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Prologue
River
One Year Ago
As I step inside the bar, I tap the back pocket of my dark jeans to make sure I remembered to bring my wallet in from the car. My cousin Romeo and I will no doubt fight to pay the tab, like we always do, as if who pays is the biggest alpha in the room.
As I follow Romeo in, I see who he stops to talk to.
“I’m...fuck.” I stop abruptly.
Julianna Callisto.
The daughter of the president of the Angels Motorcycle Club, someone who is supposed to be Romeo’s sworn enemy.
“Nice to meet you, Fuck,” Julianna replies with attitude, and Romeo laughs. It’s a familiar laugh, and I feel like I’ve missed a fucking chapter in what is going on right now. He’s into her.
“This is River,” he says, nodding to me.
Julianna is beautiful. Blonde hair. Full lips. And a body men would fall over themselves for. Clearly Romeo has already fallen.
Yet my eyes are instantly drawn to the woman next to her. The one I don’t know. I keep my sight on her, like a lion with its prey. “And who are you?”
“I’m Bella,” she says, her sweet voice making my cock twitch. With her long dark hair and almond-shaped gray eyes, she is one of the most strikingly beautiful women I’ve ever seen.
“You’re not a Callisto, are you?” I ask, hoping that getting her into my bed isn’t going to come with a fuck load of trouble.
“Sorry to disappoint,” she replies, with a sexy smirk.
“Ah, fuck,” I mutter, but still find myself sitting down next to her. Next to us, Romeo is getting awfully close to Julianna, so I guess this is how tonight is playing out. We may be cousins, but he’s also my best friend and I always have his back. Even when he’s making questionable choices. “Guess we are all making bad decisions tonight. Can I buy you a drink?”
She smiles.
When she looks away, I lean closer and breathe in the scent of her hair. Vanilla with a hint of cinnamon.
And in that moment, I know that it’s all over for me.
It’s not long before Romeo and Julianna leave the bar, and I’m wondering what the fuck he is thinking, but also distracted by the woman next to me. Bella had pulled Julianna aside before they left, probably asking her what the fuck she is doing, like a good friend, but they left together anyway. Romeo makes me promise to get Bella home safely, and of course I would have done that anyway. I might be capable of many things, some of them would be illegal in the eyes of the law, but hurting a woman isn’t one of them. Besides, her hair smells so good and I want to bury my face in it.
Among other places.
I have one drink, she has two. I know that I can be a little intense at times, so I try to be relaxed so she can be comfortable.
“So, tell me about yourself, River?” she asks, tilting her head to the side as she studies me. A lock of her dark hair falls across her soft cheek, and I have to stop myself from gently pushing it away.
“What would you like to know?” I ask, arching my brow. Talking about myself isn’t my strong suit. In fact, the less people know, the better. Which doesn’t help much for dating, probably why I’ve done nothing but fuck around most of my life. Sex is easy. Letting someone know the real you? That shit is scary. I don’t like to be vulnerable, and I don’t like to have any weaknesses.
So I tell people what they want to hear. It works for me.
“Your connection to Romeo?” she asks, keeping her voice low.
“He’s my cousin. Our mothers are sisters. You and Julianna?”
“Also cousins,” she replies, plump lips kicking up at the corners. “On my mother’s side.”
“The famous all-girl curse,” I say, referencing how the Angels are all females with no males being born to take on the MC’s legacy.
“I’d say it’s a blessing, not a curse. Too much testosterone and Lord knows what would happen,” she teases.
