by Lora Leigh
“Why are you back?”
“Figured I’d been gone long enough. I wanted to come home for a while.”
“Missing family?”
Rick snorted and took a drink of beer. “I think we both know better than that. We don’t have family. Except each other.”
Bo tipped the top of his beer to Rick’s. “Amen to that. Useless fucking families is what we had. But we did have each other. Hey. I’m sorry I didn’t know about you doing time. You know how it is.”
“I know.” When you got arrested you were on your own. If you disappeared, the gang figured you were either in jail or dead. No one bothered to check up on you. You were family as long as you were in the gang. If you left, you were history. End of story.
“So are you back for good?”
“Maybe.”
“Interested in rejoining the club?”
“Maybe.”
Bo nodded. “So that means yes.”
Rick smiled over the rim of the beer bottle. “Maybe.”
Bo laughed. “You’re such a dick. I’ll have my people check you out. Make sure you’ve been where you say you’ve been. Not that I don’t trust you …”
“But nobody gets into the Hellraisers—or back in—without being investigated. I know.” And that’s why Grange had set up a phony background for him, including a drug bust in Chicago and the prison record he’d just told Bo about. If there was one thing the Hellraisers loved, it was a badass with a reputation. And Rick wanted to make sure he had the rep to ease back in. Which was probably why Senator Vargas was pissing himself over his daughter’s involvement with the gang. Not exactly a club filled with choirboys. If Rick had a daughter riding with the Hellraisers, he wouldn’t be too happy about it, either. Not that he was ever going to get married and have a kid. But if he did, he sure as hell wouldn’t allow her to run with a group like this.
“In the meantime, you can ride with us. Background check should only take a day or so. If you want back in, that is.”
“I might. What are the Hellraisers into these days?”
“Mostly trouble.”
Rick laughed. “Just my kind of action.” He figured it would be easy to get back in the gang again, especially with Bo at the helm. Now he’d just have to find Ava Vargas and get close enough to her to figure out her angle.
Ava Vargas stared at herself in the mirror of her bedroom.
“I don’t think leather is a good look for me.” She turned this way and that, unused to seeing herself decked head to toe in leather jacket, chaps, and boots.
“Are you kidding? You’re hot.” Lacey came into the bedroom and studied Ava, then shook her head. “I’d kill for boobs like yours.”
“These things are what I’m afraid of. Does this top really have to be so … tight?” She plucked at the clingy spandex that seemed to want to mold to her breasts and outline them like the neon signs on the Vegas Strip. Her breasts were large enough. She didn’t need to advertise their existence.
“All the girls wear their tops like that. Trust me, you’ll fit right in.”
That’s what Ava was going for, wasn’t it? To fit into this biker gang that her best friend Lacey had immersed herself in for the past year. The one that had ripped Lacey away from school, that had changed her best friend’s life, her personality, everything.
A year ago, Lacey had been a graduate student. She and Ava had done everything together. But then Lacey had met a biker and had all but disappeared from Ava’s life. Lacey had quit school and become a biker babe, spending all her time riding with her boyfriend. Even worse than that, she’d become a slacker, and that wasn’t Lacey at all.
And Ava would know, because she and Lacey had been friends since kindergarten. They knew everything about each other. They’d been in each other’s classes all through school, and roommates in college. After they’d gotten their undergraduate degrees, they’d shared an apartment while they’d studied for their master’s degrees. And that’s when Ava had lost Lacey to the biker world.
Ava had completed her master’s this year. Lacey indicated zero interest in going back to school, saying she was “over it.”
There was something just not right about that. Was this biker gang some kind of cult? And had Lacey drank the Kool-Aid? With Lacey so out of touch and unwilling to communicate about this new lifestyle other than waxing poetic about the new guy in her life and singing the praises of life riding on the back of a Harley, Ava figured the only way to find out what was going on in Lacey’s life was to join it.
