Chapter One
December
The familiar sound of pipes of motorcycles roar in the distance. Like thunder, but there’s no rain. No impending storm. No matter how many times I hear that growl of a motorcycle, the thrill that shoots through me never disappoints. I put down the book I’ve been reading this week about a woman taken captive by her father’s enemy. I move to the window to take a peek when the engines cut. It’s an unusually warm day for December. I’d enjoy a ride while I could if I were them too. It’s probably my Uncle Link, but he’s usually in the company of one of his club brothers and they are F I N E. Fine. I know they think I’m a silly girl crushing on them and I am. It doesn’t mean that I can’t look and appreciate how bad ass and sexy they are. Not to mention the brownie points I get with girls at school because they think the Royal Bastards are seriously cool. That’s because they are. Way cool and even more bad ass.
One day I’ll marry me a Harley man. A way cool bad ass of my own.
Just as I thought. My Uncle Link. A bad ass biker in his own right. He’s my mother’s brother and a true motorcycle man through and through. He takes no shit and doesn’t hesitate to dish it out. Man has been more of a dad to me than my own blood father. He skipped out on us first chance he got. There’s no love lost there. My sperm donor was a shit husband and an even shittier father. Couldn’t hold a job. Wouldn’t lift a finger unless it was to pick up a beer can or a cigarette.
I stare starry eyed out the front window seeing Nav is with him and my stomach drops. Nav is short for Navarro. He’s what they refer to as a prospect. He’s on probation. Wants to be a Royal Bastard. I know one thing for sure. He’s got the look of a motorcycle man down bar none. Tall, dark, and handsome. Tattoos. The beard. But his eyes. He has these blue intense eyes that remind me of the ocean and when I look into them, I could happily drown. And last but not least he has a sweet ride. The kind of man I’d have no problem climbing on the back of his bike and riding off into the sunset with.
I know that’s a fantasy, but I dream of it anyway.
I move away from the window and pretend I wasn’t gawking at him as my heart splinters knowing that the one thing I want more than anything in this world I can never have.
His love.
I’ll never be his.
He’ll never be mine and yet I cling to the fantasy.
He’s made it perfectly clear that he thinks I’m too young for him even though I told him I’m eighteen. My Aunt Pam, Link’s wife, got me confused with younger sister Kiesha once. Said I was fifteen in front of him and that was it. He wrote me off despite knowing better. Part of me gets it. He wants to earn his patch and pissing off my Uncle Link by making a play at me would get him a boot in his ass. The rejection doesn’t sting any less. The only thing that gives me a shred of hope is the fact that he’s not got a girlfriend that I’ve seen at least. I’m not naïve enough to believe he doesn’t sleep around. He is a biker by blood and soon by patch. Navarro is related to Banks, but Slick is his sponsor, because family isn’t allowed to sponsor family or something. I overheard Pam talking about it to her sister Jules once. I overhear a lot of club business I probably shouldn’t know anything about, but it is hard not to when I am surrounded by the club and their ol’ ladies.
Jules is Roane’s Ol’ Lady. He’s the club’s tattooist. I’ve wanted him to do a tattoo for me since I turned sixteen, but my mother said no. At least once I graduate, she can’t stop me. Technically she can’t now, but I live at home and respect her rules for the most part. She compromised and paid for me to get my bellybutton pierced instead. I can’t complain too much. For the most part she’s cool. She had me when she was young. Too young to be having babies but here we are.
The door to the daycare swings open. During normal hours the alarm is set to keep kids in and strangers out. The last pickup was over thirty minutes ago though. Mom and Pam are in the back going over their schedules or something. I wasn’t really paying attention. I heard, “Keep an eye on Conner and the baby. We’ll be in the office.”
Pam and Link’s kids. I don’t mind pitching in to help. Conner is a cutie, and the baby mostly sleeps.
Link gives me a finger wave.
Nav lifts his chin at me with a hint of a smile playing at his lips, but it quickly disappears like maybe I imagined the whole scene because now he’s not even looking at me. Like he’s afraid to make eye contact. Guess Uncle Link gave him the if I even see you looking at my niece, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs talk again. He knows I have the hots for him. I don’t make it a secret. I chew on my bottom lip a beat then throw out a, “hey,” as Conner spots his daddy, waddling toward him doing that funny bow legged run all toddlers seem to do at his age.
Link swoops Conner into his arms and tickles his belly before leaning over the crib where his baby girl is having sweet dreams.
“Behave,” Link warns as he moves down the hall looking for his wife.
I roll my eyes and Nav shoots me a grin that has my belly flip flopping. “Any big plans for Christmas?”
Nav shrugs a shoulder not giving me anything.