Shit. Fuck. Shit.

“I have all kinds of clubmembers’ cell phonenumbers. I have you, Ava, my brother, Smokey…”

“And you have no reason to have Hunter’s.Don’t think Iforgot theshit that went down,” Raven said.

“Nothing is going on.” Not technically alie. Nothing at this point was going on.

Raven stepped toward the counter andplaced her hands on the surface. Harlow stared into her eyes andwaited.She should haveexpected something like this to happen.

Club always had each other’s back.Itwas rare for it to beany other way. Harlow waited.

“Hunter will not change. He is a goodVP, a good club member,but he is one of the worst when it comes to women, Harlow. I’m nottrying to hurt you, but I am putting you in the picture. You’ll benothing but pussy to him. Hunter doesn’t get drawn in by romance orwomen.”

“And you don’t think any woman can changehim?” Harlow asked.

“No.”

“You changed Carlos.”

“I didn’t change Carlos. He already wantedme, there’s adifference.”

Harlow winced.“Thanks.”

“Shit, it’s not like that. Hunter wants you.I saw it over Christmas with the way he looks at you, and even in aroom full of women and men, he seemed drawn to you, but you and Iboth know you’re a virgin. You’re untouched.”

“You don’t know that,” Harlow said, but herargument was weak.

“Don’t lie.”

“Look, nothing between Hunter and Iis happening. Yeah, I had alittle crush on him, but that’s all it was. Nothing is going tohappen now or ever.” She had her fingers by her side, but shecrossed them, so Raven didn’t know she was lying. She hated lying.Lies always led down a path of pain, for nearly all partiesinvolved. She’d vowed to never lie.

“I don’t want you to be hurt,” Raven said.“Trust me, I know Hunter, and it won’t end well. Not for the two ofyou.”

Harlow wasn’t going to argue with her.Deep in her heart, she knew anything she had with Hunter would be adisaster. There was nothing long term, nothing but sex. Hunterhadn’t dressed up what they were going to do. He’d not eventoldher what they weregoing to do. For all she knew, he was going to humiliate her andturn her against him completely. Was it wrong of her to partly hopethat was the case?

“I know there’s nothing I can do or say to stop you, but I hopeyou see sense, Harlow. For your own sake.”

****

FridayNight

Hunter had called Harlow and let her knowhe was running late. He expected her to callit off. Instead, she agreed to meet himnear the church, at the corner of the road.

He’d not taken his bike, but his car as itwas cold asfuck.

The moment he drove down the street, he sawher. There was no one around. It was close to ten o’clock. Withother chapters arriving, he had no choice but to be there withSmokey to welcome them, and to keep his appearance until the boozestarted to flow in abundance. That hadn’t taken long.

The guys arrived at seven, the realpartying started at eight, and most of them were too drunk tonotice him let alone question where he was going and what he wasdoing. Smokey had already told him they were notgoing to talk shop until tomorrow. He hadtonight all to himself.

Slowing the car down, he saw Harlow’s armswere wrapped around her body, but she looked at him before climbinginside. The moment she was seated, he flicked the lock of the carin place and pulled away.

There was still a layer of snow on theroads. Gritters and snowplows had already done the rounds, but there had been a freshlayer of snow on the ground. He took it steady, not in a rush toget killed on the roads. The Twisted Bastards MC were still athreat as far as he was concerned, so he kept his eyes peeled. Hewore his leather cut. No one was ever going to make him take hiscut off. The club—thecut—was hislife.

He was bound to theirways and nothing and no one was going tochange it or stop it. The scent of vanilla filled the car. He couldnever quite put his finger on Harlow’s scent as she tended tochange it every few months. There was a time he was pretty sure shesmelled like cinnamon muffins. He didn’t know if it was her perfumeor because of something she baked.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” Harlowsaid.

“Why not?”