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FALLING FOR THE PRESIDENT’S
DAUGHTER
SATAN’S FURY MC

L. WILDER
 Falling for the President’s Daughter
Satan’s Fury MC
Copyright 2021 L. Wilder

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no
part of this publication or any part of this series may be reproduced without the
prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of
this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Some of the places named in the book are actual
places found in Paris, TN. The names, characters, brands, and incidents are either
the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author
acknowledges the trademarked status and owners of various products and
locations referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without
permission. The publication or use of these trademarks is not authorized,
associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be
re-sold or given away to other people. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Book Cover Details:

Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations
Editor: Lisa Cullinan
Proofreader: Rose Holub @ReadbyRose
Proofreader: Marie Peyton
Personal Assistant: Natalie Weston PA

Catch up with the entire Satan’s Fury MC Series today!

All books are FREE with ​Kindle Unlimited!

Summer Storm (Satan’s Fury MC Novella)

Maverick (Satan’s Fury MC #1)
Stitch (Satan’s Fury MC #2)
Cotton (Satan’s Fury MC #3)
Clutch (Satan’s Fury MC #4)
Smokey (Satan’s Fury MC #5)
Big (Satan’s Fury #6)
Two Bit (Satan’s Fury #7)
Diesel (Satan’s Fury #8)

Blaze (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 1)

Shadow (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 2)
Riggs (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 3)
Murphy (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 4)
Gunner (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 5)
Gus (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 6)
Rider (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 7)
Prospect (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 8)
T-Bone (Satan’s Fury MC-Memphis Book 9)

Day Three (What Bad Boys Do Book 1)

Damaged Goods- (The Redemption Series Book 1- Nitro)

Max’s Redemption (The Redemption Series Book 2- Max)

Inferno (Devil Chasers #1)

Smolder (Devil Chaser #2)
Ignite (Devil Chasers #3)
Consumed (Devil Chasers #4)
Combust (Devil Chasers #5)

My Temptation (The Happy Endings Collection #1)

Bring the Heat (The Happy Endings Collection #2)
His Promise (The Happy Endings Collection #3)

Ties That Bind (The Ruthless Sinners MC #1)

Holding On (The Ruthless Sinners MC #2)
Secrets We Keep (The Ruthless Sinners MC #3)
Widow’s Undoing (The Ruthless Sinners MC #4)
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 CONTENTS

A Word from Cotton

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Acknowledgments

Excerpt from Maverick: Satan’s Fury MC Book 1

Prologue
Chapter 1
 A WORD FROM COTTON

L ife is made of moments — small glimpses of time that change us in

ways we could never imagine. Over the years, I’ve had more eye-
opening moments than I could count. Some were good. Some bad.
But none were quite as unexpected as the day Lauren stepped into
our lives.
Even though it was over ten years ago, I remember it like it was
yesterday. Big and Nitro had gone out to California to rescue Tristan,
one of our club hang-arounds, from a sex-trafficking ring only to
return with a kid in tow.
The plan was supposed to be simple.
Get in.
Give the assholes the money.
Get Tristan.
Get out.
But like most plans, things didn’t go as anticipated.
Big and Nitro were able to retrieve Tristan without a hitch, but
neither of them could bear the thought of leaving the dark-haired,
blue-eyed kid behind. They knew what those animals would’ve done
to her, so Nitro paid for her, right along with Tristan, then brought
her back to the clubhouse. From there, it didn’t take us long to
figure out that the girl had no place to go. Her drug-addicted parents
had found themselves in a bind, and after years of neglect, selling
their kid had been their “bright idea” of the best way out. No one
blamed Lauren for not wanting to go back. I, for one, couldn’t
stomach the thought—not after what she’d already been through.
I didn’t miss the hurt hidden behind those beautiful blue eyes,
but that wasn’t all. Lauren had a spark of will and determination that
matched my own and a warmth and kindness that reminded me of
Cass. It was clear to see the kid was special, so when Cass had
asked about adopting her, I’d agreed. Don’t get me wrong, I knew it
wouldn’t be easy. With no kids of our own, at least not at the time,
we had a lot to learn, but there was no way I could turn her away.
Hell, in my eyes, Lauren was already one of us.
There was no denying that we faced some hard times. It took a
great deal of love and understanding to earn her trust, but in the
end, it was all worth it. Lauren had grown into a beautiful, strong
woman with a good head on her shoulders. Everyone around knew
she was a catch, so it was no surprise that she’d caught the
attention of the boy next door.
They’d started off as friends, but without either of them realizing
what was happening, their friendship had turned into something
more. Falling for the president’s daughter wasn’t in Flynn’s plan, but
it happened just the same. The same held true for Lauren. She could
have had any man she desired, but all she wanted was a future with
him.
This is their story, and like all things Fury, it has some
unexpected twists and turns. But then again, it wouldn’t be Satan’s
Fury without them.

