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"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"""Too bad, little mate. We're gonna fk you raw by all five of us tonight, until you can’t walk straight."" “Wait… I’m still a v!rgin.”" ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"I’d been hiding from my abusive husband for 9 whole years when my five childhood sweethearts cornered me in the café I worked in. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who hurt me the most. Those who swore to protect me eventually turned me down when I was forced into marriage. They looked the same, but different. Taller heights, more muscles, and stronger jaws. “Still plannin’ to run or something, Spark?” Kylian lifted my chin. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. Are they going to take me back? Will they hand me over to my father and husband? “I won’t go back with you,” I said, tears welling up. “That’s not up to you. You will go back to the Inferno Demons MC with us today,” said Ozias, wiping away my tears with a fierce stroke. ""There's no way we would let you leave us again, Dimples,"" said Tae, biting my shoulder resentfully. ""Break your promise to us again, and we will punish you,"" said Evander, swinging me over his shoulder. ""Put me down! What do you want to do?"" I hissed. ""What do we want to do?"" repeated Evander through gritted teeth. ""We won't restrain our desire for you anymore. We will chain you in our club, and claim you one by one, maybe together.""" ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again. Chapter 6: A Blast from the Past Kylian/Karma's P.O.V. ******************************************************* What the fu.ck? What the actual fu.ck?? Did that really just happen? Talk about your ghosts from the past. What the hell is she doing here? In some bumfu.ck town in the middle of Nebraska. Is this where she's been? Is this why C.G. couldn't find her? Well, I mean, he found her at one point. 'Course that was years ago. The only reason he found anything of use was because her fu.cking engagement had been in a local newspaper. That was back in Cali though, only a few hours away from our hometown. When her father showed up about four or so years ago wanting to talk to Tusk and Angela about where his daughter was, I assumed that Blythe and her new husband had run away together or something. After we saw that Blythe was engaged, all of us had different reactions. Me, personally, I didn't want to know jack sh.it about her after that. She broke her promise to us. A promise that we were all holding onto. And then nothing. She didn't care about us anymore. She was getting fu.cking married. But when Daniel had the gall to show up at the front gates of our clubhouse, I knew something was up. I had C.G. look into Blythe again, and apparently, the guy never stopped. He couldn't find anything. Not a car in her name, a loan, an apartment, nothing. Even the husband was like a ghost. We knew his name, but that was it. We'd been low-key searching for years, and eventually found a place associated with her husband. Of course, when Psycho and I went to scope out the place, Blythe wasn't there. It was a huge fu.cking house in the rich part of town. All high-end sh.it. Nothing like what the Blythe I remember would have liked. There was a party going on when we showed up. It was more like a damn orgy than a party though. We searched for hours and never found Blythe in the house. Psycho got distracted by some girls that were there, and I watched and observed everything. Including her so-called husband enjoying his little party. Did he even care where Bly was? Did she run away because he was cheating? Why didn't she run back to us? Does she hate us that much? I shouldn't even be surprised honestly. We all knew that Blythe was a li.ar before her dad took her. I thought she'd change once she grew up. I thought she'd put the pettiness behind her. I mean, she was only acting out because Havoc started treating her differently when their parents married. That, and Everly wouldn't keep her hands off me. I knew Bly was jealous back then, but didn't want to admit it to herself or any of us. I thought I'd wait it out, but the things she was doing to get our attention were getting out of control. We all had to be more stern with her. The last thing we wanted was for any of the club princesses to grow up spoiled. There were only four of them, and we had seen how some club princesses in other clubs grew up to be. We didn't want that for Blythe. My little sister was hardly around, choosing to go to school in Scottland, where some of our family lived. She would come home for holidays and summers. She and Bly weren't close, but that was our fault for stealing all of Bly's attention. The other two club princesses, Everly and Alex, were definitely too spoiled. We didn't see it back then, but I'm starting to see it now. They aren't that bad, but they're pushy. They want cuts and they want them from us. Well, Everly wants me at least. I think Alex is just trying to get knocked up by whoever she can at this point. After the sh.it she pulled with C.G. though, no one in the club will touch her. We never wanted Bly to grow up to be like that. We wanted her to stay just as she was. A sweet girl with a fiery side. We even talked about making her an ol' lady, but... Well, we could never decide who's ol' lady she'd be. So, I spent two years after Blythe left thinking about what we would do when she came back. The plan I came up with was... intriguing. When I brought it to the guys, there was a mix of reactions. Psycho was pi.ssed that I had even thought he'd want Blythe in the first place. The guy still won't admit that he has the hots for her. I mean, who wouldn't? With those insanely long and thick black waves, those deep cobalt eyes, the splattering of freckles across that little nose, those juicy and naturally red lips, and those incredible dimples that show when her lips move in the slightest. He wanted her. We all did. Havoc was also pi.ssed. He said he didn't want to be a part of my plan and never would. Now that they were "siblings", he had to give up on whatever feelings he had for Bly. Which he said was easier after the way Bly treated his twin sister. I don't see why being step-siblings mattered. We met Bly before Tusk met Angela, but there was no telling Havoc that. C.G. and Dragon had similar reactions. They were happy as hell and eager to start. 'Course, Dragon would be a bit harder to swing since he was already on his way to being a pro MMA fighter at 17 years old. I knew that those two could help me get the other two on track though. Hell, Psycho would be easy to trap. But then Blythe never came back. Instead, she stayed with her father and found herself a husband. It's not like we were exactly waiting for her. Well, C.G. really was, but the rest of us were still getting our di.cks wet. We never dated though, never fell in love or any of that bullsh.it. That was all supposed to be for her, but she apparently didn't want it. So, why is she here? If her husband was cheating on her, and she left him, why come here instead of home? Doesn't she know how much her mom misses her? Of course, she doesn't, they don't talk. "You keep staring at Bly, you want me to put in a good word?" Shadow asked, smirking at me from across the table. I looked at him with a blank face, kind of angry that he caught me staring, or that I was staring at all. "You know her?" I asked him. "Uh, I wouldn't say that," he replied. "Actually, I just met her and Mary yesterday. Came in here to see my girl, found out she was cheating, and she wasn't even the girl she claimed to be. Bit.ch literally stole Mary's whole life and fed it to me like it was her own. Fu.cking wild. Got the bit.ch fired after all the drama unfolded." That's... interesting. "Anyway," Shadow continued. "I got Mary's number, since she's apparently the actual girl of my dreams. We been textin', and I bet she would love to hook her loner friend up with a biker." "Loner?" I blurted, confused. Bly always hated being alone. She never wanted space, never complained that all of us were too much for her. If anything, I think she would have been glued to us 24/7 if she was able to be. "That's what Mary said last night when she told me that she finally got Bly to go get a drink with her," he said with a shrug. "Tried to get them to come to the clubhouse and party since you guys came down for some fun and business. Mary thought it was too soon though." I looked at Blythe again. She was on the other side of the restaurant, definitely avoiding me. I knew she recognized me, but I just walked past her. Honestly, I had no idea what to do and that's never happened to me before. I always know what to do. That's why I'm the prez. What do I do now