Page 52 of Demon

Heavy metal blares from the backyard. When I step out, the fading sun bathes the yard in hues of orange and pink. It looks beautiful. The scent of barbecued meat hits me, making my mouth water. Men hover around the grill, flipping cuts of meat, while Bomber stacks wood at the fire pit, where flames already flicker high. Jett adds more wood to keep the fire roaring.

“Here you go,” Sophie says, appearing at my side with a pink cocktail in a glass adorned with a strawberry garnish.

“Wow, thanks.” I take a cautious sip—but the sweet tang of strawberry tempts me to down the whole drink in one go. “This is amazing!”

She beams. “It’s a daiquiri.”

Sophie heads toward the large table where Twitch and Axle sit, their laughter mixing with the music. Viper is standing by Reaper at the barbecue. I follow Sophie and notice she has a leather vest on like the men.

“Twitch, can I change the music?” Sophie asks ever so sweetly.

Twitch flinches and leans back, avoiding eye contact. It makes me giggle.

Viper gives Sophie a look of forced sympathy. “Sorry, wifey. No can do. It’s our music tonight.”

“Thank fuck,” Axle mumbles under his breath.

Sophie put her hands on her hips and squares her shoulders. “And why not?”

Viper winces. “Because it’s shit,” Axle says, but he says it with a smile.

Sophie narrows her eyes into slits at them, then turns to me and falls in beside me.

“What’s this?” I pull at the leather vest, which says “Property of Viper” on a patch at the top.

She smiles as she looks at it. “It’s a vest they give to their ol’ ladies. It’s like a wedding ring for bikers is the best way I can explain it.”

Milly walks over and pulls us both into a hug before turning to me. “By the way, I’ve got a huge unicorn waiting in my spare room whenever you need it.”

I brighten. “Is it all right if it stays there until just before Christmas? I don’t want Sammy to catch sight of it early.”

“Of course,” she says with a warm smile. “Sammy will love it.”

Sophie grins. “How did your date go?” Her mischievous tone tells me she expects that something steamy happened.

“It was just lunch, but it went well. I told him how I feel, and he opened up more than I expected.” I flinch, the memory of the encounter outside the bar flaring in my mind.

“What happened?” Milly asks, noticing my unease.

I lower my voice. “The people following me were waiting outside the bar. Jett”—I run a hand through my hair—“uh... hurt them and messed up their car.”

“Good!” Sophie responds harshly. “Message received. Hopefully, they know who they’re messing with now.”

Milly puts a hand on my arm. “How do you feel about that?”

“Confused. I don’t encourage violence... but...” I spot Jett as he walks over and takes a seat at the table. “I’ve never been in danger before, and I trust Jett... I trust the MC to know what they’re doing, and if it comes down to violence or the safety of me and my daughter, I won’t give it a second thought.”

“One hundred percent agree,” says Milly.

“Dinner’s ready!” Reaper’s voice booms, drawing everyone’s attention. “Grab a seat.”

The night unfolds with laughter and small talk as we enjoy the delicious barbecue. The sweet tang of cocktails keeps me lightheaded as I laugh at the banter between Axle and Elena. Milly’s cackling, undeniably contagious, erupts over the group, making us all laugh harder.

When I accidentally drop my phone, I duck under the table to grab it, only to catch sight of Milly’s hand resting on Twitch’s lap, scandalously close to his crotch. I bump my head on the table when getting back up, laughing. They’re up to something, but it all seems harmless and a bit of fun.

Sophie soon returns with a tray of shots.

“Wet pussaaayyssss, yeahhh!” Axle whoops, earning a dramatic eye roll from Elena.

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