E njoy the ride ,

~Cotton
 CHAPTER 1

Flynn

M y early years weren ’ t exactly the best . M y father had been behind
bars since I was old enough to walk, and my mother was never
much of a mother. Hell, the woman didn’t have a nurturing bone in
her body. She was too self-absorbed with her life to think of anyone
else—not even her own son. She’d made it no secret she wanted out
of our small town and wasn’t shy about reminding me how I’d ruined
her life. It hurt, but at least I had my Gran to fill the void my mother
had left. I could still remember how happy I was the day we’d
moved in with her. It was only supposed to be for a few weeks, just
long enough for Mom to get her feet back on the ground, but
secretly, I hoped we’d stay indefinitely.
I loved it there. The place wasn’t huge by any means. It was just
a small three-bedroom house with a tiny living room and kitchen,
but it felt like home. Gran always had food in the fridge—something
that was rare when Mom and I were by ourselves. I never had to
worry about where to sleep either. I had a bed of my own with fresh,
clean sheets that always smelled like they’d just been laundered.
Gran always made sure everything was tidy and organized.
Everything in that house, even the TV remote, had its own special
place.
Her house was miles from town. It was nestled back in a large
wooded area, making it hard to see from the road. I would spend
hours exploring and climbing trees—even made a fort out of old
timbers she’d had out in the shed. It wasn’t much to look at, but it’d
been my special place—a special spot where I could see the
beautiful house and barn across the street.
The enormous fenced-in lot, along with the hundred-acre
property next to it, belonged to a man named Cotton, president of
Satan’s Fury MC. Completely captivated, I’d watch him and the other
bikers come and go from the clubhouse next door, beyond curious
about each of them. With a simple climb up my favorite tree, I could
pretend I was a part of their mysterious world.
I couldn’t imagine living in a better place. Mom, on the other
hand, had despised everything about Gran’s place and would let her
know just how much every chance she’d get. She was always picking
fights and complaining about everything under the sun; seemed like
there was nothing Gran could do to make her happy. I knew Mom
had wanted to leave, but she had no place for us to go. She was
stuck—or so I thought.
Mom proved me wrong on the morning before my tenth birthday.
It seemed like any other morning. The house was quiet, so I
assumed she was sleeping in like usual. I didn’t want to wake her, so
I’d tiptoed into the kitchen and started to make my breakfast. I’d
just sat down at the table and was about to dive into my bowl of
cereal when someone walked in. I could tell by the familiar, light
shuffle of her feet that it was Gran coming in to make her morning
coffee.
My back was to her, so I hadn’t realized she’d been talking to me
when she said, “Good heavens. That girl...She was never right. From
the day she was born her head’s been in the clouds, chasing dreams
she had no chance of catchin’. Just a damn fool.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, so I lowered my spoon
into the bowl and turned around. The second I’d seen her face, all
flushed with tears in her eyes, I knew something was wrong. “You
okay, Gran?”
“No, child. I’m not.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Your momma has gone and disappointed me something awful.”
She came over and sat down at the table next to me. I felt like my
whole world had been turned upside down when she said, “That girl
has never realized how good she’s had it. Always believed she was
destined for something bigger...something better than she had here.
Thought the world owed her something. Entitled…That’s what she
was.”
“What’d she do?”
“You’re momma has done gone and left with that new fella of
hers. Apparently, they’ve gone off to live somewhere in Florida.”
“They did?” I had asked, sounding more excited than
disappointed.
“Yes, dear. They did.” Gran shook her head with disapproval. “I
hate to say it, but she just wasn’t meant to be a momma. Never was
able to see you as the treasure you are.”
I sat there for several moments, letting Gran’s words soak in. I
thought about all the times Mom had threatened to leave, but I
never really believed she’d up and go—especially without me.
“Momma isn’t coming back, is she?”
“No, sweetheart. At least, not any time soon.”
There was a slight tremble in my voice as I asked, “Wh-what
about me?”
Gran was in her late fifties. Her time for raising kids had come
and gone, but unlike her daughter, she was very nurturing and
loving. I should’ve known there was no way she’d turn me away.
Relief washed over me as she leaned over, placed her hand on my
knee, and said, “You can stay here with me.”
“I can?”
“Of course you can. You’re my family.”
“Okay.” It felt like a weight had been lifted. “I’d really like that.”
I should’ve been all torn up over the fact that Mom had ditched
me for some guy she’d met in a bar, but in truth, I was happy she’d
left me behind. I had no doubt I’d be better off with Gran. I watched
as she motioned her hand around. “Well, you can see for yourself
that I don’t have much. What you see is what you get—but you and
me?—we’ll be all right. We got each other, and that’s a lot more than
most.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Let me be clear about this...” Her tone turned serious. “You’re
gonna have to do your part around here. Keep your room clean.
Help with the yard and the dogs. Take out the trash.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will.”
“See? Such a good boy.” Gran reached over and pulled me
towards her, hugging me tightly as she whispered, “I gotta say, your
momma has done plenty of wrong in her time, but she did
something right when she brought you into this world. You
remember that, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, finish your breakfast and put that bowl in the sink when
you’re done.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
It didn’t take long for Gran and me to slip into our own routines.
While I was in school, she’d go down to her job at the Five and
Dime, our local discount store. After school, I’d do my chores and
homework; then I’d spend the rest of the afternoon playing out in
the yard. We heard from Mom now and then, but there’d never been
any mention of her return—which suited me just fine. Gran had been
more of a mother to me than Mom had ever been, and she’d
continue to be for the years to come. One year had rolled into the
next, and even though things were far from perfect, they’d been
pretty damn good. They got even better when a new member of the
Satan’s Fury family moved in across the street.
I was outside fixing the starter on Gran’s Toyota when I noticed a
commotion across the street. I stepped over for a better look and
saw several guys leading a young girl into their clubhouse. There
was something odd about this young girl’s arrival—something that
made me curious to know more about her.
 For the next few days, I’d find myself looking over to Cotton’s
place, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl, but she was nowhere to
be seen. I couldn’t figure out what had happened to her. Then one
day, she suddenly appeared at my fence. I’ll admit that even though
she was younger than me, I felt a bit intimidated. I was tall and
lanky, with horrible acne and two left feet, where she was a
beautiful, dark-haired angel with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. I was
completely star-struck and unable to move, much less speak. I
wasn’t sure she’d noticed me standing amongst the trees until I
heard her mutter, “Hey.”
“Oh, uh...Hey.”
“I’m Lauren.”
“I’m Flynn.”
“Do you live around here?”
“Yeah.” I pointed behind. “I live up on the hill with my Gran.”
“I hadn’t even realized there was a house up there.”
I shrugged. “Lot of trees in the way.”
“Yeah, there are.” Her eyes skirted over me for a brief moment.
“I just moved here.”
“Oh, yeah? From where?”
“It’s kind of a long story.” Her eyes filled with emotion as she
murmured, “Not sure how long I’ll actually be here.”
“Oh. So, you aren’t staying?”
“I’m not sure yet.” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to wait and
see how it all goes.”
“See how what goes?”
“Living here, I guess. I honestly don’t know what’s going to
happen.”
“Your parents don’t know what they wanna do?”
“That’s not it.” Lauren looked up at me, and the expression on
her face got me right in the gut. “My parents aren’t really in the
picture anymore.”
“Why not?” Knowing what I did about Satan’s Fury, I couldn’t
help but ask, “Did something happen to them?”
“No. At least, not that I’m aware of.” Her eyes skirted up towards
the clouds as she continued, “Guess you could say they didn’t have
any use for me anymore, so I ended up here.”
“I know how that can be.” I’d been there before. I knew how
scary it was to be so uncertain about your future and hoped I could
make her feel a little better when I said, “Things will work out.”
“Well, I hope you’re right.” She glanced over her shoulder, and
when she spotted Cotton standing on the front porch, she turned
back to me and said, “I better get back.”
“Okay.”
She stared at me for a moment, then turned and started running
back towards her new home. “See ya around, Flynn!” Seconds later,
she’d disappeared into the house with Cotton.
In the days that followed, Lauren would come back to see me by
the fence. At first, it was just casual small talk, nothing too personal,
but over time, our conversations about Cotton’s horses or the
weather turned into something more. Lauren and I had forged an
unlikely friendship and started to share things that we wouldn’t have
shared with anyone else. I grew to look forward to those
conversations with her. In fact, at times they were the only thing
that seemed to get me through the day.
“How’d you make out on that Algebra test?”
“I’m pretty sure I tanked it.” I picked up a broken tree limb from
the ground and tossed it across the street. “I guess I’ll have to do
that stupid extra-credit assignment after all.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah, but it shouldn’t take long for me to throw something
together. What about you? How was that big English test you were
talking about?”
“It was easier than I thought, but Misty Turner got a better grade
and made a point to rub it in my face.”
“Screw Misty Turner. She’s just jealous.”
“Jealous of what? She’s smart, really pretty, and already has
boobs.” She glanced down at her chest as she muttered, “She’s got
no reason to be jealous of me.”
“You’re wrong. That girl doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Hmph.” A light blush crept over her face as she said, “You’re just
saying that ’cause we’re friends.”
 “I’d never lie to you, Lauren. You know that.”
Her blue eyes locked on mine, but it didn’t take long for her to
look away. Moments like these made me wonder if there was a
chance we could end up being more than just friends. I had a
feeling Lauren was thinking the same, but she didn’t say anything.
Instead, she changed the subject. “You know, you never told me
what happened to your parents.”
“Nothing ‘happened’ to them. They just aren’t around anymore.”
I gave her a nonchalant shrug. “Never really knew my dad. He’s
been locked up for as long as I can remember, and my mom ran off
with her boyfriend a few years ago.”
“You didn’t want to go?”
“I wasn’t given the option, but even if I was, I wouldn’t have
wanted to go.” Pretending she hadn’t just asked the question of all
questions, I casually bumped my toe against one of the tree’s roots
as I confessed, “To be honest, I’m actually kind of glad Mom left
me.”
“I know what you mean.” She glanced over her shoulder, making
sure no one could hear her as she said, “Cotton and Cass are both
great, really great, and the guys are too. I’m really lucky they’ve
been willing to help me, but I get a little overwhelmed at times.
Things are just so different here.”
“Different good or different bad?”
“It’s definitely better than where I came from, but ... I don’t
know. It’s hard to explain.” She glanced over her shoulder again,
then announced, “It’s getting kind of late. I better get back or they’ll
wonder where I am.”
I nodded, then watched as she turned and ran back across the
street. I stood there for several moments, pondering over what she’d
said. I didn’t know much about Cotton and his brothers, only the
things I’d heard, but it was enough to make me wonder if she was in
danger living there with them. I planned to ask her the following
day, but she didn’t show. She didn’t show the day after, or the day
after that. It went on for days, and I grew more and more
concerned. After two weeks of not seeing any sign of her, I had to
do something. With every ounce of determination I could muster, I
crossed the street and was making my way over to Cotton’s when I
heard, “Flynn!”
I whipped around, and to my surprise, I spotted Lauren proudly
perched on one of Cotton’s mares heading in my direction. “Hey,
where ya been?”
“I’ve been getting some riding lessons from Cass.” As she got
closer, I could see how happy she looked, “She finally let me ride by
myself.”
“So, everything’s okay?”
“Yeah.” Her brows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know. It’s just … the last time we talked, you mentioned
things being different, and—”
“Oh, that.” Relief washed over me as she announced, “I was just
overthinking things, but don’t worry, everything is good. Really,
really good. Cotton and Cass have decided to adopt me.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I can’t believe it.” She rubbed the horse between the ears
as she smiled and said, “Someone out there must be looking out for
me because Cotton and Cass are great. I never dreamed I’d end up
with people like them.”
“What about the brothers? Are they cool?”
“Very cool.” She was practically beaming as she said, “At first, I
thought they were kind of scary, but they’re really amazing guys.
They treat me like I’m their little sister or something. It’s kind of
neat to have them looking out for me.”
“I bet.”
“I think I’m going to like it here.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
“I’m really glad, too.” Her eyes skirted over to Cotton’s place, and
when she saw Cass standing at the edge of the drive, she turned
back to me and said, “I better get back. I’m sure Cass is wondering
where I am.”
“Okay, I’ll catch up with you later.”
My heart sank as I watched her turn the horse around and start
back to Cotton’s place. I didn’t want her to go. It had been days
since I’d talked to her, and I needed more time. It was at that
moment I’d realized just how much our meetings at the fence had
meant to me. Those brief moments in time would grow more and
more important over the years to come. Lauren had helped me get
through those long nights working at the bar, the countless breakups
with girls I had no business getting involved with, and most of all,
losing my Gran. I was just nineteen when she’d died, and it was
hard to lose the only real family I’d ever known. I wouldn’t have
gotten through it if it wasn’t for Lauren and the members of Satan’s
Fury. Lauren had told them about my grandmother’s passing, and
because of them, my Gran had gotten a proper church service and
burial just like she would’ve wanted.
The years without my grandmother had been tough. It was even
more so after Lauren had left for college. At first, she’d stop by for a
quick hello whenever she came home to visit, but it just wasn’t the
same. We were on two different paths, and we both knew it. I
wasn’t surprised when she stopped coming around altogether, but
that didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about her. Hell, there were days
when I missed her so much it fucking hurt.
Lauren never knew she’d had such an effect on me.
But that was about to change.
I’d given my heart to the girl by the fence, and I was going to do
everything in my power to make her mine—even if it meant risking it
all just to have her.
 CHAPTER 2