though? Blythe is here, right within my reach. I'm still pi.ssed at her, and I know the others are too. Except Dragon and C.G. If they find out she's here, they'll come for her, even if it means leaving the club. But Blythe didn't come back home. She ran away. She broke her promises and took off to have a new life. Looking at her now, I can see how well she's aged. She looks skinnier, which pi.sses me off, but she looks... tougher too. Her curves have filled out more than nicely. I've never seen such a perfect body. She just needs to eat more. Her hair is up in a messy bun and I wonder if she's kept it long like it was before. Those cobalt eyes were still as electric as ever, but the dark circles under them told of her exhaustion. That surprised look on her face when she saw me, the way that her hand gripped the coffee pot... She was scared of me, but why? Something ain't adding up here, and I need to make a decision about what to do next. "So, want me to put in a good word for you?" Shadow asked again. Blythe went behind the counter and the man who I think runs this sh.ithole started yelling at her. I was waiting for the tears to fall, and I knew I'd get up and threaten the motherfu.cker. Just like when we were kids. Bly was sensitive, and only ever had a backbone when it came to people she was comfortable with. However, Bly turned and put the jacka.ss in his place. I had no idea what was being said, but body language said a lot. Bly wasn't taking his sh.it and the motherfu.cker apparently didn't have a choice but to shut his mouth. Then Bly rolled her eyes and went back to taking care of her customers. That was interesting. Very unlike Bly. The one that I used to know anyway. "No," I finally responded to Shadow. "We're leaving tonight anyway." So, I'll just take her with me.
"I’d been hiding from my abusive husband for 9 whole years when my five childhood sweethearts cornered me in the café I worked in. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who hurt me the most. Those who swore to protect me eventually turned me down when I was forced into marriage. They looked the same, but different. Taller heights, more muscles, and stronger jaws. “Still plannin’ to run or something, Spark?” Kylian lifted my chin. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. Are they going to take me back? Will they hand me over to my father and husband? “I won’t go back with you,” I said, tears welling up. “That’s not up to you. You will go back to the Inferno Demons MC with us today,” said Ozias, wiping away my tears with a fierce stroke. ""There's no way we would let you leave us again, Dimples,"" said Tae, biting my shoulder resentfully. ""Break your promise to us again, and we will punish you,"" said Evander, swinging me over his shoulder. ""Put me down! What do you want to do?"" I hissed. ""What do we want to do?"" repeated Evander through gritted teeth. ""We won't restrain our desire for you anymore. We will chain you in our club, and claim you one by one, maybe together.""" ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again. Chapter 6: A Blast from the Past Kylian/Karma's P.O.V. ******************************************************* What the fu.ck? What the actual fu.ck?? Did that really just happen? Talk about your ghosts from the past. What the hell is she doing here? In some bumfu.ck town in the middle of Nebraska. Is this where she's been? Is this why C.G. couldn't find her? Well, I mean, he found her at one point. 'Course that was years ago. The only reason he found anything of use was because her fu.cking engagement had been in a local newspaper. That was back in Cali though, only a few hours away from our hometown. When her father showed up about four or so years ago wanting to talk to Tusk and Angela about where his daughter was, I assumed that Blythe and her new husband had run away together or something. After we saw that Blythe was engaged, all of us had different reactions. Me, personally, I didn't want to know jack sh.it about her after that. She broke her promise to us. A promise that we were all holding onto. And then nothing. She didn't care about us anymore. She was getting fu.cking married. But when Daniel had the gall to show up at the front gates of our clubhouse, I knew something was up. I had C.G. look into Blythe again, and apparently, the guy never stopped. He couldn't find anything. Not a car in her name, a loan, an apartment, nothing. Even the husband was like a ghost. We knew his name, but that was it. We'd been low-key searching for years, and eventually found a place associated with her husband. Of course, when Psycho and I went to scope out the place, Blythe wasn't there. It was a huge fu.cking house in the rich part of town. All high-end sh.it. Nothing like what the Blythe I remember would have liked. There was a party going on when we showed up. It was more like a damn orgy than a party though. We searched for hours and never found Blythe in the house. Psycho got distracted by some girls that were there, and I watched and observed everything. Including her so-called husband enjoying his little party. Did he even care where Bly was? Did she run away because he was cheating? Why didn't she run back to us? Does she hate us that much? I shouldn't even be surprised honestly. We all knew that Blythe was a li.ar before her dad took her. I thought she'd change once she grew up. I thought she'd put the pettiness behind her. I mean, she was only acting out because Havoc started treating her differently when their parents married. That, and Everly wouldn't keep her hands off me. I knew Bly was jealous back then, but didn't want to admit it to herself or any of us. I thought I'd wait it out, but the things she was doing to get our attention were getting out of control. We all had to be more stern with her. The last thing we wanted was for any of the club princesses to grow up spoiled. There were only four of them, and we had seen how some club princesses in other clubs grew up to be. We didn't want that for Blythe. My little sister was hardly around, choosing to go to school in Scottland, where some of our family lived. She would come home for holidays and summers. She and Bly weren't close, but that was our fault for stealing all of Bly's attention. The other two club princesses, Everly and Alex, were definitely too spoiled. We didn't see it back then, but I'm starting to see it now. They aren't that bad, but they're pushy. They want cuts and they want them from us. Well, Everly wants me at least. I think Alex is just trying to get knocked up by whoever she can at this point. After the sh.it she pulled with C.G. though, no one in the club will touch her. We never wanted Bly to grow up to be like that. We wanted her to stay just as she was. A sweet girl with a fiery side. We even talked about making her an ol' lady, but... Well, we could never decide who's ol' lady she'd be. So, I spent two years after Blythe left thinking about what we would do when she came back. The plan I came up with was... intriguing. When I brought it to the guys, there was a mix of reactions. Psycho was pi.ssed that I had even thought he'd want Blythe in the first place. The guy still won't admit that he has the hots for her. I mean, who wouldn't? With those insanely long and thick black waves, those deep cobalt eyes, the splattering of freckles across that little nose, those juicy and naturally red lips, and those incredible dimples that show when her lips move in the slightest. He wanted her. We all did. Havoc was also pi.ssed. He said he didn't want to be a part of my plan and never would. Now that they were "siblings", he had to give up on whatever feelings he had for Bly. Which he said was easier after the way Bly treated his twin sister. I don't see why being step-siblings mattered. We met Bly before Tusk met Angela, but there was no telling Havoc that. C.G. and Dragon had similar reactions. They were happy as hell and eager to start. 