by Lexy Timms
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Chapter 1
Selene
"Stay still and let me fix this. You look ridiculous in this tie. It's three sizes too small. Who told you it looked okay?" I blew a long strand of raven hair from my face and gave my cousin, Mateo, a look.
"Elec said it was fine. That I should shut the fuck up about it." Mateo shrugged, pushing out the thick skin of his neck and causing the tie to pop once again.
"Forget it. The damn thing is causing you to lose circulation, anyway. Big guys don't need ties. They look fine with just a jacket and nice pants. Besides... Elec is right. You should shut the..."
Mateo lifted his eyebrow and I wasn't able to get the rest of my banter out before I chuckled softly. He was the only one of my cousins who was half decent. The rest of the bunch spent their days harming the nice people of Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania, and the neighboring counties.
That's only when they aren't knee deep in my dad's ass.
King-Pin Delgado, as most people referred to him, was a hard man to please. I had been trying my whole life and had yet to crack the code.
I patted my cousin on the chest and nodded toward the over-dressed section of the small gym where my father and his goons sat, watching me intently. Elec, Mateo's brother, caught my attention with a sour expression on his face and held it...
"It's time for me to get up front. Go make sure my father doesn't order anyone gunned down before graduation is over, hmm?" I turned back to my portly cousin and smiled.
"Yep. These things last for-fucking-ever, though. Tell them to move it along. The more we sit in this stuffy-assed place, the less likely anyone is to contain your dad from getting in a mood." He shrugged and walked back across the gym floor as the counselors started to call last names.
I turned and pressed my hands to the blue plastic chair in front of me. The thick black robe swished forward to cover my hands. It was hot as hell, even though it shouldn't have been. The weather had a big part to play in why Pleasant Valley was named as such.
Yet, for some ungodly reason, it was hotter than hell on a good day that day.
"Because we're all forced into uniformity in these fucking hot robes," I grumbled before turning toward the cute guy who moved up beside me.
Dane Miller.
We had become acquainted my sophomore year, but nothing more. There was no need to pull anyone in close because it would lead to loss. Everyone that I got involved with moved, died, or decided I wasn't worth the trauma of knowing because my father could snap any minute.
"I'd say you look nice, but you'd refuse the compliment." He smiled and elbowed me softly. His sandy blond hair was a mess, as if his grandmother had tousled it ten times already that morning. His blue eyes were filled with excitement, though his expression wore little of it.
"You know me too well." I shifted my gaze just behind him to the gym doors as Lucas Morrison walked in, his head held high. "There's your boy. Better jump to it. No one ever enjoyed peanut butter without jelly."
Dane scoffed and turned to look over his shoulder. "Which one of us is...?”
I walked off before he could turn back around. Taking my place in line, I averted my gaze from the handsome biker who stood beside the preppy and ever-popular Dane Miller. He was hoping to become a cop and had started his campaign on me the day we'd met.
Everyone wants me to be something I'm not. I shrugged and pulled my phone out of my pocket. A text from Mateo told me to look back at my family.
A smile spread across my mouth as I did. My grandmother stood beside Mateo, waving like Elvis had risen from the dead and was standing next to me. Giving my favorite person in the world a quick wave, I turned back around, but not before catching Lucas's gaze.
He stood 6'4' and had big broad shoulders that had Coach Callahan asking him to join up on the football team year after year. It wasn't just the shoulders, though. He was a billy-bad-ass all the way. The kind of guy who walked around with an 'I don't give a fuck' look on his handsome face and actually meant it.
Out of all of the boys at McMartin High, he was the one that had stolen my deepest fantasies. Too bad he was soon to pledge to the Stone Wolves. The rival MC club to my father's was made up of a bunch of riff-raff who thought themselves to be the town’s hero-squad. Nothing could be further from the truth. Lucas was following in his dad’s footsteps. Guess he wanted to make the old man proud.
I didn't respect too many people, but my father was among the few. He had sat me down just before I entered high school and laid down the law.
"No dating anyone from the Stone Wolves. Got it, my butterfly? They are the opposite of us and we don’t intermingle with trash. Understood?" His glare had caused my stomach to hurt like hell. Every time I'd looked at Lucas "Lucky" Morrison over the next four years, I heard my dad's voice loud and clear.
But... that didn't mean I couldn't tease him mercilessly. I winked at him and licked at my top lip before turning back to listen to the instructions the principal was spewing from the front of the stage.
"Such a tease, Lena," Lucky whispered against the back of my hair and moved out from behind me before I could whip around and call him out.
Dane stood a little way behind me with a cocky smile on his face. "He's got your number."
I pulled out my phone and shook my head defiantly. "No. He. Doesn't. I ain't interested in trash."
Dane chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. "You never were good at lying. Family trait that passed you right on by, girl."
"Selene. This way, young lady." A feminine voice called me from her silly interaction with the idiots that would soon be leaving the city and starting a new life.
Many of the kids from my graduating class would be out of there soon, but not me. I had plans to grow up in my father's graces and take over his club. They were the biggest, baddest motherfuckers in the whole state and everyone knew it.