Lauren

T he time had come . I needed to get my own place . I’ d been talking

about it for over a year, but every time I brought it up to Mom or
Dad, they would find some way to talk me out of it. From the day I’d
moved in, they’d always been very protective of me. They were both
fully aware of my traumatic past—how my biological parents were
drug addicts who’d neglected me for years, and then sold me into a
sex-trafficking ring when I was just twelve years old. I had been
terrified, surrounded by strangers and forced to be scrutinized by
depraved men looking to steal my innocence. Thankfully, Tristan had
been there right along with me. She had ties to Satan’s Fury, so it
was no surprise when Big and Nitro had come to her rescue. To my
relief, they’d decided to save me right along with her. While Tristan
had gone back to Nitro’s place, Big brought me to Fury’s clubhouse.
As soon as Dad learned what had happened to me, he had Big
look into my parents, and it hadn’t taken him long to see I was
telling them the truth. My folks really were awful people. I was so
happy having Mom, Dad, and the brothers in my life. I had no desire
to ever see or talk to my biological parents again, so I couldn’t have
been more elated when they’d offered to adopt me. Cass and Cotton
had given me a life I never could have dreamed of, and to be
completely honest, neither of them had to work very hard in
persuading me to stay with them.
Dad’s house had been the only home I’d ever really known, and
it was absolutely amazing. I had my own bedroom and even had my
own bathroom. The place was huge. Not only was there a playroom
for the kids, but a full basement for the adults. Unfortunately, it
wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. With everyone under one roof, I
had absolutely no privacy. Darby and Susana, my twin sisters, were
constantly barging into my room, pleading to wear some outfit or
wanting me to put an end to one of their endless disputes. If that
wasn’t enough, Malcomb, our younger brother, had just gotten a
new PlayStation, and for a seven-year-old, he had quite a set of
lungs on him. It wouldn’t have been so bad if his room wasn’t right
next to mine. Maybe then, I wouldn’t have had to keep pounding on
my wall, telling him to quit shouting and jumping up and down every
two seconds.
In all honesty, I should’ve moved out when I’d first come back
from college. The time away had done me wonders. I’d met a lot of
great people, experienced new things, and even had a couple of
brief but memorable romances. When I came back, I felt like a
completely different person. I even cut my hair short and dyed it
blonde to celebrate the change in myself. I was feeling better than
ever when I got my teaching position at the local elementary school.
It would’ve been the perfect time to branch out and find a place of
my own. I was twenty-three, had my degree, and a great job. I was
more than capable of being on my own—now, I just needed to prove
it.
Before I could do that, I’d have to convince Mom and Dad it was
time for me to find an apartment, so I gathered up every ounce of
determination I could and went downstairs to talk to them. I entered
the living room and found them both on the sofa watching TV. As
usual, Mom was nestled in the crook of his arm, and they both
looked utterly content. I loved seeing them like that. Dad was this
all-powerful MC president, but when it came to Mom, he was a
complete teddy bear.
 Neither of them budged as I sat down on the coffee table in front
of them. I kept my voice strong and steady, as I said, “We need to
talk.”
“About?”
“Me finding my own place.” Dad’s brows immediately furrowed. I
knew he was about to throw in his two cents, so I quickly added, “I
really appreciate everything you both have done for me. I can’t
begin to thank you, but it’s time for me to stand on my own two
feet.”
“You can stand on your own two feet right here,” Dad replied.
“Don’t have to move to do that.”
“Yes, I do,” I argued. “I can’t keep leaning on you for everything.
I need to know what it’s truly like to live without you as a safety net.
I need to pay my own rent and bills. Things like that.”
“No matter where you live, you’ll always have a safety net with
us.” Dad’s expression softened. “There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for
you.”
“If that’s true, then you’ll let me find an apartment.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” Mom interjected. “We’ll find a nice place
for her. Somewhere close where you and the brothers can keep an
eye on her.”
“But not too close of an eye.” I knew in a matter of seconds, Big
could have security cameras in place, and he and the guys would be
watching my every move. That was something I didn’t want to
happen. As much as I loved Dad and the brothers, they were a “tad”
protective, and everyone knew it, especially the guys in town. I
hadn’t been on a real date in months, and even when I did go out
with a guy, it didn’t take long for the romance factor to fade. Either I
felt no connection whatsoever, or the guy couldn’t get past the fact
that my father was the president of Satan’s Fury. I hoped having a
little distance from the club might help in that department, but only
if the guys would give me a little space. “I’ll find a safe place, so you
won’t have to worry about me.”
“I’ll always worry.” Dad’s tone became stern as he said, “That’s
what fathers do.”
 “Okay, how about this?” I inhaled a deep breath. “I’ll look at
some apartments tomorrow. If I find one I like, I’ll have you and
Mom come check it out.”
“Sounds fair enough.”
“Great!”
“You know, we could always look to see if they have anything
posted online,” Mom offered.
I could hear Malcomb jumping overhead. Knowing it would only
get worse, I nodded and exclaimed, “That sounds great! Let me
grab my laptop.”
I stepped over and pulled it out of my teacher bag, then carried
it over to the sofa and sat down next to Mom. We pulled up the
website for apartments, and I felt a rush of excitement when I saw
there were several amazing options. I opened up the first page, and
when Mom immediately started to suggest all the different
decorating possibilities, I was thrilled with her ideas. Unfortunately,
my joy was quickly dashed when Dad started to point out all the
various issues with safety and security. I wasn’t surprised by their
different reactions. Where Dad had always been the all-mighty
father figure, Mom had always been more like my best friend. Maybe
it was the fact that she was younger, but from the moment they
adopted me, she’d done everything possible to make me feel at
home—like I was a part of their family. I adored her for it.
Once Mom and I had several places picked out, I closed my
laptop and headed upstairs. I slipped on my pajamas, then banged
on the wall to quiet down Malcomb. I was about to crawl into bed
when I found myself drawn to the window. I eased back the curtain
and felt the slight flutter of butterflies in my stomach when I saw the
light was on at Flynn’s place. I wasn’t surprised by my reaction. Even
when we were younger, and he was just a tall, goofy kid with acne,
he’d always brought the same flutter to my stomach.
Flynn was the only guy I’d ever known who didn’t seem to mind
that my life was intertwined with the MC, and I loved that about
him. There was just one problem. Back in the day, we were friends,
good friends, but he’d never shown any interest in furthering our
friendship—at least not as far as I could tell. And I was always too
worried about losing him to push for anything more. Well, that
wasn’t exactly true. I’d once tried to show him that I could be more
than just the girl next door, but things hadn’t exactly gone as
planned.

