Page 19 of Beast

I looked around as Beast led me through the main room and into the kitchen.An older couple looked up as we entered.“Beast.You’re home!And this must be little Piper.Ace said you were bringing her back with you.”

Beast grinned.“Not all that little, Mom, but yes, this is Piper.”He turned to me.“This is Mom and that grumpy looking guy over there is her sidekick, Jake.”

One of the twins spoke up.“She’s not really his mom.Everyone just calls her that.”

“Nice to meet you, Piper.I’m sure you two want to freshen up after spending a few days on the road.I sent clean towels and whatnot up with the twins earlier.Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, Mom.”Beast led me deeper into the clubhouse.The place was huge, although it would have to be if there was a whole passel of guys living there.I was surprised at how clean and tidy everything was.

“There’s a cleaning crew that comes in a couple times a week,” Beast explained.“And Mom is good at nagging the guys to pick their crap up, at least in the public rooms.”

We went upstairs and down a long hallway.The twins skipped ahead and opened the door for us.Beast’s room was more of a suite than a room.There were three bedrooms, the largest of which had an ensuite, as well as a main bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room.“This is nice!”I’d pictured something a lot less family oriented when I thought about a motorcycle clubhouse.

“Jasmine and I have our own rooms, but we can bunk together if you want to stay with us.”Jewel gave her dad a sideways glance.“Unless you and Dad are sharing a room.”

Beast frowned.“If she’s staying here, Ace will assign her a room.”He tossed the saddlebags onto a side table and looked at me.“You probably have time for a quick shower and change of clothes if you want.You can use my room for now.”

One of the twins giggled, and he threw them a quelling glance.

“Thanks.”I could feel my face flushing red as I crossed to the saddlebags and pulled out a change of clothes and my toiletries.“I’ll be quick.”

* * *

Beast

I sent Ace a quick text to let him know we would be down shortly.Piper’s father needed to be here for the meeting as well, so that worked out.I intended to push the idea of letting her go ahead with the singing tour, and I had a few ideas about how to make it work.I remembered the look on her face at the karaoke bar.I wanted to see her face light up with joy like it had back there.

I let the twins tell me everything I’d missed while I was gone.Mom and Jake filled in for me when I had to be away on business and all the Riptide MC bikers looked out for them.They were probably better protected than someone in the witness protection program.

Piper was fast.I barely had time to rinse the road dust off my face and arms with a washcloth before she was ready.We left the twins in the room with strict instructions to behave themselves and headed down to Ace’s office.

“You really think they’re going to behave?”She looked up at me.

I shook my head.“Not a chance.I’m betting they’re trying to come up with a way to eavesdrop on this meeting.”

Ace stood up when we entered the room.He nodded his head politely.“Nice to meet you, Piper.Hope Beast has been treating you well.”He gestured at a couple of chairs in front of his desk.“Have a seat.Your father should be here in a minute or two.We’ll wait for him before we get started.”

Piper sat down, and I opted to stay standing, one hand resting on the back of her chair.

I cleared my throat.“Something I should probably mention, Prez.Remember me telling you I was going back to look up a woman I’d met on a prior trip to Las Vegas?”

“Yeah.”He narrowed his eyes, looking from me to Piper.“What about it?”

“Turns out the woman was Piper.”

“I thought you said the woman you were looking for was in Las Vegas.Stripper by the name of Sparkles or some ridiculous thing.”

“That was me, and it was a onetime thing to get some quick cash.I wanted to leave town ASAP.”Piper let out an exasperated sigh.“Sparkles is the stage name I use when I don’t want to be identified.I never told Beast my legal name, and I moved to San Diego two days later.It didn’t occur to me to tell him my life story.It was supposed to be quick hook up, a one-night stand.I never asked what his name was either, so when my father said a guy named Beast was going to come get me, I didn’t clue in.”

Ace raised his brows and addressed me.“You must have known.I sent you her picture.”

“You sent the picture after I agreed to escort her back here.All you told me originally was that she was the daughter of one of our FBI contacts.”

“Still, once you realized it, you didn’t mention you knew her.Don’t you think that might have been important?”

“Because her father would feel better if he knew the security guy you had escorting her home could identify her without any clothes on?I can’t see how that would help.And I barely knew her.Like she said, we didn’t even exchange names.”

Ace glanced down at his watch.“We can discuss this later.”

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