Page 1 of Skid
PROLOGUE
Parties at the Fury clubhouse always hit different.
It was a time when everyone came together, and for a brief moment, there were no worries of outside threats or jobs that needed to be done. It was a time when we could all just sit back and catch our breath. There was always music and laughter rolling through the halls, and a bonfire roaring high in the background.
It felt like home.
It was home.
It had been since I could walk.
My ol’ man was the club’s enforcer, and these men and their ol’ ladies and kids were my family. I loved being at the clubhouse, even when it got a bit chaotic. And during a party, it was about as chaotic as it could get.
Kids were running around, and the guys were arguing over the meat on the grill. Dad and Jenna were sitting on the swing, and Goose and Rusty had already broken into the tequila, getting more obnoxious by the second. But no one seemed to mind. Not even Prez.
He and Tabitha were too busy talking with Memphis and Antonia about how round her belly had gotten to care about what anyone else was doing. She was expecting any minute, and they were all busting at the seams about it. Ghost and Casey were expecting, too. I didn’t figure it would be long before Seven and Tallie would be following suit.
Life was good.
It should’ve felt perfect.
Hell, by all accounts, it was. I had my brothers, a full plate, a cold beer, and the kind of family most people can only dream about. But sitting there, watching the chaos and joy, there was a quiet ache in my chest that I couldn’t place.
Like something was missing.
Maybe it was seeing my old man so damn content. He was a hard ass who’d put his life on the line for his brothers. The club was all he really had. It was the only thing that ever really mattered to him, until he found Jenna. She became his reason to breathe. I wasn’t jealous. I was happy for the man.
But I was becoming restless.
I was twenty-four, going on twenty-five, and even though I was surrounded by everything I’d ever wanted, I found myself longing for more. I didn’t know what that meant, but that night, when I headed home, I swear the air felt different.
It was like the world was holding its breath, and when I came up on that dark stretch of road and spotted her standing beside that broken-down car with her little girl propped up on her hip, I realized that thing I was missing hadn’t been a thing after all.
It was them.
1
SKID
Fall was just starting to settle over the city in that moody way it always did. The trees were just starting to turn burnt orange and crimson red, and while they were pretty and all, the weather was a real pain in the ass. One day, it was sunny and warm, and the next, it was raining its ass off. The air stayed crisp, and every breeze carried a little bite of winter.
Those sunny days were some of the best for riding. I went out on my Harley as often as I could, but most of my time was split between the casino and the Vault. My shifts were filled with security, deliveries, and quiet favors. I didn’t mind it. It helped keep my head straight.
When I wasn’t working or riding with the boys, I was in my garage, elbow-deep in grease and motorcycle parts. I’d been busting my ass to restore my dad’s old ’77 Harley Super Glide. She was all rust and full of promise, and I was determined to get her back and running.
But it wasn’t going all that well.
It was hard to find parts, and even when I did, they were high as hell.
Pop said I was wasting my time, but there was something about bringing that old girl back that steadied me. I needed that today, so I headed out to the garage and got to work. There were parts scattered all over my garage, and I wasn’t sure where I wanted to start. I was thinking it through when the side door opened and Dad walked in. “Hey, Pop. Didn’t know you were coming by.”
“Wasn’t planning on it, but Luna wanted to see ya.”
He’d barely said her name when she popped her head inside the garage. She was wearing pink overalls, and her hair was braided into pigtails. She was all smiles as she made her way over to me and said, “Hey, Bub.”
“Hey there, Luna bug.” I stepped over and lifted her into my arms, giving her a quick squeeze. “How’s my girl doing?”
“Good.” She looked around the garage and grimaced. “You’re messy.”
