Rogue being in the same scene as me. I wouldn’t be the man I am now if I didn’t. He doesn’t do it often, but he comes to the club every now and then.” Grant furrows his brows, studying me closely. “Rogue is who introduced you into this life, isn’t he?”
Licking my dry lips, I nod.
Grant sighs, standing, and starts to get dressed. “Love you, woman, just remember that. You are my best friend, and I only want the best for you. This means me ending our relationship. Figure out what’s going on between you and Rogue.”
I sit there motionless, unable to speak as my emotions build inside me. Grant’s ending what we have, because of Rogue. Everything that’s happened to me is because of Rogue. More or less, it had to do with the lies and deceit swirling around the two of us.
Now, what am I going to do?