'Course, Dragon would be a bit harder to swing since he was already on his way to being a pro MMA fighter at 17 years old. I knew that those two could help me get the other two on track though. Hell, Psycho would be easy to trap. But then Blythe never came back. Instead, she stayed with her father and found herself a husband. It's not like we were exactly waiting for her. Well, C.G. really was, but the rest of us were still getting our di.cks wet. We never dated though, never fell in love or any of that bullsh.it. That was all supposed to be for her, but she apparently didn't want it. So, why is she here? If her husband was cheating on her, and she left him, why come here instead of home? Doesn't she know how much her mom misses her? Of course, she doesn't, they don't talk. "You keep staring at Bly, you want me to put in a good word?" Shadow asked, smirking at me from across the table. I looked at him with a blank face, kind of angry that he caught me staring, or that I was staring at all. "You know her?" I asked him. "Uh, I wouldn't say that," he replied. "Actually, I just met her and Mary yesterday. Came in here to see my girl, found out she was cheating, and she wasn't even the girl she claimed to be. Bit.ch literally stole Mary's whole life and fed it to me like it was her own. Fu.cking wild. Got the bit.ch fired after all the drama unfolded." That's... interesting. "Anyway," Shadow continued. "I got Mary's number, since she's apparently the actual girl of my dreams. We been textin', and I bet she would love to hook her loner friend up with a biker." "Loner?" I blurted, confused. Bly always hated being alone. She never wanted space, never complained that all of us were too much for her. If anything, I think she would have been glued to us 24/7 if she was able to be. "That's what Mary said last night when she told me that she finally got Bly to go get a drink with her," he said with a shrug. "Tried to get them to come to the clubhouse and party since you guys came down for some fun and business. Mary thought it was too soon though." I looked at Blythe again. She was on the other side of the restaurant, definitely avoiding me. I knew she recognized me, but I just walked past her. Honestly, I had no idea what to do and that's never happened to me before. I always know what to do. That's why I'm the prez. What do I do now though? Blythe is here, right within my reach. I'm still pi.ssed at her, and I know the others are too. Except Dragon and C.G. If they find out she's here, they'll come for her, even if it means leaving the club. But Blythe didn't come back home. She ran away. She broke her promises and took off to have a new life. Looking at her now, I can see how well she's aged. She looks skinnier, which pi.sses me off, but she looks... tougher too. Her curves have filled out more than nicely. I've never seen such a perfect body. She just needs to eat more. Her hair is up in a messy bun and I wonder if she's kept it long like it was before. Those cobalt eyes were still as electric as ever, but the dark circles under them told of her exhaustion. That surprised look on her face when she saw me, the way that her hand gripped the coffee pot... She was scared of me, but why? Something ain't adding up here, and I need to make a decision about what to do next. "So, want me to put in a good word for you?" Shadow asked again. Blythe went behind the counter and the man who I think runs this sh.ithole started yelling at her. I was waiting for the tears to fall, and I knew I'd get up and threaten the motherfu.cker. Just like when we were kids. Bly was sensitive, and only ever had a backbone when it came to people she was comfortable with. However, Bly turned and put the jacka.ss in his place. I had no idea what was being said, but body language said a lot. Bly wasn't taking his sh.it and the motherfu.cker apparently didn't have a choice but to shut his mouth. Then Bly rolled her eyes and went back to taking care of her customers. That was interesting. Very unlike Bly. The one that I used to know anyway. "No," I finally responded to Shadow. "We're leaving tonight anyway." So, I'll just take her with me.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
“Who the hll put their hands on you!?” Kylian’s fingers traced the bruise on my neck. Then his mouth followed. Open. Hot. Right over the mark. I couldn’t breathe. Grabbed his cut just to stay standing. “Don’t.” My voice broke. A chest pressed against my spine. Ozias’s arms slid around my waist. His lips dragged up the back of my shoulder. “Don’t what, Sweets?” His teeth grazed the curve. “Don’t touch what we should’ve claimed years ago?” I gasped. Hated how my body arched between them. Chayton caught my jaw from the side. Turned my face hard. His thumb pulled my lower lip down. “You still make that sound.” His eyes dropped to my throat. “The one that used to fk me up when we were kids.” Evander knelt. Fingers lifted the hem of my skirt. His lips pressed to the scar above my knee. Gentle. Then his tongue. “He touched you here?” I shook my head. A lie. Tae held up his phone. My ex—bloodied, hands cuffed. “He won’t anymore.” I exhaled. Shaking. Kylian’s forehead pressed to mine. “You ran from us. Fine.” Ozias bit my earlobe. Soft. Then harder. “But you don’t get to bleed alone anymore.” Chayton’s lips brushed the corner of my mouth. “No one else touches what’s ours.” Tae leaned in, tucking hair behind my ear. “Ever.” My knees buckled. But it wasn’t only from fear. I felt myself melting into the heat. Evander didn’t say a word. He rose and crossed to the door. The lights went out. Kylian’s voice came quiet from the shadows. “You know what ten years of waiting means, Spark.” A belt buckle clinked. Fabric shifted. “And we’re done waiting.” ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
Roxy smiled and dragged her eyes down my chest to the bulge in my pants. "Hard for me already?" she asked, surprised. "Usually I really have to get you going." "Horny for you tonight, baby," I replied. I was lying my @ss off, of course. Because only one girl has even been able to get me rock hard so easily like this. Blythe. Our princess. The damn girl who ripped our hearts out eight years ago when she suddenly married a stranger, right when the five of us were still tearing each other apart over who deserved her. The audacity of this girl. She f*cking had the sheer audacity to return to Inferno Demon after everything she did to us? "Come over here and su.ck me," I ordered the club wh0re. And make me f*cking forget all about my Blythe. I couldn't have her. Neither could Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Not to mention Evander, her half-brother. She's already the other man's wife... ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
Roxy smiled and dragged her eyes down my chest to the bulge in my pants. "Hard for me already?" she asked, surprised. "Usually I really have to get you going." "Horny for you tonight, baby," I replied. I was lying my @ss off, of course. Because only one girl has even been able to get me rock hard so easily like this. Blythe. Our princess. The damn girl who ripped our hearts out eight years ago when she suddenly married a stranger, right when the five of us were still tearing each other apart over who deserved her. The audacity of this girl. She f*cking had the sheer audacity to return to Inferno Demon after everything she did to us? "Come over here and su.ck me," I ordered the club wh0re. And make me f*cking forget all about my Blythe. I couldn't have her. Neither could Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Not to mention Evander, her half-brother. She's already the other man's wife... ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"""Too bad, little mate. We're gonna fk you raw by all five of us tonight, until you can’t walk straight."" “Wait… I’m still a v!rgin.”" ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.
"You've been a bad, bad girl, Spark." Air rushed from my lungs. They found me. Kylian. Ozias. Chayton. Evander. Tae. The five boys who once swore they'd protect me—now men, wrapped in leather, sin, and everything I used to crave. My first friends. My first heartbreaks. Ten years ago, they shut me out. After years of abuse by people supposed to be my family, I'd finally managed to feel safe with a new job, a new town. Now, they'd found me again. The space between us felt charged—the heat rolling off their bodies. I wanted to run, but one thing about Inferno Demons? They never let go. “Which one of us are you scared of, Bly?” Chayton asked, stepping close enough for his breath to brush my neck. I met his gaze, fire sparking through my chest. "All of you.” Evander chuckled softly."Good. Maybe you still remember what happens when you break your promise to us.” “Maybe this time you'll listen.” Tae leaned in, his voice a sinful whisper against my ear, hands on my waist. And between the five of them, I couldn't tell which burned hotter—the anger, or the desire to let them… ***** Chapter 1: Haunting Memories Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "Come on, you promised you'd sit with me while Tae finished our project," Ozias whined as he tried to drag me to the computer lab. "I know, but Evander just asked me if I could meet him in the library really quickly," I said, trying not to laugh at the pout on Ozias' face. "I'll only be a minute." "Oh, please, Evander is going to keep you the whole time," Ozias sulked. "I won't let him," I replied, but he wasn't convinced. "What if I just go with you?" he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "That would leave Tae all alone, and you know I hate that," I