I t was the day before my sixteenth birthday, and we were at our

usual spot at the fence when he asked, “What’s it like over there?”
“What? The clubhouse?”
“Yeah,” he answered, sounding intrigued. “You know, being there
with all the Fury guys.”
“You can’t believe everything you hear, Flynn.” I crossed my arms
with a scornful look. “They’re really good guys.”
“Yeah, I’m sure they are.”
“They are,” I pushed. “You should see for yourself. They’re
having a big party for my sixteenth birthday tomorrow. Why don’t
you come by?”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, come by around six.” As I said the words, I started to
imagine how great it would be if he showed up. I wanted Flynn to
see there was more to me than our brief conversations at the fence,
and I hoped the party would give me that chance. It would also give
him the opportunity to see that he had nothing to worry about
where the Fury men were concerned—or so I hoped. “They’re gonna
have food and a bonfire. It’ll be fun.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.”
“Great.”
I left there not really knowing if he’d come or not. We’d never
really talked anywhere except right there at that fence, but as luck
would have it, he showed. All the guys and their families were there,
along with my friends from school. I thought the party would be a
great chance for me to show Flynn that I’d grown up, that I wasn’t
the same shy girl he’d met three years prior, but Flynn had done
some growing of his own. At eighteen, the lanky boy with acne was
all but gone. Now, he was tall and muscular with a sexy, brooding
bad-boy look that made my heart race whenever I saw him.
Alas, I wasn’t the only girl who thought he was unbelievably hot.
It seemed every one of my girlfriends were itching to get his
attention, and they weren’t exactly shy about it. They were
practically pawing all over him as he stood by the bonfire, drinking
his soda and pretending he was unaffected by their advances. I was
trying to work up the courage to go over and talk to him when
Gavin, one of the boys from school, came up to me. “Cool party.”
“Thanks, Gavin. I’m glad you were able to come.”
“I was thinking...” he stammered, then cleared his throat. “I was
wondering if you’d like to go out sometime?”
His question caught me off guard. Gavin was a sweet guy, smart
and well-liked by everyone at school, but I’d never really considered
him as boyfriend material. At the same time, I’d never been on a
real date before. With doubts circling my mind, I glanced back over
at Flynn and found him talking to Misty. She was a gorgeous blonde
who looked much older than sixteen. Her makeup was always
perfect, and she had the kind of curvy figure all the guys chased
after. When he looked down at Misty with one of his smiles, I knew
she’d caught him under her spell. Flynn was so wrapped up in her
that he didn’t even seem to notice I was watching them, making it
clear there was no way I’d be able to draw his attention. It was a
revelation that stung a bit, so much so, I decided to take up Gavin
on his offer. I looked back at Gavin with a smile and said, “Sure, I’d
like that.”
“Great. How ’bout this Friday? We could go to the football game
and grab something to eat afterward?”
“Sounds good.”
“It’s a date then.”
“Um-hmm.”
I let out a deflated sigh as I looked in Flynn’s direction one last
time. Unlike times before, he was staring right at me, and there was
an odd expression on his face. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve
thought he was upset with me, but I had no idea why. Moments
later, he disappeared—leaving me and my party without so much as
a goodbye.
The following day, I walked out to the fence to talk to Flynn. I
wanted to know why he’d run off like he did, but he was nowhere to
be found. I went back the next day and the day after that, but it was
more of the same. No Flynn. The following weekend, I’d gone on my
date with Gavin. Not only was it my first true date, but it was also
the night I’d discovered Flynn had been talking to Misty, and they
were officially dating. It’d broken my heart, but after a few days of
sulking, I figured it was all for the best. Flynn and I were better off
remaining friends, so I let go of my hopes of us as anything more.
It took a little time, but Flynn and I finally started meeting up at
the fence again. There was no mention of the party or our dates
with Gavin and Misty. We just shared our day like we always had,
but nothing more. That didn’t mean I stopped thinking about what
could’ve been with Flynn, because I did. I thought about him all the
time.