I wanted to learn what it was exactly that kept my father in control. It was addictive-- the need for attention, adoration, control, worship.
The line of robe-wearing robots in front of me turned toward the stage and snaked back down, causing the student body to twist and turn, creating a large, joyless conga line. Lucky walked toward me as I kept shuffling my feet forward.
There was no shame in the simple fact that my eyes were only for him for a moment. The soft curve of his mouth into the cocky smile he often gave me caused my heart to beat a little faster. I'd been with a few boys over my high school career, but the only one I wanted to take for a spin in the sheets hadn't been available via my father's warning. If I was ever caught with Lucas, my life would be over. And I knew he’d kill Lucas. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. It was best I stayed away. So I did.
"Naughty, naughty Lena... What am I going to do without you in my life?" He spoke softly as we moved past each other.
I took a sharp breath and forced a tight facade of indifference to be my response. There was no time to give a rebuttal as the line kept moving. I would walk past him again, but I wanted to be ready with something good.
Teasing him was the closest thing I could get to having him. It was almost good enough.
Almost.
I turned on the ball of my foot and lifted up to my toes to see him walking back toward me with a smile. I gave him one of my own and spoke a little louder than he had. I needed to make sure I got to do the poking for this round.
"You have no idea just how naughty I can be, big boy. Too bad you'll never find out." I shrugged and couldn't help but smile at the soft chuckles that resounded around me.
I didn't have many friends in school simply because everyone was scared of my family. I was fine with it, or so I put forward that front. No reason to covet something that would never belong to me. Fun days of lounging by the pool with girlfriends, slumber parties or hair appointments with silly gossip sessions hadn't been m
y lot in life.
It was me and my family. Not much more. Something told me my father had more to do with that than he would ever admit. It wasn't worth arguing over. I enjoyed most of my cousins and was far more of a bike-riding tomboy than any of the other girls in my school.
My thoughts caused me to miss my chance to hit Lucky with another jab. His deep voice rolled over me and I swallowed the need to growl at him for making me feel anything.
"Party at Martin Jeffery's tonight. Be there... I want to see you." He reached out and brushed his fingers along mine.
I shuddered and quickly wrapped my arms around myself. There was no way I was going to that party. Lucky and I had been flirting for four years. Things would unravel due to a little bit of liquid courage and I'd have him naked and on top of me in the Jeffery's backyard. One time would never be enough. Of that I was sure.
A few of the kids in front of me walked up on stage as their names were called. The whole gym cheered for them. It was a rarity for me to work up a sweat, but the light sheen of it covering my upper lip and the edge of my hairline worried me.
I hated to be called to the front of the room or to stand in front of large crowds. I might not fully know what my father was involved in to make the kind of money he did, but it seemed a lot of other people had preconceived notions about it.
None of them were good.
"Kari Dement." The short Asian girl in front of me walked up on the stage as the crowd roared for her.
"Selene Delgado." The assistant principal called my name and my father and cousins' cheering reached me, but they were the only ones.
Embarrassment rolled over me, and I swallowed it down. I didn't need the crowd’s approval. I was fine just belonging to my family.
Taking my diploma, the principal forced a smile and said something I didn't pay attention to. The constant mantra to get the fucking diploma and get off the stage kept running through my head.
I turned and walked down, forcing myself not to show any emotion at all. Everyone's eyes were on me, and they should be. The town was proud of all of the kids graduating... except me. The worst part was that I hadn't done anything to deserve the disdain, other than proudly carry my last name.
My eyes moved over to Lucky's and the kindness in them melted me.
He smiled and licked at his lips before winking. "Come tonight."
“You know we can’t,” I whispered. “It’s forbidden. And I really want you to live to see tomorrow.”
“Come to me,” he said. “You won’t regret it.”
"Never," I mouthed and walked toward my seat, knowing good and damn well I was going. My father would never accept Lucky, but a one night stand was all it would be. We would never become anything more than a few grunts and a much needed release.
"Much needed indeed," I mumbled and focused on the handsome man who was not working very hard to steal my thoughts and yet doing so quite effectively.
Chapter 2
Lucky
I grabbed my diploma off the desk in my room and dropped down on my single mattress bed, letting out a long sigh. I opened it and rolled my eyes as Dane walked into the room.
"This piece of shit isn't even real. It says here on the back that you have to come pick up your diploma by Thursday this next week. Rip off." I rolled it back up and lobbed it toward my best friend as he dropped into a chair and swatted at it.
"Who cares? The paper doesn't mean anything, but the ceremony seals our past. Done. Being a kid is over and the next stage of life is going to be so much better than this one was." Dane popped the top on a beer sitting beside him and tossed a bottle at me. "Your old man is dead to the world and he has too many of these. We should help him out."
"I wish his ass was dead." I caught the beer and repositioned myself on the bed. "You think Lena will be there tonight?"
"At the after-party? Heck no. She's hated by most of the town. No way would she show up there." He laughed and cleared his throat as I pinned him with a hard stare. "I mean... maybe?"