So she’d started hanging out at the biker joints over the past couple months—especially since it was the only way she could spend time with Lacey. She’d meet her at bars and clubs that catered to the bikers. She didn’t see anything unusual going on there, other than beer, pool, smoking, and just general mayhem. Still, Ava wasn’t convinced. Because the Lacey she saw there was so … different from the one she’d always known.
She had to make sure Lacey was safe, that the decisions she was making were from her own free will. And right now, Ava just wasn’t certain that was the case. She was a little suspicious of Lacey’s boyfriend, because as soon as Lacey had started up with this gang, she had packed up and moved out of their apartment, telling Ava that life in the biker gang was nomadic and it didn’t seem fair to stay in the apartment with Ava. She’d suggested Ava find another roommate. Cold, harsh … cutting ties just like that.
And that wasn’t like Lacey at all. Lacey was warm, family-oriented, and friendly. They’d been thick as thieves since childhood.
Ava didn’t want another roommate. She didn’t need one, could certainly afford the place on her own.
She wanted her old friend back. Or at least she needed to know that Lacey was okay, that the decisions she made were her own. Because whenever she saw Lacey—infrequently as that was—there was just something not quite right about her friend. Something in her eyes …
Which was why she stood in front of the mirror decked out in a skintight top, body-hugging jeans, and leather.
“I’ll fit right in, huh?”
Lacey giggled and threw herself on Ava’s bed. “Well, at least physically. It’s a unique lifestyle, Ava. It might take some getting used to. It’s not all five-star hotels and room service.”
Ava glared at Lacey in the mirror. “I’m hardly spoiled, Lace.”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “Please. Senator’s daughter. Only the finest schools. And the idea of sawdust and peanuts on the floor, not to mention spilled beer, probably makes you want to faint. Look at this place. No knickknacks or art on the walls.” Lacey ran her finger over the bare tabletop next to the bed. “Not even a speck of dust. You have no clutter. You’re a clean freak.”
Ava lifted her chin. “I am not. I just like … order in my life.”
Lacey laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. A biker lifestyle is anything but orderly. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Lacey used to like things orderly and neat, too. Ava went and sat next to Lacey on the bed, surprised that the leather she wore was soft enough to give when she sat. “Yes. It’s what I want. I’ll give it a try, anyway. I think it’ll be fun.”
Lacey grabbed her hands. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re going to be riding with us. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you, too. We don’t see each other enough.”
“I was afraid we’d drift apart. But you’ve been busy with school, and that’s just not my life anymore.”
Ava wanted to ask her why it wasn’t, but Lacey had made it clear she didn’t want to talk about school anymore, so she let it pass. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
Lacey grinned. “He’s on the Strip now. Probably getting drunk with all his friends.”
She said it with such pride. Ava resisted wrinkling her nose. “Uh, great.”
Lacey looked at her watch. “We should get going. We’re meeting them at eight.”
“Okay.” Despite only being here for Lacey, Ava ran into th
e bathroom to take one last look. She had no idea if she looked appropriate or like a fish out of water. She supposed she’d have to take Lacey’s word for it.
Finally she’d get a chance to see Lacey’s world. Spend more time with Lacey’s boyfriend.
Then she’d find out if she had anything to worry about.
Riding again with Bo and the Hellraisers was a lot like old times, and then again not. Last time Rick had ridden with Bo and the gang, they’d been kids and low on the totem pole. Ten years later and Bo was in the upper echelons of the organization, riding lead in this particular group.
That said a lot about what Bo had been doing for the past ten years. And that meant whatever the Hellraisers had been doing, Bo was really good at it. They rode the Strip for a while, and Rick realized it really had been ten years since he’d been there. A lot had changed. Growth had exploded the Strip. There were more casinos, hotels, and a lot more to do than just gambling now. He gawked while he rode, barely noticing the throng of Hellraisers adding to their numbers until the congested group pulled to a stop in the older part of town. Bike upon bike pulled into the parking area. It looked like a freakin’ parade. There must have been a hundred Hellraisers by the time the last one parked.