E ven now , after all these years, I still had dreams about Flynn. I
knew it was crazy—especially since we hadn’t even spoken since I
returned from college, but I couldn’t seem to shake him from my
thoughts as I crawled into bed and turned off the lights. As I lay
there in the dark, I realized Flynn was just another reason why I
needed to move out. It was time for me to let go of childhood
fantasies and grow up.
The following morning, I got up early. Since it was Saturday, I’d
hoped to be gone before anyone else woke up, but when I made it
downstairs, I found Dad sitting at the kitchen table drinking his
coffee. As I went over to pour myself a cup, I smiled and said,
“Morning.”
“Morning.” He glanced over at the clock. “You’re up mighty early.”
“I wanted to make good use of the day.”
“I see.” I could tell by his expression he had something on his
mind, so I wasn’t surprised when he asked, “You gotta minute to
talk?”
“Sure.” I carried my coffee over to the table and sat down next to
him. While he’d aged a little over the past ten years, he was still
every bit the man he was when I’d first arrived on Satan’s Fury’s
doorstep—if not even more so. He’d led both his home and his club
with honor and pride and never made a move without thinking it
through, so I had no doubt he’d been spending plenty of time
mulling over my moving out. I’d hoped to set his mind at ease when
I said, “You know, I’m going to be okay. I’m not moving out of the
state. Just across town. It’s really not that big of a deal.”
“Maybe not to you, but to me, it’s a very big deal.” His eyes filled
with emotion when he added, “I can still remember the day Big
brought you here. How little you were, so innocent and young. You’d
had a rough go of it with your folks and what they’d done to you,
but even then, I saw something in you. A strength ... a
determination. Grit. Hell, you were a force even back then. I’m
honored that you gave Cass and me the opportunity to watch you
grow into such a fine young woman.”
He’d caught me completely off guard. I was expecting a lecture,
but instead, he’d melted my heart. I leaned over and wrapped my
arms around him, hugging him tightly, and whispered, “You’ll never
know how much you and Mom have meant to me. You didn’t just
save me from those awful people. You loved me and gave me a life I
never dreamed I could have.”
“Just gave you what you deserved.”
He was hugging me back when Darby came barreling down the
stairs. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I gave Dad one last squeeze, then stood and quickly
wiped the tears from my eyes before I turned to face my frizzy-
haired younger sister. “I’m about to go look at some apartments.”
“Can I go with you?”
“Sorry, kiddo. I’m going solo on this trip.”
“But why? I could help look around.”
“I know, but this is something I want to do on my own.”
I could tell she was about to pout, but thankfully, she was
distracted by Maverick and Clutch’s arrival—two of her favorite Fury
men. I couldn’t blame her. Both were not only extremely handsome,
they were charming as well—especially Clutch. He always kept
things interesting with his sense of humor and smile. Maverick
tapped on the screen door, then stepped inside with a warm smile.
“Morning folks.”
“Hey,” Darby answered as she looked behind them. No doubt she
was looking for Maverick’s kids. She and Susana adored them, so I
wasn’t surprised when she asked, “Where’s Thomas and Lexi?”
Maverick chuckled as he answered, “They’re out at the barn with
Hadley.”
“Is Casey with them?”
Casey was Clutch’s daughter, and like him, she was a handful.
Clutch smiled as he told Darby, “She was hoping you’d take her out
for a ride.”
“I can do that. Susana too!” Darby whipped around and shouted
towards the stairs, “Hey, Susana, come on! Thomas and Lexi are
here, and Casey too!”
With that, Darby rushed outside and darted to the barn. The
door was still wide open when Susana came running down the
stairs. “Hey, Darby, wait up!”
Without so much as a hello, she ran past Maverick and Clutch,
and out to join the crew. I stepped over to the door and watched as
the twins rushed up to Thomas and Lexi. It still amazed me how
quickly they’d all grown. Thomas was the same age as the twins.
They were also in the same grade in school and the best of friends.
Lexi and Casey were both quite a bit younger, but they tried their
best to hang in with Thomas and the twins. Unfortunately for them,
there’d been times when they were left out, but that wasn’t always a
bad thing. The trio often caused a bit of mayhem, which made me
wonder if Hadley could handle them all.
Hadley was Olivia’s younger sister. After their parents were killed,
she and her brother Charlie, moved in with Clutch and Olivia.
Charlie, Hadley, and I had basically grown up together. As soon as
Charlie had been old enough, he’d started prospecting for the club.
Hadley decided to take a different route and had gone to
Washington State to get a degree in finance. The following year, I
joined her at State and received my teaching degree. Right after
Hadley had graduated, she came back home and took a job as a
loan advisor at a bank in Port Angeles—where she met her husband.
Even though they had a place of their own, Hadley still spent a great
deal of time at the club and with the kids.
The kids had surrounded her—no doubt pleading with her to ride
the horses, and it looked like she might be losing the battle. I was
about to go outside and be her reinforcement when Dad asked,
“What are you boys up to so early on a Saturday morning?”
“Thought we’d come by and have some breakfast with ya.”
Maverick looked over to the stove, and disappointment crossed his
face. “But it looks like we might’ve had better luck at the clubhouse.”
“Don’t you have food at your place?”
“Yeah, but no one to cook it,” Maverick answered with a chuckle.
“Henley and Liv have gone into town to meet up with Wren.”
Clutch pulled out a chair and sat down next to Dad as he chimed
in, “And they left the kids with us.”
“So, you brought them here?”
“Well, what can I say? They love your place.”
“Um-hmm. You’re just looking to get them outta your hair.”
“Maybe.” Maverick motioned his head towards the stove. “So,
what’s for breakfast?”
Before Dad could answer, I grabbed my purse and started
towards the door. “I’m gonna get going. You boys have a good
breakfast.”
Clutch’s brows furrowed with curiosity as he asked, “Where you
running off to so early?”
“She’s going to look at apartments,” Dad answered flatly.
“Apartments?” Maverick leaned forward. “You moving out?”
“That’s the plan,” I answered. “If I can find the right place.”
“You want me and Clutch to—”
“No,” I cut him off before he could finish. “I’m fine, but thanks for
offering.”
Before either of them could argue, I gave them a quick wave and
darted out the door. Even though I was eager to get going, I wanted
to check in with Hadley to make sure she was okay with all the kids.
By the time I made it down to the barn, Susana and Darby had
already gotten the saddles on two of the horses and were working
on the third, and Hadley was kneeling down, talking to Lexie and
Casey. She was wearing a pair of jean capris with a hoodie and flip-
flops—not the kind of clothing for horseback riding—but that was
Hadley. She always marched to the beat of her own drum.
When she spotted me coming in their direction, Hadley stood up
and smiled, brushing her curly brown hair out of her eyes. “Hey girl,
I was wondering if you were going to be here today.”
“Actually, I’m on my way out.” I wiggled my eyebrows playfully
and added, “I’m finally going to look for an apartment!”
“Seriously?” When I nodded, she threw her hands up in the air
and shrieked, “That’s awesome!”
“I know! I’m super excited.”
“I am too. When you find one, can I help decorate?”
“Of course. You know I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
“I can’t believe you’re really doing it.” Hadley placed her hand on
her hip and squinted her eyes. “How’d you manage to convince your
dad it was time for you to move out?”
“He was surprisingly pretty good about it this time.” I scoffed as I
told her, “I’m pretty sure Mom had a talk with him.”
“I imagine so. Either way, I think it’s great.” She smiled as she
reached over and ran her fingertips across a strand of my hair. “I still
can’t believe you colored your hair.”
“Me either.” I giggled. “It’s been months, and I’m still trying to
decide if I like it.”
“Oh, I love it. I think the blonde really brings out the blue in your
eyes.” I watched as her eyes skirted over to something behind me. A
spark of mischief crossed her bluish-green eyes as she cleared her
throat. “Oh, I-uh...I think someone wants to have a word with you.”
“Really? Who?” I quickly turned, and my stomach took a
nosedive the second I spotted Flynn standing at the fence. He
looked like a modern-day James Dean wearing a white t-shirt,
tattered jeans, and boots. It was all I could do to keep myself from
twitching like a smitten teenager as I thought about running my
fingertips across his day-old beard. Damn, I needed to get a grip. I
inhaled a deep breath, then turned back to Hadley and said, “I’ll be
right back.”
“Take your time, girl.” Hadley snickered. “I’m sure you two have a
lot to catch up on.”
“Um-hmm.”
I could hear my pulse rushing through my ears as I turned and
started walking in Flynn’s direction. I tried to remind myself he was
just Flynn—my childhood friend, but we hadn’t really talked since I’d
gotten back from college. Between my new teaching job and the
hours he spent down at the Sports Grill, we just hadn’t had the
chance. I’d just assumed all the time that’d gone by had taken its
toll on our friendship, and maybe Flynn had decided to leave the
past in the past. Apparently, I was wrong. His dark eyes were fixed
on mine as I made my way over to where he stood.
“Hey, Flynn.” Without thinking, I leaned over the fence and
wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly. It felt so good to
have him close again—so much so, I didn’t want to let him go. I
gave him one last quick squeeze, then released him and took a step
back. It’s great to see you.”
“Great to see you too.” His eyes slowly skirted over me. “You’re
looking good. Like the new ’do.”
“Thanks. You look good too.” In an effort to remain cordial, I
said, “It’s been too long. We should get together and catch up
sometime.”
“I agree.” Like he’d already had a plan in mind, he quickly added,
“How about tonight?”
“Tonight?”
“No time like the present,” he pushed. “I can get Paps to cover
me down at the bar. We’ll have a couple of drinks and spend a few
hours updating our lives.”
“Oo-kaay, sure. Just let me know when and where?”
“How about my place around eight?”
“Your place...around eight?” I repeated, sounding completely and
utterly stunned. In all the years I’d known Flynn, he had never asked
me over to his house. As far as I could remember, I’d never even
been on his side of the fence, but that was all about to change.
“Sounds good. I’ll be there.”
“Great.” He smiled, and my heart literally skipped a beat. “I’ll see
ya then.”
If I’d learned anything from living with Dad and the guys in
Satan’s Fury, it was that life never played out the way you expected
it to. It seemed things with Flynn were no different. Just when I
thought our friendship had come to an end, he proved me wrong,
and I couldn’t have been happier.
 CHAPTER 3

