Page 5 of Unmasked Legacy

“I remember them from when I was younger, but they never seemed to cause any problems back then. At least, I don’t recall anyone talking about it.”

They were all too concerned with the Shadow Butcher to care about what a group of motorcycle riders were doing.

“They had a different leader back then, and when he died, his son moved into ranks and now runs the club. He’s known to be quite lethal and isn’t the kind of person you want to cross paths with. That doesn’t stop every single girl in the town from wanting to jump his bones, though.”

I sip my drink, the fizz tingling on my tongue, watching the bikers sit. I can’t blame the town girls for staring at him—he’s devastatingly handsome. Many others with him are stunning, too. At least half of the crowd look like they have just come out of a movie, and the rest look like typical bikers.

What an odd mix.

Not what I imagined bikers to be.

I turn back to Jace, smiling. “Enough about them, tell me about your life.”

He smiles, and we talk for an hour about his rise to CEO, his house, car, and single status. His love life has been hit-or-miss, but he’s ready to settle down.

He’s accomplished, which doesn’t surprise me.

I’m shocked he hasn’t found the one.

“I must admit,” I say, feeling tipsy, “I thought you’d be married. The girls at school were always so obsessed with you, I figured one of them would have snapped you up by now.”

He grins. “I could be married by now, if I really wanted to be, but I haven’t met the one. Marriage is important to me, but I want it to be right and forever. I don’t need five divorces behind me because I haven’t taken the time to find the right person.”

Swoon.

My cheeks flush. “When you find her, she’ll be very lucky.”

His grin widens. “I have a feeling she’s not far away.”

“I’ll get the next round.” I smile, taking our empty glasses to the bar to order.

Pressing my hip against the bar, I order our drinks and wait. Within a few minutes, I feel a strong presence beside me. Turning slightly, I see the mysterious biker approaching, those intense eyes locked on me. My heart skips as he stops at the bar, waving at the bartender without looking away from me. He has a dominance about him and manages to get a drink without saying a single word.

My knees weaken.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

His voice, a thick rumble, sends shivers across my skin, and it catches me off guard, but his words are what shock me the most.

“Sorry, do I know you?” I ask, my voice slightly confident, but mostly shaky.

“No, but I knowyou. You shouldn’t have come back.”

Great, another negative person. Another one who wants me to leave the town because they seem to think I am a direct replica of my father. Meanwhile, I’m nothing like him, and it’s starting to agitate me the amount of judgement I am receiving.

Maybe it’s the alcohol, or I'm just tired of people assuming to know me, but I straighten, frowning. “Why is that?”

“You know why,” he murmurs, eyes dropping to my lips.

I shudder, and my body tenses with a mix of anticipation and allure. There is something about him, something so incredibly dangerous and tempting. I can’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be in his bed beneath him, his hard body moving over mine.

I shake my head. “Let me guess, you think I don’t belong here because I’m a killer’s daughter, though I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You don’t belong because people want blood, and with your father gone, who do you think they’ll turn to? The solution is pretty fuckin’ simple. Leave.”

His words cut deep. I glare, my lips pressed tight. “No offense, but I don’t know you, and you know nothing about me. I don’t care who you are or if everyone fears you—I’m not scared. Back off.”

I take my drinks when the bartender slides them over, offering a quick thanks before I disappear into the crowd. I don’t look back, even though I can feel his eyes burning into my back. He might be powerful and scary to the people of this town, but I am the daughter of a damned serial killer. Not much scares me.

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