Page 35 of My 3 Naughty Valentines

I'm not one for quiet contemplation – my brain doesn't do silent mode well. Instead, I find myself mulling over the absurdity of it all.

Here I am, a 23-year-old journalist, knee-deep in biker drama, playing a pivotal role in a high-stakes game. If you told me this a few months ago, I would've laughed and asked what you were smoking.

I lie on my bed, not even trying to sleep. Who needs sleep when life's this wild, right?

Eventually, my mind begins to drift, not towards sleep, but to a kaleidoscope of possibilities. Dreams of thundering engines, leather, and the faces of three men who've turned my world upside down fill my thoughts.

* * *

As I stepout into the cool morning air, the clubhouse is buzzing like a hive on overdrive. Cameras flash as reporters mill around, their voices a constant hum. It’s surreal – the Angel Riders, once shadowy figures living on the edge of town life, are now local heroes, thrust into the limelight by my article.

I weave through the crowd, catching snippets of conversations.

“Those bikers, who knew they had such big hearts?” one woman exclaims. I can’t help but smile. My article has painted them as champions, and the town’s eating it up.

Approaching the clubhouse, I spot Jake, Dex, and Liam surrounded by reporters. They’re not just bikers today; they’re celebrities, their tough exteriors softened by the light of newfound admiration. Jake is sharing a story about the orphanage visit, his voice tinged with a pride I’ve never heard before.

Liam catches my eye and winks, a silent thanks for flipping their narrative. Dex, always the charmer, is laughing with a reporter, his demeanor relaxed, but knowing him as I do, I can see the new sense of purpose in his eyes.

I hang back, watching the scene unfold. It's like watching a well-scripted play, except the emotions are real, the impact tangible. There’s a sense of victory in the air, but it’s laced with caution. We’ve won a battle, but the war is far from over.

The mayor, a plump man with a permanent smile, announces a surprise. “In honor of the Angel Riders’ service to our community, we’ll be placing a plaque at the orphanage,” he declares. The crowd erupts in applause, and I feel a surge of pride. My words have done this, changed perceptions, and altered fates.

But the triumph is short-lived.

A rumble of engines cuts through the celebration. Every head turns as a line of bikes roll in, the Southern Chapter’s insignia unmistakable. The crowd parts, a mix of awe and fear in their eyes.

The Southern Chapter’s leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, dismounts. His gaze finds Jake, it’s a moment charged with tension, the air thick with unspoken threats.

Jake steps forward, meeting the leader halfway. They talk, their voices too low for me to catch. But the body language speaks volumes – there’s respect, but also a clear division.

Then, the leader nods, a grudging sort of acceptance. He says something that makes Jake's shoulders drop slightly, a visible release of tension. As they dismount and leave, there’s a sense of finality to their departure.

Jake turns to us, his expression a mixture of relief and wariness. “They’re letting us out of the contract,” he announces. “Our focus on community service... it’s made us too visible for their... operations.”

A collective sigh ripples through the group. It’s over, at least this part of our tangled saga. The Southern Chapter is backing off, our strategy paid off.

As the reporters continue to swarm Dex and the others for comments, I step back, the enormity of what’s happened washing over me. We’ve changed the narrative, shifted the balance. But at what cost? And what’s next for us, for me?

The day unfolds in a whirlwind of interviews and celebrations, but my mind is elsewhere. I’m at a crossroads again, and the path I choose will define not just my story, but the very essence of who I am.

11

EMMA

The first light of dawn creeps through my window, casting a soft glow on the chaos of my room. I'm awake, but my mind is still tangled in a dream where life was simpler, less...complicated.

Sitting up, I wrap my arms around my knees, letting the reality of my situation settle in. Emma, girl, you really know how to pick 'em. Three guys, three totally different worlds colliding into one big, messy, beautiful disaster.

I'm not just juggling hearts here; I'm juggling my own identity.

There's Emma, the journalist, driven, curious, always chasing the story. Then there's Emma the... what? Girlfriend to three bikers? Partner in a love quartet that defies every rule in the book?

I let out a sigh, my breath fogging up the window. Outside, the Angel Riders' world is just waking up, unaware of the storm brewing in my heart.

Jake, Dex, Liam – they're not just names. They're chapters of my life now, each one adding layers to a story I never expected to write.

How do I fit into their lives? We're like puzzle pieces from different sets, somehow fitting together in a still unclear picture.

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