Flynn

I couldn ’ t believe I’ d finally gotten my chance with L auren . N ow , I

just had to make sure not to fuck it up. I needed to show her I was
still Flynn but different from the kid she used to know. I was no
longer just a busboy at a sports bar who lived in his grandmother’s
rundown house. I’d grown up and had finally figured out what I
wanted in my life, or more importantly, who I wanted in my life. In
truth, a part of me had always known it was Lauren, but my
insecurities had always taken over. I never thought I was good
enough for her, but I’d worked hard to make something of myself,
and I was done letting my doubts get in the way.
As soon as I left Lauren, I went back to the house and started
forging my plan for a date she wouldn’t soon forget. Once I had
everything set up, I headed over to the bar. When I pulled in the
parking lot, I was pleased to see that Paps was already there. I
quickly parked, and as I headed inside, I thought back to the day
Pappy hired me. At the time, I didn’t have a clue how to go about
finding a job. I just knew I needed one.
A s G ran got older , her knees started to go bad on her and were
causing her a great deal of pain. Standing on her feet all day was
killing her. She would’ve cut back on her hours at work, but with me
living there, she didn’t have that luxury. I knew Gran couldn’t keep
going like she was, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I didn’t have any experience, so my job options were limited. I went
everywhere in town—gas stations, grocery stores—but no one would
give me a second look. I was about to give up hope when I came
across Danver’s Bar and Grill.
I walked into the rundown sports bar, and there wasn’t a
customer in the place, just a bunch of empty tables and an older,
black gentleman standing behind the bar. As I approached him, his
brows furrowed and his dark, tired eyes narrowed into an inquisitive
squint. He was sizing me up long before I ever spoke a word. I knew
what I had to do. Gran had taught me that everything you needed
to know about a man was in his posture and his handshake, so I
drew my shoulders back and stood tall as I reached over the counter
to shake his hand. “Hey ... Uh, my name is Flynn Michaels, and, uh,
I wanted to see if you had any job openings available.”
“Is that right?” He shook my hand, firm and self-assured, then
smiled. “What kind of experience you got?”
“Well, to be honest, I don’t have much experience. I just help my
grandmother around the house with the cooking and cleaning. Help
out with the animals too. I know it’s not much, but I’m willing to do
anything you need me to. Just need a chance, sir.”
“How old are you, son?”
“I’m fifteen.” It was at this point that so many of the others had
turned me away, so I quickly added, “But I turn sixteen in a couple
of months, and I’ll do—”
“I got it,” he interrupted. “You don’t have to repeat yourself.”
He studied me for a moment, and when I saw that spark of
doubt flash through his eyes, I knew he was going to send me on
my way. I inhaled a deep breath, trying my best to brace myself for
the rejection, but it never came. Instead, the guy just kept
eyeballing me. After several long moments, he finally said, “You
seem mighty invested in gettin’ this here job.”
 “Yes, sir, I am.” When he didn’t respond, I told him, “My
grandmother is getting too old to work as hard as she does. I gotta
do something to help her out, or she’s gonna end up spending the
end of her days in that stupid Five and Dime.”
“Wait a minute.” He crossed his arms. “You mean to tell me that
Mona Jean Michaels is your grandmother?”
“Yes, sir, she is.”
“So, you’re Janice’s boy?”
I was hoping the gossip mill hadn’t made its way all the way out
to Danver’s, but apparently, I wasn’t so lucky. I don’t know why I
was surprised. Rumors ran through our town like a damn two-lane
highway. I did my best to keep my shoulders from slumping as I
admitted, “Yes, sir, but I haven’t seen her in almost six years.”
“Shame she didn’t have more sense than to run off with that
Dale fella.” He shook his head, then pondered a moment. After
giving me one final once over, he placed his hands on his hips and
said, “You come by tomorrow after school. I’ll find somethin’ for you
to do.”
“Thanks, uh ... I didn’t catch your name.”
“Don’t reckon you did.” He smiled. “Folks around here call me
Pappy.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” As I headed out the door, I
shouted, “Thanks, Pappy.”
I’d done like Pappy told me, and every day after school, I headed
over to the bar and did whatever odd jobs he had lined up for me. I
washed dishes, filled the coolers, swept, mopped, and wiped down
tables—basic grunt work, but it was a job, and I made enough for
Gran to cut back on her hours at the Five and Dime.
Over the years, he’d given me more and more responsibilities.
Pappy learned he could trust me, and when I’d turned twenty-one,
he took me up on my suggestion to make some upgrades to the bar.
I gave the place a fresh coat of paint and a new countertop, and it’d
made a world of difference. Even Paps was impressed with how it
had turned out. Hell, the old tightwad even invested in some new
tables and chairs, and our efforts had paid off. Our customer base
was up by fifty percent.
 Pappy was so impressed with the way things were going, he’d
decided to make me a partner. I wasn’t exactly surprised by his offer.
Pappy didn’t have any kids of his own, but from the first day I had
started working there, he’d treated me like a son. It meant a great
deal that he trusted me with his legacy, and I gave him my word I
wouldn’t let him down.