said. "You only hate it because he hacks into your socials every time you give us more attention than him," Ozias teased. "Yeah, and last time, he posted a ton of embarrassing pictures of me," I replied with a laugh. "The double chins... I was so hideous." Ozias laughed as he reached up to cup the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my chin. My laughter died down as he stared at me. Electricity was crackling between us, and I held my breath, unsure of what to do. I don't want to pull away, but I'm also a little bit scared. "Double chins... Hideous," Ozias scoffed softly. "Would it make you feel better to know that I jerked off to those pictures?" My face flamed as embarrassment coiled in my belly. "W-what?" I stuttered. Ozias, as usual, wasn't phased in the slightest. "It was real, it was raw, it was unfiltered you," he replied. "And nothing gets me going more than you, Sweets. At any angle." He's joking, right? He has to be. We've been friends our whole lives pretty much. Ever since the first day of fourth grade. Ozias had stood up for me when some boys were pushing me around on the playground. I had been at school for a few days and couldn't seem to make any friends. We moved in the middle of the school year and everyone pretty much had their friend groups already. I never seemed to fit in. That day was the first day anyone was nice to me. Ozias and his friends had been on an extended weekend vacation, so it was the first day I had met any of them. Even as kids, they were all very protective of me. That day, Ozias had threatened the boys who were pushing me, and then took me inside to meet his friends. The six of us have been practically inseparable ever since. That being said, this charming attitude that Ozias has isn't new. Ever since we were old enough to know what se.x is, he's made comments similar to this. However, this is the boldest thing he's ever said to me. I blame the fact that they were all raised in a motorcycle club. The Inferno's Demon Riders MC. The demons are great, don't get me wrong. I've spent so much time in the clubhouse that it's like a second home to me. I know that they party and party hard. I also know that they make sure I don't see everything that happens there either. "Did I break you?" Ozais teased me when I just stood there with my mouth open like a mor.on. "Break her? That's my job, isn't it?" I groaned at the sound of that voice. I didn't even get the chance to turn around, or plan an escape before Chayton slung his long arm around my shoulders. Ozias smiled at our friend before they fist bumped. "You'd never break Bly and you know it," Ozais told him, shooting me a wink. "You have no idea how much I want to," Chayton muttered. I looked up at him with a frown. Chayton is just a big bully. He's rude as hell, but he has a big heart under it all. He's just a big ol' sassy pants. But he's so dang tall and buff, you'd never guess he was kind. You just have to dig for it. "Anyway," Chayton continued without looking at me. "What are you guys doing?" "Well, Peaches here thinks she's going to meet Evander all alone in the library," Ozias told him. "I told her that I should come with." "Oh, definitely," Chayton said, spinning us around in the direction of the library. "Let's all go have a little bit of fun." Ozias was on my other side within seconds. He was so close that his fingers brushed against my hand. I looked at him and he winked at me. My face flushed with heat and I quickly looked away. "So," Ozias said. "Want to come to the clubhouse-" *********************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ *********************************************** Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! My alarm clock going off pulled me from my dream. Or my memory, I should say. I groaned as I reached out to slap it, making it stop. I rolled over in my bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about that damn dream. It's been years since I've even seen them. Almost ten whole years. Why do I keep dreaming about them? Probably because my time with those five were the only times in my life that I was happy, that I felt safe. Still, I wish it would stop. I hate having to be reminded of everything I lost every time I try to sleep. The good memories hurt just as much as the bad ones now. Although I would rather dream about them then- I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind. I'm not going down that road first thing in the morning. Or ever, if I can help it. Slowly, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. My apartment is tiny as hell, but it's just me. Well, me and Butter, my black cat that I saved about a year ago. Found him outside the diner I work at, licking a stick of butter that didn't quite make it into the dumpster. Hence, the name Butter. He was wounded, scared, and only a kitten when I found him. We've been together ever since, and he is my dearest and only friend. I talk to the girls at the diner, and we're friendly, except Abby, but... After everything I went through with my first set of friends, and everything after... I can't bring myself to trust anyone. Understandably so, but it's lonely as hell. Lonely or not, at least I'm free now. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like I barely slept. I was crying in my sleep again, so my eyes are a bit puffy. I can't believe I was crying over a stupid memory like that. I guess it wasn't that stupid. Not for the 13-year-old Blythe. The one that thought those five hung the stars in the sky. That day was the day that we all found out Ozias was moving. The party he was trying to invite me to at the clubhouse was his family's going-away party. Ozias didn't even know himself until that night. Honestly, Ozias is the only one of them that I don't actually harbor any hard feelings for. Other than his lack of communication when he moved, he never did anything to me. Ozias never bullied me, he was never mean to me, and he always knew how to make me smile. I wonder if the reason he never wrote me a letter, or texted, or even added me on any of my socials was because of the others. Or maybe he just outgrew me and forgot about me. I don't blame him. We were kids and he didn't know. Or maybe he did know and just didn't care. Ozias' family was deep in the MC. His father was part of the club and owned a gym in town. The whole reason they moved was because The Inferno's Demon Riders opened a new chapter. It was right in the heart of whatever state was the biggest MMA scene. Ozias' dad jumped at the opportunity. I remember how the six of us spent that party. We were all sad, devastated really. We tucked ourselves in Kylian's room for the entire night. We reminisced. We promised to never lose contact. We cried and laughed and... And it all turned out to be a lie anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. We were just kids, and I was stupid for thinking that we would remain the way we were forever. My mom picked me up from the clubhouse the next day. It was something she had been doing for the last few years. I never questioned it because I was just happy that she would let me stay the night. After she announced her engagement though, I realized that I had been overlooking a lot. Like the small, lingering glances they made. The way that Tusk would always make sure he was near us in some way. The way that he would already be talking to my mom when I came down the hall. How comfortable she seemed to be there. Tusk was a great guy. He was the club's enforcer, and he was always kind to me. That didn't change when he married my mom either. No, it was other people that changed. Like his son and his son's friends. I thought that living with one of my best friends was going to be the coolest. It was anything but. My whole life changed after that. That's what happens when people around you start scheming. I rolled my eyes at my reflection before jumping into the shower, the water as hot as it could go. I need to stop thinking about them. All of them. The MC, my mom, the guys. They're all in my past. I'm moving forward now. Moving past it all. Past the MC. Past my fake friends. Past my delusional mother. Past my sperm donor of a father. And most importantly... Past my abusive husband and the scars he left me. Chapter 2: Distracting Thoughts Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "Hey, you're here a bit early for your shift," Mary said as I walked around the counter to clock in. "Jason asked me to before I left last night," I told her. "But... you worked a double yesterday... and closed..." Mary said, putting the pieces together. And here it comes. "Bly, you worked until past 1 in the morning, and you're back already?" The way she said it was accusing, like I was the one that asked for this shift. Great, so she knows that it took me forever to close last night because I had to do everything alone. Jason was supposed to help, but spent the whole night shooting the sh.it with the cook who was also supposed to be helping. I'm not even sure how long they ended up staying. Of course, Mary knows all of this already. "I was asked to come in early today. I said yes, Mary," I replied. "It's no big deal." "No big deal?" She asked incredulously. "Bly, it's only seven in the morning right now. You have to close again tonight-" "Mary, please," I cut her off as I turned to face her. