Chapter One
Leia
I hand Star another tissue and she continues to sob into it. She turned up at the club twenty minutes ago and hasn’t stopped crying since. I wait patiently. After all, I’m the friend they all come to when they get dumped or have other boy issues. I’ve never understood why—it’s not like I have any experience with the opposite sex. My older brother, Riggs, sees to that.
“Everything good with you and Colin?” I ask tentatively and another round of sobs escapes her. I guess she’s had a fight with her boyfriend.
Chains saunters over and I roll my eyes. Even his swagger pisses me off. I know before he’s opened his mouth that he’s going to hit on Star. He can’t help himself.
“I hate to see a girl cry,” he says, placing a shot of something strong in front of her. “This’ll help.”
“She’s fine,” I snap, moving the shot glass away from her.
“She doesn’t look fine. Tell me you’re not crying over a man, gorgeous,” he sighs, pulling up a stool and joining us. Star stops blubbering and wipes her eyes. She blinks her long lashes at him and her pouty lips glisten from her perfectly applied lip gloss.
“I’m Star,” she says in a tone that’s husky from all the crying.
Chains holds out his large, tattooed hand. “Chains. Pleased to meet yah.”
“My boyfriend, he’s been cheating on me,” she sniffles. I’ve been comforting her for the last half hour yet she confesses all to a sex pest biker.
“Baby, what kind of ass would cheat on a fine girl like you?” he asks, sounding outraged.
I roll my eyes again. He’s so cheesy, it makes me sick. “Remember, there are rules,” I remind him, but he barely glances in my direction before taking Star’s hand and holding it in his own.
“I can help you forget that piece of shit,” he continues.
“Chains,” I say, my tone warning because he knows he can’t go there with Star. I have rules. None of the members of the Kings Reapers can get with my friends.
“Really?” asks Star. Her cheeks pink slightly, which only adds to her beauty.
“She’s nineteen,” I interject and Chains scowls at me. He’s twenty-nine, old enough to know better than to fuck one of my friends.
“Age is just a number,” flirts Star. Colin’s soon forgotten.
Chains grins wide and holds out his hand. She takes it and he leads her out the club bar towards his room. I shake my head. It’s not like Star’s a close friend. She’s in my circle, but I’m pretty sure she only turned up here because her best friend, Courtney, was busy.
My brother, Riggs, joins me. “You look pissed,” he observes.
“Chains took my friend to his room,” I say and he cringes.
“He’s like a dog in heat lately. You think he’s going through somethin’ I don’t know about?” he asks thoughtfully.
“No, Riggs, I think he’s just a horny ass. Star can take care of herself, but he broke my rule. He’ll have to pay.” Riggs grins. “Lake is on a job for a week. I could place Chains on watch duty? You know he hates that.”
I smile evilly. Riggs always has one of his brothers watch over me when I leave the club. Lake is my main bodyguard because he’s chill and doesn’t mind sitting around. He also respects my rules on friends. But Chains hates every second of it. “Perfect,” I say.
Eva is curled up on the couch with Ziggy, my nephew. I join them. “You look sad,” I point out and Eva half-smiles.
“I was just thinking about Riggs and Anna and how stubborn they both are,” she says and sighs. “I’m meeting with her for coffee soon, but it feels so odd that she isn’t here anymore. How’s your brother seem to you?” she asks.
I glance at Riggs’ office door and shrug. “He’s pretending to be fine. I haven’t seen him pick up a drink in two days, so that’s a good sign,” I point out. Since Anna announced her pregnancy to my brother, they’ve not been on speaking terms. He accused her of trapping him and she was horrified seeing as they’d already married. She packed up her stuff and walked out, moving into Eva’s old house. “Mum said they’ll sort it out. It’s not forever.”
“And in the meantime, Anna’s on her own with a child plus one on the way,” mutters Eva.
“Why don’t I come with you to see her. We could bring Ziggy because I’m sure he’s missing Malia.” I smile at my five-year-old nephew, who instantly looks brighter at the mention of his best friend’s name. “Let me go ask your dad first,” I add.
I stick my head around Riggs’ office door. “Hey,” I say with a smile. “I’m gonna take Ziggy out for a bit.”
Riggs barely looks up from his cell. “Where to?”
“To see Malia.” There’s no point in lying—Riggs is big on the truth.
“No,” he says firmly.
“I’m taking him, Riggs. Don’t be an ass. He’s missing his friend, and just because you and Anna are being stupid doesn’t mean the kids should suffer.”
“Leia, I said no.” He looks at me this time and I notice how tired he looks.
“Poor Anna,” I sigh. “She’s alone. No family. Just her and Malia hauled up in a house on their own. She must miss having us all around, and then to not have help when she's so sick all the time.” I shake my head sadly. I’m trying to appeal to his stubborn, cold heart.
“Sick?” he repeats.
“Yeah, the baby is taking its toll on her. Morning sickness constantly. Mum’s going to the doctor with her tomorrow about it. Didn’t she say?” I know full well that Mum didn’t tell Riggs about Anna. Anna doesn’t want him knowing anything unless he asks her straight and that's damn near impossible since he’s avoiding her like the plague.
“I like what you did there,” he mutters. “Dropping information to get a reaction.”
“Grow up, Riggs. If I wanted to do that, I’d have told you about the guy who’s sniffing around her since she got a new job.” He glares at me and I see him warring with himself.
“What new job? I send her money,” he growls.
“She isn’t touching your money. Said she’s doing this thing alone and she doesn’t need your guilt money.”
“It ain’t guilt money,” he snaps.
“Try telling her that. She’s scrubbing floors. Mum said she shouldn’t be doing that kind of manual labour when she’s so ill all of the time, but with two kids, Anna said she doesn’t have a choice.”
“Get out of here, Leia. I don’t want to hear this bullshit. Leave Ziggy here. It’s not good to confuse the kids.” I roll my eyes. There’s no way I’m leaving Ziggy here. “And take Chains with you.”
I smile at Eva. “He said we can’t take him, but I am, so get ready to run out of here.” I pick Ziggy up and head for the door. Eva is pulling out her car keys as she follows after us. Anna’s place isn’t far from the club, but it’ll get us out of here quicker.
“Shouldn’t Lake or someone be tailing you?” asks Eva.