Chapter Five - Chapter Four
CHAPTER FIVE
Chapter Four
THE DEEP RUMBLE of my Harley gradually faded into the night as I cut the engine in front of the clubhouse. The machine’s purr settled into the background, leaving only the persistent thump of bass vibrating through the walls. Even this late, the place was alive, a place in the night for those seeking some company in its smoke-filled embrace. I swung my leg over the bike, dismounting slowly, every muscle in my body heavy with the burden of the day. But it wasn’t just the day that weighed on me—it was everything.
Inside, the usual night crowd packed the room, their voices and laughter blending together in my mind. I pushed through the throng, nodding absently at a few familiar faces, though their greetings barely registered. My mind was miles away, tangled up in a web of thoughts I couldn’t escape.
Sliding onto a barstool, I signaled Adam for a beer with a curt nod. My gaze drifted to the wall, where the shadows danced in time with the pulsing music. The noise around me dulled as my mind focused inward, the whirlwind of thoughts pulling me under.
Madeline.
Her name alone was enough to set my heart racing, the memory of her face a constant vision from the moment I laid eyes on her again. She was all I could think about, and thoughts of her were consuming me. I couldn’t let this happen—I couldn’t let her into my life. Because if I did, Kezia would know. And if Kezia knew, everything I’d tried so hard to hold together would fall apart.
“You okay, Valley?” Adam’s voice cut through the fog in my mind as he placed the cold bottle of beer in front of me.
“Yeah,” I sighed, rubbing my forehead as if the motion could smooth away the tension there. “Just a long night.”
“I hear ya,” Adam replied, his tone understanding but distant, like someone who knew better than to pry. He moved back to his duties, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.
Why did Madeline still have to look so damn beautiful? It wasn’t fair. After all these years, she was still the same—only better. Her voice, that same soft, sweet tone, played in my mind on a loop, refusing to be silenced. I had always seen her as an angel with a hint of wickedness, a blend of purity and temptation that drove me crazy then and still did now.
Damn , I wanted her.
And I wasn’t imagining things; she felt the same. It was in her eyes that unspoken connection that hadn’t faded with time. Just like before. But just like in high school, guilt clawed at me because of Kezia.
The bitter truth was, I loved Kezia— of course, I did —but it was the kind of love you had for a sister, not a woman you wanted to share your life with. I could never bring myself to break it off with her, though. The Rafferty’s were the only real family I had, and Kaven was like my brother who stuck with me through everything.
So, I didn’t end it. Instead, I became a coward, cheating on her with women from the clubhouse, hiding behind the lies and secrets, and secretly dreaming of Madeline being mine.
I kept hoping—no, praying—that Kezia would be the one to end it, to see that there was no real chemistry between us. We kissed, sure, but we never went further. I always told her we should wait, and she never questioned it. She was fine with that and never asking me for more.
The noise in the clubhouse seemed to grow louder, pressing in on me from all sides as I dove deeper into my thoughts. The scent of cherry-flavored lip gloss and musky perfume suddenly invaded my senses, pulling me back to the present. A moment later, I felt the familiar weight of a pair of arms encircling my neck from behind, the unmistakable husky voice of Bunny breaking through my brooding silence.
“Let me cheer you up, Valley,” she purred into my ear, her breath warm against my skin. Her hand moved down my chest, fingers tracing the leather patch on my vest that bore our club’s insignia. To her, it was more than just a patch—it was a symbol of power, a ticket to becoming an ol’ lady, a status she coveted.
She leaned closer, pressing her body against mine, her voice dropping to a whisper. “How about we go to my room and have some fun?” The words were a seductive invitation, filled with promises that once might have tempted me.
For a brief moment, I actually considered it. A little physical distraction to get Madeline off my mind, to escape the thoughts that were driving me insane. But then, as if on cue, Madeline’s face flashed in front of me again, her eyes piercing through the fog in my head. And just like that, Bunny’s allure faded into nothing.
I let out a low, resigned sigh and, with a quick, almost mechanical motion, shrugged Bunny’s hands off my shoulders. I met her gaze in the mirror above the bar, my reflection cold and unyielding in her sparkling green eyes.
“Bunny, not tonight,” I said, my voice firm, leaving no room for negotiation. Her playful grin faltered for a second, but she quickly masked it with a forced smile, her fingers giving me one last lingering touch before she nodded in understanding and slipped away into the crowd.
I took a long pull from my beer and looked around the room. Standing, I decided there was no point in staying any longer. The noise, the crowd, the thoughts of Kezia and Madeline—it was all too much. I might as well go to bed, where at least I could be alone with my thoughts.
In my room, I stripped off my clothes, the soft fabric of the sheets cool against my skin as I slid into bed. Staring at the ceiling, I willed the thoughts of Madeline to go away, to leave me in peace. But it was a futile effort. She was there, waiting for me in my dreams, just like old times, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.