"Fuck you. You have no idea what it's like to live in the shadow of shitty parenting. Your mom makes Betty Crocker look like a two-bit whore." I took a long drink of the beer as Dane seemed to contemplate his comeback. "She's not her father, just like I'm not mine."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." Dane set his beer down. "Of course you're not your father. Don't start that shit."
"I didn't. You did." I stood and pulled my t-shirt over my head. "Everyone expects me to be the next town drunk, as if that shit is in my blood. Fuck them. Lena's not going to end up being the dark, nefarious bastard her dad is, either."
Dane shrugged. "You don't know that. Don't become blind to her, Luck."
"I'm not, but you can't label someone when they haven't done anything to earn it." I shrugged and pulled out a black Metallica shirt, turning and holding it up as best I could. "I can’t stop thinking about her."
“She’s off limits. You know that. Her old man will shoot you dead. So stay the fuck away from that broad!”
“But I love a challenge…The more I can’t have her, the more I want her.”
“C’mon, man. She’s forbidden fruit.”
“I want to snatch that fruit off that tree…and just take one taste.”
“Look what happened to Eve,” he said. “Except she’ll make out better than you will. Because you’ll be dead when her dad catches you sniffing around his precious princess. You can’t pursue a doomed romance.”
“Is there such a thing as forbidden soul mates?”
“That girl will rip your soul in half.”
I laughed.
He sipped his beer. “There’s never a dull moment with Selene.”
“No, there’s not.”
“But seriously? Is she worth dying for? You need to ask yourself that question.”
“I’ve asked myself that question a million times. And it’s why I stay away.”
“Then keep doing what you’re doing. Because it’s good for your health. And why do you want to get involved with a crazy girl, anyway? She pushes the limits and constantly rides the edge.”
“And she does it fearlessly. That’s what I love about her. She’s not like any other girl I’ve ever met. She’s got spunk. She’s smart, spontaneous, a thrill-seeker, a risk-taker, and she loads of fun. Did I mention the fact she drives me absolutely insane? And her smile… There is nothing sexier to me than a woman’s smile.”
“I think it’s the thrill of the hunt. Men are aggressive by nature, and once we devour our prey, we’re off on the next hunt.”
“It’s more than that. She challenges me…inspires me like no other girl.”
“She’s toxic,” he said.
“Try….intoxicating.”
He threw his arms up in the air. “Okay, I give up. I think you’ve lost your mind because all you think of is the crazy sex you’ll get.”
“Crazy in the best way possible. But she’s not a whore. Crazy, yes. Loose? No. She doesn’t sleep around. She’s just wild and carefree.”
He nodded. “Selene’s like a wild horse that can’t be broken.”
“I’ll break her. You can count on that.”
He chuckled. “You tame her? Good luck. Besides, the wild ones are rarely relationship material anyway.”
“Who says I’m looking for a relationship?”
Dane was cut short by my father yelling. "Lucas. Get your dumb, worthless ass in here and turn the fan on. What the fuck are you doing? Jacking off to love songs in there? Stupid kids nowadays thinking life has something to offer."
"Sorry, dude." Dane pressed his fingers to his mouth and averted his gaze as I handed him the beer and walked out.
"For what? You didn't marry the piece of shit and birth me."
***
The wind felt good as it pulled my t-shirt tightly against me. The ride to Jeffery's place was no more than twenty minutes, but it was a solid twenty minutes of watching the world fly by my bike. Dane had to stop and pick up a few
people, so I was on my own, which was perfect.
Nightfall had cooled the day off and the moon was big and full as it sat high above his head. The vintage Harley between my legs was a gift I had saved up the last four years for. A few weeks before graduation, the guys at the bar pulled together the last thousand dollars and helped me get it.
No one had ever gotten me anything. It was one of the only times in my life I'd gotten choked up, but I had. The old farts and sweet butts had made it a point to bring it up daily since.
A smile lifted my mouth under my helmet and my heart soared with the promise of what was to come.
Where most of the kids from our graduating class were preparing for college or the police force, I was looking at eventually owning my own bike shop. I had been in love with hogs for as long as I could remember. They were the escape I needed. Several of the old guys in town who owned shops would call me in to help when they were overworked or something new and trendy would end up on the list.
I would be a part of the Stone Wolves MC club, which was the burning desire of my heart. The guys had been a large part of my upbringing and had picked me up on more than one occasion when my dad beat me senseless for no reason.
There were no secrets between me and several of the guys in the club. My spot was saved for the day when I finally earned it. I didn't want any more handouts, and the guys seemed good with that. They would accept me as one of their patched members the minute I fulfilled the duties and obligations expected of a Stone Wolf.
I pulled up to the party and parked my bike under the coverage of the road, noticing a bright pink crotch rocket sitting not far from where I stood.
How long had I been watching the pretty daughter of the biggest piece of shit in town? My whole high school career for sure. She was perfect from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Long, dark, silky black hair, almond colored skin, big green eyes and a mouth that made my body harden if I looked at it a second too long.