“Damn. The Hellraisers have expanded.”
Bo nodded as they walked from the parking area to the street. “Membership grows by about ten to fifteen every year. We’ve gotten really popular.”
“Yeah? What do you attribute that to?”
Bo grinned. “We get laid a lot. Guys notice all the chicks that have joined the club.”
Rick laughed. “I guess I came back at just the right time.”
Bo slung his arm around Rick’s shoulder. “Yeah, you did.”
They got to the corner and a flash shot by Rick. A skinny female leaped onto Bo, wrapped her legs around him, and planted one hot, tongue-involved kiss on his lips. Bo grabbed the woman by the ass and held onto her, returning the kiss.
When he broke the kiss, the woman squealed. “I missed you today, baby!”
“Missed you, too,” Bo said, letting the woman slide to the ground. He wound an arm around her waist. “Lacey, this is my cousin, Rick Benetti. Rick, my girlfriend, Lacey.”
So Bo had a girlfriend, huh? Interesting. And a pretty one at that. Not at all like the skanky girls he used to hang out with. This one had straight brown hair, a nice body, and pretty blue eyes.
“Your cousin? Wow. I didn’t know you had a cousin.” Lacey held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Rick.”
Rick shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, too, Lacey. And I’ve been out of town the past few years, so that’s why you didn’t know about me.”
“Really. Are you joining the Hellraisers for bike week?”
“I am.”
“Have a girl with you?”
“No. I ride solo.”
She grinned. “That’s perfect. My best friend is here and she doesn’t have anyone to ride with.”
“Uh, I don’t think—”
The woman had been standing behind Bo. With all of Lacey’s flash and exuberance, he hadn’t even seen her. He did now as Lacey pulled her in front.
Wow. To Rick, one woman was just as good as another.
This one was different. She was stunning, with rich black hair, silvery gray eyes, and a lush body that rocked his dick into shocked awareness.
And she looked damned familiar.
“Rick, this is my very best friend, Ava.”
This was Ava Vargas? It had to be. She looked a lot like the picture he’d been given, only the picture must have been a few years old. This Ava was a hell of a lot sexier now that she was gift-wrapped in leather.
And she’d just been dropped right into his lap.
TWO
Ava sized up the biker she’d just been introduced to. Tall, damn fine-looking, with dark hair, dark eyes, in need of a shave, and looking all too dangerous. Classic biker look in jeans, chaps, and leather jacket.
Wow. Just … wow.
“Hey, Ava.” Rick held out his hand.
Polite, too. She hadn’t expected that. She slid her hand in his and felt the sizzle of … something electric and very warm.
“Nice to meet you, Rick.”
“This is just perfect, isn’t it?” Lacey said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I was hoping you would find someone to ride with. With Bo’s cousin here, you have a seat now.”
“Yes. Perfect.” Ava couldn’t help staring at Rick. She supposed she had these preconceived notions of bikers. Dirty, scruffy, mean, and scary looking. None of those characteristics fit Rick. Or, for that matter, Lacey’s boyfriend, Bo, who was tall, lean, and very attractive. He resembled his cousin in many ways.
“Hi, Bo,” she said.
“Howdy, Ava. You look great in leather. Glad you decided to join up with us for bike week.”
Bo was friendly, too, had been since she’d first met him at one of the bars. Maybe she’d expected something different.
“Let’s take a walk, see what’s up around here tonight,” Bo said.
He slung his arm around Lacey’s shoulder and off they went, leaving Ava alone with Rick. And about a hundred other bikers, who started brushing by them.
Ava had no choice but to slide her gaze over at Rick.
He smirked at her. Could he see right through her as the fraud she was?
“You look lost.”