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine, okay? I got bills to pay. That's all." Which was a total lie. I need this job. Not because it pays well, or because the diner is just doing so well that I make incredible tips. Because those would both be lies. It's because Jason pays me under the table and doesn't ask questions. Plus, I need a job that I can make cash at every day. Just in case I need to run again. "You're going to burn out though, and then what?" Mary muttered under her breath. I let it go, mostly because we had tables to look after. I know that even if Mary knew that she'd be short-staffed today, she would have told me to stay home and sleep. I doubt that Mary could handle waiting tables, bussing tables, and taking food and drinks out all by herself though. It's hard enough with just the two of us. Thankfully, the morning kept me busy enough that I remained wide awake. I was used to not sleeping much anyway. It also made time fly by and, before we knew it, we were in our less busy time of day. I was busy preparing silverware and marrying the ketchups when Mary stood next to me, leaning on the counter. "I cannot believe that it's already almost eight o'clock," she said. I whipped my head at the clock hanging on the way and then looked at Mary. "You were out at four," I said, frowning. "Where is Abby? She was supposed to take over for you." Mary shrugged as she started helping me. "Guess she called in to say she was going to be late or something," she replied. "Jason asked me to stay until she got here. He said he had to run to go get her because of car trouble." I rolled my eyes. Right. Car trouble. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that she and Jason are fu.cking on the side. You see, Jason is actually a married man. Not happily, which is understandable because his wife is a mega-cu.nt, but still. Jason's wife, Lora, will come in here at least once a week. She always has something rude to say, she degrades the place and all of us workers, and then she and Jason spend at least two hours fighting in his office. I try to stay out of it, but I often wonder why they're even together still. Regardless of their reasons or anything else, Jason cheats a lot. Abby is not the only one, but she is the only one who works here. And not for lack of trying either. I guess Mary and I just have standards. All the kitchen cooks are men, and I guess Jason doesn't swing that way. However, this means that Abby gets everything she wants and Mary and I have to suffer for it. We're already short-staffed because Jason keeps scaring off the waitresses. Apparently, Mary and I were just built to handle a lot. Still, I have no idea how the man hasn't been sued for se.xual harassment. If only I wasn't so afraid to be found. "Do you think that Abby's boyfriend knows that she screws her boss?" Mary asked me, genuinely curious. I snorted. I love Mary. If I were a more trusting person, I think we could be really good friends. She's funny and bubbly and tends to be a lot of fun when we work together. She's tried to get me to hang out several times, but... I just can't. "I didn't know Abby had a boyfriend," I replied. "I thought she had multiple, and they all knew about each other." Mary let out a burst of laughter. Luckily, we only had one customer at the moment, who happened to be Silent Jay. He's an elderly, grumpy man who glares at us while he takes two hours to drink his cup of coffee and eats his dinner, and then he leaves. And with barely a tip, I might add. "Gosh, you're too much," Mary teased me, gently pushing my arm as she snorted. I only smiled and kept doing my job. I'm glad I made Mary laugh, but I was actually being serious. I've seen a few different guys come in and claim to be her boyfriend. Maybe because I work more shifts with Abby than Mary does. "Anyway, her boyfriend that I know about is a guy from the motorcycle gang in the next town over," Mary continued. I froze. There's a motorcycle club near here? I've never seen any club members around before. Though, I just work and go to the grocery store, so maybe I just never saw them? The fact that I'm so close to some random MC scares me a little. Just a little though. Despite how shi.tty my supposed friends ended up being, the club was always a safe place for me. Until it wasn't, but that was my sh.itty friends and my even shi.ttier stepsister, Everly. I never blamed the club though. The older guys were like father figures to me. After Tusk became my stepdad, they were like uncles. They were never mean or rude to me and always treated me like family. That was probably just because of my mom though. Nobody actually wanted me around. I figured that out the hard way. Anyway, being close to an MC shouldn't be a big deal. They obviously never come in here, and why would they? As long as they aren't affiliated with The Inferno's Demon Riders, then all should be fine. Even if they were, the only worry I'd really have is word getting back to my father and husband about my whereabouts. Just like last time. Whatever, I doubt that anyone would even recognize me. Right? I mean, I haven't seen the majority of them in nine years. The last time I was there, I only saw Evander. That was still eight years ago. "The guy came in here the other night, and he was fine as hell girl," Mary continued. I tried to keep up with all her gushing about how such a hot guy could be with an STD-riddled ska.nk like Abby. It was difficult though. My mind kept wandering towards the past, reminding me of the good ol' days. Or were they good? I thought so at the time. Hell, those memories used to be the safe place I'd escape to when things got bad at Silent Divine. Then I came to learn the truth though. The cold, hard, ugly truth. None of them wanted me. Not my mom, not Kylian, not Tae, not Evander, definitely not Chayton. I wonder if Ozias ever even truly liked me. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if they were all told to befriend me and be nice to me. At least at some point they were told that. Probably when my mom started seeing Tusk behind our backs. Tusk wouldn't want to upset his ol' lady. Maybe I was always just a nuisance to everyone. "I told you to stay away from me for a while." "God, you're always in the fu.cking way, Shorty." "What are you doing here, Spark? We told you to stay out of the clubhouse." "Maybe you should take the hint, Dimples. No one wants you here." "Bly, are you listening to me?" Mary asked, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked away the wetness filling my eyes and plastered a smile on my face. "Sorry, zoned out a bit," I mumbled. "Understandable," she replied. "You're probably dog-tired." Of life, yes. "Anyway, I was saying that we should go out tomorrow night after work," Mary said. "We close together again. Let's go get a drink after." "I don't know, Mary," I mumbled. "Oh, come on! Please?" She asked, pouting at me. "Just a couple of drinks?" "I'll think about it," I replied. Mary squealed like I had told her yes instead of maybe. Perhaps she took it as a yes, since I always say no, no matter what. I could probably go out for one night. I can handle that. Everything will be fine. No one knows me here. What's the worst that could happen? Chapter 3: Work Drama Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "It's Friday night, are they seriously going to stay locked in the office all night instead of helping?" Mary asked angrily. Steven, the only cook on for tonight, and I shared a look through the small widow we set food down to stay heated. "You know he love gettin' his di.ck wet, girl, let a playa play," he told Mary. I shook my head at him because I knew what was coming next. "Let a playa play?" Mary asked in a cold tone with her eyes narrowed, plates stacked in her arms. "That playa can play when his business isn't crumbling because he has no workers!" With that, Mary stormed off, flipping her hair as she did so. "Why'd you have to rile her up?" I asked as I started grabbing plates for one of my tables. "She's already angry as it is." Steven laughed. "Come on, that girl is too fun to not rile up," he said before going back to fulfilling the orders. Tonight is one of the busiest Fridays we've had in a while. The diner always gets busy