W hen I entered the bar , I found Paps sitting at the back table with
Jackson, one of our cooks, and from the looks of it, they were
having a heated exchange. I walked over, and as I sat down, Pappy
turned to me and said, “Tell him a ninety-one is unacceptable for a
health inspection.”
“We got a ninety-one?”
“Sure fucking did.” Pappy motioned his hand over to Jackson as
he grumbled, “Someone forgot to clean the damn ice machine. It
was a mess, and if that wasn’t enough, the same person turned
down the heat on the dishwasher.”
“It was an accident,” Jackson argued. “I didn’t even know I’d
done it.”
“It’s your job to know! You gotta pay attention to shit like that,”
Pappy scolded.
“He’s right. You can’t make those kinds of careless mistakes.”
Trying my best not to lose my temper, I told Jackson, “A ninety-one
is unacceptable, Jackson. We gotta do better than that.”
“Damn straight, we do.” Pappy was fuming, and in all truth, he
had every right to be. We’d made too much progress to fuck it up
now. “Even before we did all the renovations, we never scored below
a ninety-eight on any of our health inspections, and we’re not about
to start slacking now!”
“Yes, sir. I’ll make sure we do better next time,” Jackson
promised.
“You damn better, or you’ll find yourself out of a job.” Pappy
pointed to the kitchen. “Now, go get that ice-maker cleaned up.”
 Jackson nodded, then stood and made his way back to the
kitchen. I glanced over at Pappy, and he looked pissed as ever.
Hoping to settle him down, I said, “I’ll make sure everything’s in
order; then I’ll call Doris and see if she’ll come back early next week
to give us another inspection.”
“Fine, but Jackson better get his ass in gear.”
“He will,” I assured him. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“Good.”
“I need a favor.”
“Oh, yeah? Whatcha need?”
“Can you cover me tonight?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem.” Pappy cocked his head with an
inquisitive look. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s more than okay.” I stood up and gave him a pat on
the shoulder. “In fact, they couldn’t be better.”
“Do I even wanna know what you’re talkin’ about?”
“Probably not.” I chuckled as I headed over to the bar. “Just plan
on taking over around six.”
“You got it.” There was a slight warning in his voice as he said,
“Just don’t be going and gettin’ yourself in any trouble.”
“You know me better than that.”
Paps gave me a nod of affirmation, then went back to studying
our health inspection form. With the Saturday lunch rush quickly
approaching, I didn’t have the time to dwell on it with him. I just
had to push forward and make sure we had better results the next
time Doris came to inspect the place. Just as I’d expected, the next
few hours were hectic at best. It seemed everyone in town was in
the mood for one of our famous quarter-pound cheeseburgers and a
cold beer—which suited me just fine. It helped to distract me from
the fact that Lauren would be at my place in a few hours.
As soon as six o’clock rolled around, I grabbed a couple of bottles
of wine from the back and headed out to my truck. I made one
quick stop, then headed home. Time wasn’t on my side, so I rushed
out to the garage and started to set everything up. I took a couple
of tarps and spread them across the floor, then went over to the
storage cabinet and pulled out several cans of different colored paint
and placed them on the tarps. Before going inside, I grabbed a few
paint brushes and tossed them next to the paint cans.
I put the bottles of wine in the fridge and then took a shower. I
threw on a clean pair of jeans, a black fitted t-shirt, and boots, then
sprayed on some cologne and was set to go. I glanced over at the
clock and noticed it was almost eight, so I went into the kitchen and
grabbed two glasses out of the cabinet. I’d just placed them on the
counter when I heard a knock at the door. It was her. I ran my
fingers through my hair and inhaled a deep breath, trying to steady
my nerves. I made my way to the door, and the second I opened it
and caught sight of Lauren, I felt like the wind had been knocked
out of me. Her freshly styled blonde hair was curled and barely
touching her shoulders, and she wore slim-fit jeans and a V-neck t-
shirt that hugged her curves in all the right places. Lauren looked
absolutely beautiful, and when she smiled, it got me right in the gut.
A light blush crept over her face as she muttered, “Hey.”
“Hey there.” I opened the door wider and motioned her inside.
“Come on in.”
“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.” Her eyes grew wide
as she stepped inside and took a quick look around. “It’s really
beautiful.”
“Thanks. I’ve been doing a little remodeling.” As I led her into the
kitchen, I continued, “I’ve made some progress, but I’ve got a long
way to go.”
“What else are you planning to do?” She ran her hand across the
new marble countertops. “’Cause it looks incredible the way it is.”
“I need to finish the addition in the back, and I’m going to redo
the back porch...maybe add a swing and a fire pit.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you could do all this.”
“I can now.” I chuckled. “I didn’t have a clue as to what I was
doing when I started.”
“You’d never know by looking at this place. I mean it. What
you’ve done here is very impressive.”
“I’m glad you think so.” I went over to the fridge and pulled out
one of the bottles of wine. “Up for a drink?”
 “I’d love one.” She watched as I opened the bottle and poured
her a glass, then asked, “You’ve obviously been busy with
remodeling the house. What else have you been up to?”
“Pappy made me partner down at the bar, so I’ve been pretty
busy there.”
“That’s really great, Flynn.” She picked up her glass of wine and
took a sip. “You should be proud of yourself.”
“I am.” I leaned back against the counter. “I’m hoping I’ll be able
to buy him out in a few years. Just waiting on Pappy to get ready to
retire.”
“If Pappy is anything like I remember, that might be a while.”
“You’re telling me. The old bird will probably work till the day he
dies.”
“You’re probably right, but you know as well as I do, Danver’s
wouldn’t be the same without him.”
“No, it wouldn’t.” I took a quick drink, then said, “So, I heard
you’re teaching down at Glenn Oaks.”
“I am.”
“How you liking it?”
“I love it.” Her eyes lit up as she said, “The kids are great, and I
really like the people I’m working with. I was lucky to get a position
there.”
“They’re the ones who are lucky to have you.”
“I don’t know about that, but thank you. It’s very sweet of you to
say.”
“Just telling it like I see it.”
“Well, hopefully they’ll agree, because I went to look at
apartments today.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Lauren had graduated and was
starting a new career. It made sense for her to move out and get a
place of her own, but the thought of her leaving again hit hard—
harder than I could’ve imagined. “You’re moving?”
“Well, yeah. I can’t stay at home forever.”
“So, you’ve found a place?”
“I think so, but I promised Dad I’d take him by to check it out
before I signed a lease. I have a feeling he’s going to give me a hard
time about it.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because he’s my father.” She giggled. “It’s his job to be
overprotective.”
“Yes, it is.” As much as I was enjoying our conversation, I had
plans for us out in the garage, so I asked, “Would you be up for
helping me out with something?”
“Sure. What is it?”
“You’ll see.” I motioned my head towards the back door. “It’s in
the garage.”
“Um, okay.” After I grabbed the bottle of wine from the fridge, I
led Lauren out the door and into the garage. Her eyes widened at
the sight of all the tarps and paint. I could only imagine what she
was thinking. “What is all this?”
“Patience, babe. Patience.” I walked over to the back end of the
truck and took out the oversized box, then placed it on top of the
tarps. I quickly opened it, revealing a four-by-six-foot white canvas.
Once I had it positioned on the wall, I grabbed a couple of painter’s
coveralls from the back shelf, then handed one over to her. “Might
want to put this on.”
“Why would I need to put this on?”
I slipped on my coveralls and replied, “So, you won’t mess up
your clothes when we paint.”
“What?” She gasped. “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t have
a clue how to paint.”
“Sure, ya do.” I bent down and, one by one, shook each paint
can before I opened it, then picked up one of the larger
paintbrushes and dipped it into the bright, royal-blue paint. Once the
bristles were covered, I flicked it forward, spattering the bottom
edge of the canvas with droplets of blue paint. “See? It’s not that
hard.”
“You’re crazy.” Lauren was smiling from ear to ear as she slipped
on her coveralls, making it clear she was excited about our little
project. Once she’d zipped them up, she grabbed a paintbrush and
jabbed it into the red paint. “But I like it.”
 “I thought you might.” I dipped my brush into the black paint and
slung it towards the canvas. “You know, it just wasn’t the same
around here when you went off to college.”
“Oh, really?” She placed the tip of her paintbrush into the red
again, then twisted her wrist towards the canvas, sending a small