She lifted her head, her pulse skittering just looking at him. “No, really, I’m fine. I’m sorry about Lacey dumping me on you. Really, you’re free to go. You don’t have to babysit me.”
“I’m a lot of things, darlin’, but a babysitter isn’t one of them. Come on.” He grabbed her hand and they started walking. Slow.
“Should we catch up to Bo and Lacey?”
“I’m not attached at the hip to my cousin. I’m fine right where we are.”
Ava supposed she was going to have to be, since Lacey didn’t seem to be concerned about leaving her with some guy neither of them knew. And she and Rick had fallen farther back in the crowd of Hellraisers, so now they were bringing up the rear. This guy could drag her into an alley and murder her, ravage her. She could disappear. Would anyone even notice? Or care?
Yeah, her imagination was definitely in overdrive, wasn’t it?
Nice.
“You’re sweating.”
She jerked her gaze to him. “What?”
He lifted his arm, showing her where their hands were linked. “Your palm is sweating.”
She pulled her hand away and wiped it on her jeans. “Oh. Sorry.”
Again, that smile of his. The one that said he knew why.
“Are you nervous? I won’t bite, ya know.”
And wasn’t this just the perfect time for her imagination to conjure him doing just that. Right on the nape of her neck. While they were in bed. Honestly. She didn’t have vivid fantasies of men doing wicked things to her. Especially men she’d just met. Men she didn’t know at all. That wasn’t where her mind went. Usually. But he had that sexy, bad boy look about him that made her shiver all over. And apparently sweat.
“No, I’m not nervous at all.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“Spoken by someone who’s so good at it?”
He winked. “Yes ma’am.”
She laughed, and felt the tension in her body begin to dissolve.
“So how long have you been with the Hellraisers?”
How was she supposed to answer that? She didn’t want to appear as if she had no idea what she was doing, even though she had no idea what she was doing. “Not long.”
“How long have you been riding?”
She looked down the street to see if she could spot Bo and Lacey. “Oh, not very long.”
“Do you like bikes?”
“I find them fascinating. How long have you been riding?”
“Since I got my driver’s license at sixteen. Before that, actually. I rode a bike before I drove a car. I’ve alw
ays loved them.”
Now she focused on Rick. “Really. Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Motorcycles were just a part of what we did back then.”
“We?”
“Bo and me.”
“A family thing, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“So everyone in your family had bikes?”
He let out a soft laugh. “No. Just Bo and me.”
“Oh, I see. You two must be close.”
“We were. We got separated for a while.”
“How so?”
“I was out of town the past ten years.”
“Doing what?”
“This and that.”
Vague answers. Things he didn’t want to say. It made her curious, made her want to know more about him. “You grew up here?”
“Yes.”
“So you’ve just come back home.”
“Yeah.”
“Welcome home then, Rick.”
He smiled. “Thanks.”
“I’m sure it’s nice to reconnect with your family again.”
“I don’t have family. There’s just Bo.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
She heard the venom in his short, clipped words, wished she could ask more, but there was a finality in his statement that told her he wasn’t going to explain further. Any time the topic of family arose, his chin came up and something in his eyes went … cold. If there was one thing she’d learned in her studies it was how to read body language.
The Strip was alive tonight, people crowding the sidewalks on both sides, wanting to see and be seen. She’d heard about bike week, but never took part, never cared. It wasn’t her lifestyle. She was always in school, always studying, had gone from getting her undergraduate degree to her master’s in social work. And next up would be her doctorate.
But through all of it, there had been Lacey. At least until a year ago. And without her support system, her best friend, the last year had been difficult, nearly unbearable.
She hadn’t realized how isolated she’d become until Lacey was no longer there.
How pathetic. Where had her life gone?
She knew—she didn’t have one. Everything had been about school for so long she couldn’t remember when it wasn’t. But now that she had her master’s, she was taking some time off before she went for her doctorate. What better time to reconnect with her best friend and make sure all was right with her?