in spurts. Busy enough to keep us employed and the place open, but tonight is different. The place is packed. I wonder if there's some kind of event happening in town tonight that drew in a crowd, but I don't know what that could possibly be. I mean, this is Gering, Nebraska. Nothing ever happens here. That was why I settled in this place. I spent the first two and a half years of my freedom bouncing around from town to town. I was too afraid to stay in one place for more than three months. The longer I did that though, the harder it got. Eventually, three months turned into four, then five, then six. When I came across this little town, I found myself liking it more and more. So, I decided to stay. They'll never find me here. Besides, I'm ready to run at a moment's notice. I have everything covered. ****************************************** The night was passing by in a blur. The diner stayed packed the entire time. Abby was in and out of Jason's office. I'm starting to wonder if the man has a se.x addiction. It would explain a lot. However, I'm growing more and more frustrated. I've had to stop Mary from interrupting them several times. If she does, she might get fired, and I don't know if this job is worth it without her. Still, it's getting old. Does Jason not care about his business at least? I was behind the counter wrapping up utensils and muttering under my breath about how much bullsh.it this was. The diner had cleared out some, but not enough for us to have a break. It's well after 7 o'clock now too. The diner closes at 11 p.m. Only four more hours to go. "Excuse me." I looked up at the polite, deep voice that was trying to get my connection. The first thing I noticed was his megawatt smile and then his bright blue eyes. The guy looked to be around my age and was leaning on the counter. His golden blonde hair was hanging down to his shoulders in a se.xy rugged kind of way. He was extremely attractive, and for a moment, I forgot how my mouth worked. "Uh..." I mumbled lamely. The guy smirked at me. "Sorry to bother you while you're so busy," he said politely. "Came in here and sat in my girl's section, but I ain't seen her. She's here, right? I didn't get her schedule wrong? Her name is Abby." My eyebrows shot up at that. No wonder why Mary was so shocked. Abby isn't an ugly girl by any means, but this man is a god. What the hell is he doing with someone like Abby? As if my brain was working in slow motion, another thought dawned on me. Mary also said he was part of an MC. For the first time, I noticed the cut he was wearing. The Devils MC with their logo on it. Right next to that is a patch that says: Treasurer. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said quickly, noticing me staring at his cut. I shrugged and looked back down at what I was doing. "Didn't think you were," I replied. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. I was too afraid to look at his face in fear that he might see something in me. Like that, I was familiar with his world. I don't remember anyone ever saying anything about The Devils, but I don't want to get involved with bikers. Or anyone for that matter. "So... my girl?" he asked after a silent moment. Before I could reply, Mary came stomping up next to me. "Are you trying to pay? Most customers let us do the walking," she joked. "Ah, no, haven't ordered yet actually," he replied. "Right, because you're sitting in Abby's section," she grumbled under her breath, but it was apparently loud enough for him to hear. "So she is here!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands out before resting them on the counter. "Where is she? She on break or something?" Mary stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle she was trying to solve. I know that she recognizes him as Abby's boyfriend. I tried to mind my own business, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love what was happening. Mary is about to blow a gasket, and as much as I hate to see her so worked up, I love it at the same time. "Oh, you want me to take you to her?" Mary asked sweetly. Wait, what? "Mary," I scolded her quietly. Mary met my eyes, but hers were full of defiance. She wasn't going to listen to me. Bad idea or not, when Mary was fed up with something, she was fed up. And tonight, I kind of agreed with her. "He deserves to know anyway," she whispered to me. I looked back at the guy who was still watching us. He clearly heard everything, but that smile was still on his face. He seems so upbeat and... nice. "Why are you even with her?" I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his eyes hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? 'Cause she's a waitress, and I'm a biker? You think she works too hard for me, or that I'll bring her down or something?" he spat. "Don't be jealous, sweetheart. It's not a good look." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Jealous!?" Mary practically screamed, more offended than I was. Before he could reply, I busted out in laughter. It started as a sputtering of noises until I was bent over holding my belly. I couldn't help it, and it had been so long since I laughed like that. "It wasn't that fu.cking funny," the guy muttered. "Actually, it was," Mary replied. "Because jealous is the last thing we are of Abby." Just then, the door to Jason's office opened. We heard Abby giggling, followed by hushed tones. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. From this spot, the biker guy has a clear view of whatever is happening. My back is to them, but based off of past experiences, they're probably all over each other still. The way the biker just tensed tells me that's most likely what's happening. His jaw is ticking, and he looks moments away from storming back there. "I can give you his home address if you want," Mary said excitedly. "He has a wife." "Nah, fu.ck that sh.it. That bit.ch ain't worth it," he grumbled. "Okay, but can you make a scene or something?" Mary whined. "This is the highlight of our night." The guy looked at Mary like she was insane as she gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes. He looked between the two of us like we were crazy, but didn't comment if that's what he thought. "Sorry that I made assumptions," he said. "Shouldn't have done that." "It's fine, I get it," I replied, waving him off. "So, anyway," Mary said, drawing the attention back to herself. "For starters, I feel obligated to let you know that you are one fine specimen of a man, and you can do way better than a ska.nk like Abby." The biker ran his hand threw his hair, looking past us. "I liked that she was going to school and working her a.ss off," he mumbled. "Thought she was real, ya know? I mean, how many chicks do you know that are fun to be around and smart? She's going to school to be a children's therapist. She takes care of her grandmother, who raised her. I thought she was sweet and kind." Mary and I blinked at him. He furrowed his brow, clearly confused by our reaction, or lack there of. Well, it was lacking until Mary spun around with more fury in her eyes than I'd ever seen before. "You psychotic bit.ch!" Mary screamed, causing the entire place to go silent. I tried my best not to laugh as I watched Mary storm up to Abby, who finally noticed that her se.xy biker boyfriend was watching. "You're going around pretending to be to snatch up hot biker guys!" Mary continued to scream. "You've crossed the line! I don't care what lies you make up to your freaking harem of men, but leave me out of it! And how is that even fair!? You literally stole my life and landed the hottest guy I have ever seen, and I can't even get a text back! I can't take it anymore!" "Her life?" The biker asked me, leaning on the counter as his eyes roamed over Mary. I smiled because I knew what that look meant. "Yeah," I replied. "Mary is the one going to school and working and taking care of her grandmother. I don't know Abby's situation, but I can tell you that she doesn't work very hard or very often." "But Mary...?