Page 54 of Bound by Passion (Ravage MC)

“Nice to meet you,” Tanner said with a nod.

“Same.”

Next was the big man around here. He’d come in the bar, but I’d never actually met him.

“Cruz, Princess,” Raid said, shaking hands and then pressing a kiss to Princess’ cheek. The woman looked a bit surprised but didn’t say anything.

Cruz was tough. But Princess appeared to be just as tough as he was. She gave off a don’t-fuck-with-me vibe. She was a beast; I could see it in her eyes.

“Hello, Nyx.” Cruz held out his hand, and I shook it. Princess did the same, except she didn’t let me go; instead, she pulled me close and said, “You have secrets, scars, and scandal. If it effects this club, you need to tell me.”

I pulled away, probably looking stunned as fear washed over me. What did she know? I didn’t think any of them knew anything about me because they would’ve told Raid, and he would’ve said something. I shook my head. “No.” At least that was true. None of my past had any connection with the Ravage MC. It was all on me.

“We’ll see,” she said, releasing me and taking a step back. My gut twisted, and I hoped like hell she really didn’t see inside me.

Raid wrapped me back up and kissed my temple. Yeah, he had a thing with that. And fuck, I loved it.

“Let’s get a drink,” Raid said, and I could use one. Maybe a few shots. But I wouldn’t do that. Had to keep my wits about me.

Princess was already on to me. Was I that transparent? Was Raid playing me? Did he see whatever Princess did? Would there ever be a time in my life when I wasn’t on edge every second of every day?

Yes. I needed a drink. Not to get stupid drunk. Just something to calm me.

We sat around the large table with several of the Ravage MC and their women, talking. Well, they talked, and I listened. I felt like a sore thumb and that they were holding back what they said around me. Which was fine. Totally understandable. Part of me wondered, though, if I was in this world, how would this conversation be different?

I didn’t need to know their dirty laundry, though, because I had my own.

But I had to admit, I laughed more tonight than I had in years. Or maybe ever.

Another tall man, this one I hadn’t met yet, came up to Raid. The man hadn’t slept in some time, very disheveled.

“We need to talk,” he told Raid who nodded.

“Gotta talk to Micah. Be back in a sec,” he told me, then looked to his mom. “Take care of her.”

Bella gave a soft smile as Raid kissed the top of my head and took off with the man.

He left me with his mother. And all these other people. All the Ravage MC. Where I didn’t really know any of them.

I could do this.

When Bella got up from the table and came to me, part of me got freaked right the fuck out. Mother. Raid’s mother. Was she going to try to drag me out by my hair and kick me out of the place?

She leaned down to me and said, “Come outside with me where it’s quieter.”

What was I going to say? Fuck. No.

Yeah, right. Respect. I owed her that much.

Getting up from the chair, I followed her out of the clubhouse door, and apparently half the women or more decided to come as well. Yeah. Freaking out. Were they going to jump me in some initiation ritual?

They’d be surprised what they’d get from me, but this many… Yeah, I’d be fucked. Dead.

17

RAID

“What’s goin’on, man?” I asked Micah as we entered the underground “lair” as we called it. It was like the Batcave with all the tech anyone could want. It had grown over the years, but with Micah’s appearance and his military background, he added more than we thought was available. Yet, he made it available to us. “Cause you look like shit, bud.”

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