spray towards the center of the painting. “Is that your way of saying
you missed me?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, you know...You could’ve come to visit me.”
“I wasn’t asked.”
“Seriously?” She placed her hand on her hip and huffed. “You’re
saying you would’ve come if I’d asked?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged as I teased, “I was never asked.”
I sensed a twinge of jealousy in her voice as she said, “Yeah,
well, maybe if you weren’t so busy with all your little lady friends, I
would’ve had a chance to ask you to come up for a visit.”
“All my lady friends, huh? What about you and all your
boyfriends? I bet they kept you all kinds of busy while you were
away.”
“Oh, yeah, like I had sooo many boyfriends.”
“Don’t try and pretend that you didn’t have guys beatin’ down
your door, Lauren.” I let my eyes slowly skirt over her curvaceous
body. “I know better than that.”
“You’re right. I had a boyfriend or two.” She walked over and
picked up her wine glass. After a long sip, she continued, “I had
some fun, learned a few things, but in the end, it just didn’t work
out.”
“And why’s that?”
“You know how it is. They just weren’t the one for me, so I
moved on.” Her eyes were locked on mine as she lifted her glass and
took another drink. “I guess you could say I’m holding out for my Mr.
Right.”
While I was relieved I hadn’t lost my chance with her, I was
bothered by her comment about having “some fun” with other guys.
I knew what she’d meant. I also knew I had no right to be jealous.
I’d been involved with several women over the years and had some
fun of my own, but I’d never let myself think that Lauren had done
the same. Hoping to ease the knot that had formed in the pit of my
stomach, I finished off my glass of wine, then went over to the
canvas and dragged my brush across the paint splatters, blending
the various colors as I moved my hand back and forth. Once I’d
done the entire canvas, I stepped back and was impressed with the
results. “I think it’s looking pretty good.”
“I think it needs a little yellow.”
“I think you’re right.” I pointed my hand towards the small
container of yellow paint. “Give it your best shot.”
“Okay, but I think I need a little inspiration.” She glanced around
the garage as she asked, “Do you have any music out here?”
“As a matter of fact I do.” I walked over to the rear counter and
turned on the radio; then I flipped through the different stations
until I heard a familiar tune and looked back at her. “How’s that?”
“Much better.” After she dipped her brush into the yellow paint,
she stepped over and swiped the brush along the top half of the
canvas, intermingling the bright color with the dark. Lauren’s hips
swayed along with the music as she continued to move the brush
from side to side, and it was all I could do to keep myself from
crossing the room and taking her into my arms. Damn. She looked
so fucking incredible dancing around in those crazy paint coveralls,
and when she turned to look at me with a spark of mischief in her
eyes, I almost came unglued. “Well, what do you think?”
“You were right. The yellow was just what it needed.”
“I have to admit this has been fun. I can’t believe you thought to
do this.”
“Well, I have my moments.”
“That you do.” Her lips curled into a sexy smirk. “Have you done
this before? You know, with your other lady friends?”
“No.” I took a step closer to her. “There’s only one person I’d do
all this for.”
“Oh, really?” She cocked her eyebrow with a smile. “Well, I’m
flattered you’d go to all this trouble for me.”
“I’m just glad you’re enjoying yourself. I know I am.”
 We spent the next hour drinking and talking as we added
different sprays of paint onto the canvas. There was no rhyme or
reason to our technique, but I had to admit, it looked pretty damn
cool. Lauren took a step back and placed her hand on her hip as she
nodded her head. “I think it looks fantastic.”
“I do too. What do you think we should name it?”
“Name it?”
“Well, yeah. All great masterpieces have a name. I think this
beauty deserves the same.”
“Okay.” She studied the picture for a few moments, then asked,
“What about New Beginnings?”
“I like it. Now, we just need to sign it.”
“You think?”
“Absolutely.”
I walked over and signed the bottom corner, leaving enough
room for her to do the same. Once she’d done the same, I refilled
our wine glasses, and we both took a drink as we looked at our
masterpiece. Lauren leaned over and bumped me with her shoulder.
“I think it looks very modern and cool.”
“I absolutely agree.”
When I started to remove my coveralls, Lauren followed suit. I
took hers and mine and tossed them on the counter, then watched
as Lauren picked up her glass of wine and took another drink. I’ll be
damned if her tongue didn’t slip out of her mouth and glide across
her full lips. I clenched my jaw as I shifted my stance and asked,
“You about ready for another?”
“Maybe in a minute.” She gave me one of those looks, one that
was filled with hunger and desire, and my entire body grew tense.
Fuck it. I couldn’t take it a minute longer. I stepped over to her and
reached for her hand, and her eyes widened as I pulled her close.
“What are you doing?”
Without answering, I put my arm around her small waist and
pulled her body close to mine, and for the first time that night, I
finally had her right where I wanted. Being careful to avoid the tarps
and paint, we slowly swayed to the rhythm of the music, and once
she started to relax, she lowered her head to my chest. It was nice,
romantic even. As I held her close, I tried not think about how good
Lauren smelled or how fucking incredible she felt in my arms, but
then she looked up at me with lust-filled eyes and I was done.
Unable to resist a moment longer, I lowered my mouth to hers,
and as soon as our lips touched, I knew one kiss wouldn’t be
enough. My hands roamed across the curves of her body, and damn,
she felt so fucking good. It was all I could do to keep myself from
losing all control. When she inched closer, squirming against me with
a slight whimper, I couldn’t take it any longer. I eased away from
those sweet lips of hers and let out a deep breath. Looking down at
the confused expression on her face, I kind of felt a twinge of guilt.
“I think it’s time for us to get some fresh air.”
“Oh, okay.”
I took her hand in mine, then led her outside and over to the
front porch. We sat down on the swing, and after a gentle push, we
started swaying back and forth. After several moments, Lauren
whispered, “It’s getting kind of late. I should probably be heading
back.”
“Okay.” We both stood, and I followed her over to her bright red
Volkswagen Beetle. “I’ll drive.”
“What? I’m just going across the street, Flynn.”
“Yeah, but you’ve been drinking.”
“And so have you.”
“I’ve had two glasses, and I’m a guy.” I motioned my hand
towards my chest. “We handle our booze better.”
“You did not just say that.”
“I did, but only because it’s true,” I teased.
“I never took you as the male chauvinist type.”
“I’ve gotta do something to keep you on your toes.” I chuckled
then said, “How about this? I’ll walk you home and bring your car
over in the morning.”
“You sure?”
“Like you said, it’s just across the street.”
“Okay, suit yourself.”
We started down my driveway in silence. While it was dark, the
moon was bright enough for us to make our way down to the road.
When we got to Cotton’s drive, Lauren stopped and looked over to
me. “I really enjoyed tonight. I’m glad you asked me to come hang
out.”
“Me too. We’ll have to do it again sometime.”
“We definitely will.” She eased up on her tiptoes and kissed me
on the cheek. “Night, Flynn.”
“Good night, Lauren. See ya soon.”
With that, she turned and walked up to the house. I stood there
at the end of the drive until Lauren disappeared inside. As I headed
back home, I thought about our night together and how good it had
been. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d enjoyed myself so much.
There was no doubt about it. My life was better with her in it, and
after that unbelievable kiss we shared, I knew I was one step closer
to making her mine.
 CHAPTER 4

Lauren

“W as that F lynn I saw you with outside the other night ?”

“As a matter of fact it was.” It was no surprise that I’d been seen
with Flynn. The guys always kept an eye on things at my parents’
house along with the clubhouse. It was just another reason why I’d
been so adamant about finding my own place. I tried not to sound
annoyed as I told Smokey, “I didn’t realize we were being monitored
by the Fury police.”
“Wasn’t monitoring you two,” Smokey answered defensively. “I
was just getting ready to head home when I noticed you two talking
at the end of the driveway. Then saw him drop your car off the next
morning. Guess I was surprised you were hanging out with him is
all.”
“Why would you be so surprised?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged as he glanced over to Diesel and
Two Bit, looking for some backup. “Just thought you two had a
falling out or something.”
“What makes you think we’d had a falling out?”
Two Bit cleared his throat and gave me a playful smirk. “Maybe
because you’ve basically ghosted the guy for the past couple of
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