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well," I said with a smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" "You think she really thinks I'm the hottest guy she's ever seen?" he asked. I busted out a laugh. "Better schedule that STD screening," I told him. "Fu.ck, I'll get one tomorrow." Chapter 4: Seeing Old Frenemies Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* "I can't believe all of that just happened," Mary said as we walked out of the back door of the diner. She still has that dazed look on her face. I don't blame her. I think we both thought she was about to be fired. I was already forming a speech about how I would quit if Jason really fired Mary. I knew he wouldn't take Abby over the two of us. He can always hire another bimbo willing to spread her legs for him. Jason was going to argue with Mary for a hot minute, until he saw the intimidating biker watching the scene. Abby tried to play the victim, but Biker Guy wasn't having it. He made it very clear that the diner would be on The Devils MC's sh.it list if he fired Mary or kept Abby working there. Abby threw a huge fit when Jason told her to leave. It was actually hilarious. Until Biker Guy had to take Abby outside himself so she'd chill out. Mary wasn't too thrilled about that, but she didn't say anything. Thankfully, the biker came right back in after sending Abby on her way. He said he was staying with his small group of friends and asked Mary to be their server. After they left, she came rushing up to me to tell me that he had asked for her number and apparently wanted to take her on a date. "Do you really think he's going to go get checked tomorrow?" She asked as we walked down the street. It's such a nice fall night out. Not too hot or cold. The sky is clear, and the stars are out. It reminded me of the days that I used to lay on the roof of my home and pick out the constellations with Kylian. He knew every constellation. It was impressive for an 11-year-old. "I hope so," I replied. "Really?" She asked nervously. "You don't think this is... Well, silly?" "Silly?" I asked, scrunching my face up. "Well, I mean, he just caught his girlfriend cheating," she said. "The girl that we hate and know spreads her legs for everyone. Is it crazy that I'd be willing to date him after all that?" I shrugged as we kept walking. "Dunno," I replied honestly. "I don't think it's fair to call it crazy. If it feels right, then go for it. It was a crazy situation, but... clearly the person he thought Abby was... was you." "I mean... it's kind of nerve-racking," she admitted. "Take things slow then," I offered. "Being involved with someone in an MC can get kind of wild too, so you should think about that. About if you can handle it and want in that life. Some of these MCs are nuts. They don't treat women well. Your guy seemed different, but just be careful." Mary was silent for a moment. "You say that like you know from experience," she commented. I only shrugged. "That what you're running from?" she asked. I stopped dead in my tracks. Mary took a couple of steps before stopping and turning to face me. She had her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she watched me with a small smile. "You don't have to tell me anything," she said softly. "I..." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have pried." Mary said, waving me off before coming over to loop her arm through mine. "Let's go get those drinks!" Mary chatted my ear off the whole way to the bar. It was almost a 20-minute walk for us after just working the busy shift of our lives. I was thankful that Mary kept the conversation going though. I was too drained to. By the time we reached the bar, it was pretty packed. There was still room around the bar to sit though. Mary and I took two seats and shrugged our jackets off. I glanced around, taking in the scene. It's a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. My favorite. It reminds me a little of the demon's clubhouse. "So, I can't believe I talked you into coming out," Mary said. "Sorry, I'm a bit of a loner," I replied with a half smile. The bartender slid us our drinks. After a little while, I started to loosen up. Maybe it was the couple of drinks, or maybe I was just letting go. I leaned back in my chair and pulled the hair tie from my hair. My long, thick, black waves cascaded around me, falling down past my waist. Mary gasped as her eyes went wide. "Holy sh.it, I didn't know you had all that hair!" She exclaimed. I shrugged, but Mary wanted to go on and on about it. Honestly, I hated it. That was why I always wore it in a messy bun on the top of my head. I thought about cutting it so many times over the years, but there were two voices arguing in my head about it, stopping me from ever making a decision. "I love your hair. Never cut it. It's so beautiful and long. Promise me you'll never change it." "You'd look better if you cut your hair to your shoulders. You know that's the trend these days. It'll be easier to handle too. I think you'd look hot. Think about it." Mary's loud gasp pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at her to see she was looking down at her phone. She looked up at me with a face-splitting grin. "Look! He already texted me!" She squealed before shoving her phone in my face. "Good for you," I replied. "I hope he turns out to be everything you want." And I truly meant that. ******************************************* "Blythe, I need you to do this!" "Blythe, take out the trash!" "Blythe, we need more coffee made!" "Blythe, I need you to help cook in between tables!" "Blythe, table three needs more coffee!" "Blythe, I need-" "Jason!" I snapped before biting my tongue and trying again. "Jason, I am only one person. I can't do everything." Jason's eyes narrowed at me. "No, but you can bust your a.ss and try," he said. "Considering it was your fault that I had to fire Abby." "My fault?!" I asked incredulously. "Yours and Mary's," he replied, nodding. The audacity! "Maybe if you stopped fu.cking your employees, or trying to, you'd be able to hold onto more of them, and we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!" I hissed at him. "Firing Abby was your own fault. You shouldn't sh.it where you eat to start off with, and blaming two women because you were too afraid to stand up to the big, bad biker makes you look even more like a pansy. Regardless, that girl never worked anyway. Firing her was a blessing in disguise, and unless you want to be running this show all on your own, I suggest you cut me some fu.cking slack. And if you're still hellbent on blaming someone, I just cleaned the mirror in the men's bathroom." With that, I picked up the coffee pot and made my rounds. I've never talked back like that to Jason in the almost two years that I've worked here, but damn. I had a headache from drinking last night. I barely got any sleep, and Jason is driving me up a wall! I deserve to snap every now and then. Thankfully, the morning flew by after that. The diner calmed down enough that being on my own wasn't bad. Just before our lunch rush, Mary came in for her shift. I was making more coffee and getting set up when she came to join me. We heard the bell ding, signaling that someone had just walked in. "Oof, they sat at your table, but Shadow is with them," Mary mumbled. "What's with all the bikers lately? Is there a convention?" I smiled at her joke. It's probably more of her boyfriend's friends. I saw the look in his eyes last night. Mary is officially his, and bikers take that sh.it seriously. "I'll take them some coffee," I said as I picked up the half-full pot. I spun around and walked around the counter. I hadn't made it that far when I had finally looked up. I froze mid-step. I recognize a couple of those faces. I recognize those cuts. I recognize that logo; the black demon with blood-red wings surrounded by flames, riding a motorcycle. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I needed to calm down, and think this through. Okay, I recognize them, but they're nobody I was close to. Just older kids who I had seen in passing. Ones that knew my friends, but didn't really know me. It'll be fine. I'll just have Mary take their table. They won't even notice me. She'll be happy about it. I spun around on my heels just as the bell on the door dinged again. Either I have unfortunate timing, or the universe hates me, because what I came face-to-face with had me trembling with nerves. The urge to run was nearly unbearable, but my feet felt nailed to the floor. We were staring at each other. He sees me. His green eyes are on me. My god, he looks the same, but different. More muscles, stronger jaw, crooked nose. His dark brown hair is still short and styled like he ran his hands through it and called it good. He looks like the last time I saw him, but aged. Aged in the best way. Kylian Clyde MacQuoid. I held my breath. My knuckles went white with how hard I was gripping the coffee pot. I had no idea what to do. It's been so long since I've seen them. Is he here because he was looking for me? Is he going to take me back? Are they working with my father and husband? Just when I thought I was going to pass out... Kylian walked right past me. Like he didn't recognize me. Like he didn't know who I was at all. And that hurt worse than I expected it to. Chapter 5: Night Talks Blythe's P.O.V. ******************************************************* ~ Flashback, age 13 ~ ******************************************************* "My mom is going to kill you if she finds out you were sneaking over here in