Page 3 of Suspicious

I turn toward the room that looks like a security area. The door is now open, and Alex is leaning against the doorframe. But it’s not the Alex I knew—his long blond hair is tied back in a man bun, his chiseled jaw is covered in a beard which I haven’t seen on him before—but damn, does it look good on him now. His muscles are broad, and sporadic tattoos cover his arms, which he has crossed over his leather-cut-wearing chest. That scowl I’d gotten used to in our final days together is still there, but now he’sdefinitelymore of a man than the nerdy boy next door I fell in love with all those years ago.

This brooding, alpha male is Loki—the biker I haven’t been brave enough to talk to for what feels like an eternity.

My breath catches, and my heart races frantically as I struggle to stop my body from spinning with the amount of adrenaline coursing through me. I swallow heavily while his eyes catch mine, so much being said between us, but not a single word spoken.

I inhale a deep breath, plaster on a fake smile, and start walking toward him with a purposeful stride.

You can do this, Bea.

CHAPTER TWO

Bea

Loki doesn’t make a move to meet me. Instead, he stays rooted to his spot, leaning like a damn sex god against the doorframe while I walk toward him. Inwardly, I am giving myself a pep talk, one I most definitely need. I’m almost to him when suddenly, my brother, Theo, steps in front of me, blocking my path, a bright smile on his adorable face. My eyes widen, and I have to pull myself up quickly to stop from running straight into his chest.

“Morning sunshine, how’s the head?” Theo asks, grinning at me like he knows I feel like absolute death.

Groaning, I slump my shoulders, somehow relieved but also annoyed at the same time that he’s stopped me from making it to Loki. It’s been years since we were in the same room. Talking to him face-to-face is going to be awkward, so as much as I have been trying to avoid it, I was amping myself up on the walk over. Now, I’m going to have to do that all over again once I’m done with my older brother.

I don’t know if my nerves can take much more of this.

“Did the alcohol take away your ability to speak, or are you sleepwalking right now, baby sister?” Theo chuckles, gently nudging my arm.

Huffing, I cuddle into his side and rest my head on his shoulder. “I think I might actually be dead. I think I died last night, and this is all a weird kind of purgatory.”

Theo chuckles under his breath, softly rubbing my back. “You were pretty fucking wrecked…” He laughs. “Mom and Dad would be proud of you, Bea.”

I snort out a laugh, looking up at him, but then my smile falters, remembering why I was drinking in the first place. “Theywouldn’t be proud of me if they knew why I was partying, though…would they?”

Theo exhales with a shrug. “We’ll figure this out, Bea.”

Furrowing my brows, I glance around the clubroom and shake my head. “Hey, can you tell me why the hell I’m here?”

He smirks, glancing over at Loki and then back to me. “You called Loki in your drunken stupor last night while you were out at a nightclub. You were sorority-girl drunk on the phone and going off on him about something, he wouldn’t tell me what, then he yelled down the line at you in front of the whole clubhouse that he was coming to get you. So, we left, and honestly, I have never seen him drive as fucking frantic before.”

I let out a small exhale. “Honestly, I don’t remember any of that. I was stressed because of the breach on the app, so I suppose I’m not completely shocked I reached out to Loki. Heisa tech genius.”

Theo scowls, rolling his eyes. “Idowork in Silicon Valley. You remember that,right?”

“No, I know, but Loki helped you build the app…” I shake my head. “Anyway, that’s all beside the point. Did I… did I say anythingweirdlast night?”

Theo shakes his head. “Loki threw you over his shoulder, carried you out of the nightclub, and then you passed out in the car on the way back to the clubhouse. When we arrived, you puked in the parking lot, passed out again, and then he put you in the bedroom and came back out to the party they were having. He genuinely seemed annoyed by the whole thing. He seems annoyed withyou,Bea, if I am honest.”

Exhaling, I slump my shoulders, glancing back over to Loki, who’s cautiously watching me. “I should go talk to him.”

Theo flares his nostrils, craning his neck to the side. “I know you two haven’t been in the same room for a while for whatever reason.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Just remember, Bea, he is mybest friend. And this ishishome. Please don’t make a scene.”

I spin around, looking at the rest of the bikers who are casually glancing my way.

Suddenly, I feel the weight of the world resting on my shoulders.

I was Loki’s family once upon a time.

He has a new family now.

And this family is watching his back, making sure I don’t mess with him. The thing that’s even more scary about that fact—they’re all 1% bikers and could make me disappear without a second thought.

I need to play this carefully.

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