the middle of the night," I said when I heard other footsteps on the roof. A moment later, Kylian was sitting next to me. I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my arms wrapped around them. My chin sat on my knees as silent tears fell from my eyes. I haven't been able to stop crying since this morning. "She won't find out," was all Kylian said. Silence fell over us as I looked out at the other houses. Mom and I don't live in a big house. It's just a simple one-story, two-bedroom home. There's a lattice attached to the house right outside my bedroom window, and that's strong enough to let us climb up to the roof. For now at least. I come out here a lot to think. Kylian almost always seems to find me when I do too. I have no idea how. I mean, he lives on the club's property near the clubhouse. It's not far from here, maybe a 20-minute walk, but he can't see my house from his. I never asked him how he always knew where I was either. I didn't want to risk him not showing up anymore. I hate being alone. Even if it's at night while I'm supposed to be sleeping. I can never sleep much anyway. I've always been like that. I've never understood how people needed a moment to breathe, or wanted five minutes of space, or anything like that. Ever since meeting these five guys, I've hated every second I've spent alone. I sniffled and wiped my nose on the back of my hand. "He promised he'd write to you and text you all the time when we get you a phone." Kylian said softly as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "He'll come back to visit too. They're still part of the club. This isn't forever." Hearing Kylian's slight Scottish accent sent shivers through me, but I don't think he noticed. Thank god, because I really can't handle him teasing me about it right now. Not that Kylian is ever mean, but... he flusters me and I just... Not right now. "It feels like it," I muttered, sniffling again. "Ozias won't be around all the time anymore... I... I can't picture life without him. No more jokes, or watching him train at the gym, or that infectious smile..." Kylian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. My body went limp, my legs falling as he pushed my head to his chest. I gripped his shirt, clinging to him as more tears poured out of me. "You're going to make me jealous if you keep crying over him like this," Kylian tried to tease me. Any other time, I'd laugh. Kylian wasn't the joking type. In fact, he rarely ever spoke. He was one of those people who could communicate everything with just a look. I was the only person he ever joked with or said more than five words at a time to. Well, and our other friends I suppose. However, I just couldn't this time. I know Ozias promised to never lose contact with me, but I feel like this was the end, like this was the last time I'd ever get to see him. I didn't have a phone because we couldn't afford it. We had a computer, and I was allowed to have soicals, but my time was limited. Ozias promised to write to me until Kylian could get me a phone though. He said he'd call the guys when I was with them so we could still talk. He promised to come back for summers and holidays. For some reason, I don't believe it. "Ozias wouldn't want you to be upset like this, Spark," Kylian said, practically begging me to stop crying. I released a long breath and tried to get myself under control. I focused on Kylian's hand running up and down my back. Eventually, my sobbing ceased, but tears were still falling from my eyes. Kylian and I just stayed like that. With my head tucked into his chest and his arms around me. "You still have us, Spark," he said softly, and I relished that cute nickname he has for me. "You aren't alone." "I know," I replied, my voice hoarse from all my crying. "But it still makes me feel... devastated." "What can I do to make this better?" he asked. I wanted to tell him to bring Ozias back, but I knew that he couldn't. I knew it was tearing him up inside to see me this upset too. That is why I saved most of my blubbering for now. I cried, but I didn't want to make Ozias feel worse than he already did, and I didn't want the rest of our friends to worry about me. "Tell me something nice," I said. "Tell me about your future plans with the club. You still want to take over for your dad as prez?" I pulled away just enough to turn my body. I rested my head on Kylian's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me. Then he leaned back, taking me with him until we were snuggled up together, staring at the stars in the clear sky. "Well, since we're club kids, we get to start prospecting at 16," he started. "We can either become members at 18 or they might make us wait until 20 like most of the guys." I do know that most guys prospect for two years. Some patch in before that, if they show enough loyalty during a run or something. Whatever that means. Others sometimes prospect for longer, but never more than four years. I remember Tusk telling me all about that when he took me, Evander, and Everly out for ice cream a couple of months ago. I was very curious about club life. "I think that my dad's gonna send us on a run when we're all 18 though. I'll be 19 by then and so will Ozias," Kylian continued. "I think Ozias will come back and be part of the club here though. The five of us can go on a run together." "You five do make a really good team," I told him, turning my head to give him a smile. Kylian turned his head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. He reached a hand up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb across my skin. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and made mine spread. Kylian rarely smiles or shows emotion. I love it when he does. "I think we're all mostly excited about getting our road names," he said softly. I beamed at him, making him chuckle. "Go on, say it," he added. "I cannot wait to hear what kind of cool names you guys get! I bet they're going to be the coolest!" I blabbered. "I bet they'll call Chayton Psycho or something like that. I already hear everyone around the club call him that when he gets into trouble. I bet Ozias will be Dragon. I have no idea about the rest of you, but I can't wait!" I squealed at the end, a little more excited than I should be. Kylian laughed, dropping his hand from my cheek. The smile on his face is bigger now, and I'm reminded of how much I love spending time alone with him. "You named Ozias Dragon, you do know that, right?" he teased me. "No, I named him the Silver Dragon," I corrected him. "It's his stage name." "Stage name," Kylian grumbled. "What if he goes pro and actually goes by that name?" I shrugged as I looked back up at the stars. "If that's what he wants, then..." I trailed off as I blew out a breath. "I just want him to be happy. All of you, actually." "You make us happy," he replied. I turned to give him a smile. "Do you promise to be my best friend forever?" I asked. Kylian's face suddenly fell, and his eyes went hard. "No," he replied before looking away from me. My chest ached and I was confused. "Oh..." was all I could manage as I looked down. Kylian put his finger under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his. "One day, we are going to be more than that," he told me. More? How? In what way? What does that even mean? I didn't dare ask though. I was way too afraid of the answer. Too afraid to get my hopes up. Looking back now, I'm glad I never did. ****************************************************** ~ Present, age 25 ~ ****************************************************** "Hey, are you alright?" Mary asked when she followed me to the back, near Jason's office. "I saw you and that hot-as-hell biker guy staring at each other. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the diner." I could barely hear her words, my heart was thumping in my chest. Are the others here? What are they doing here? They live in California. Are they here for me? No, that can't be. Kylian didn't even recognize me. This is fine. It's all going to be fine. He didn't recognize me. It's been years. He probably forgot all about me. "Bly... are you alright? You're crying," Mary said, swiping a tear that escaped down my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'll finish my shift as long as he continues not to recognize me. Then I'll go back to my apartment, get Butter ready, and we'll dip. All my stuff is mostly packed already. This will be the first time I'll travel with a pet, but we can do it. I hope. "Mary, can you please take that table for me?" I asked. "Sure sweetie," she replied, clearly concerned. I took another deep breath before going back to work. I just have to make it through a couple more hours. Then I'm gone, leaving behind another town. I will not let my freedom be taken away again.