Prologue

Quinn

 

The rain was coming down in trenches, flooding the parking lot, making it impossible for people to drive in. That meant the diner was packed to overflowing with not only locals, but people passing through. They were all hungry, all of them wanting to wait out the weather before going on their way.

There was no room in Aggie’s for even one more customer, yet somehow, they kept finding more seats. No sooner had I taken one group’s orders for dinner and gone to get their drinks, did I have three more who needed waited on.

I was run off my feet after having pulled a double, since two other waitresses had called in. One had flat-out quit, but the other had a stomach bug. Aggie had begged me to stay and help her out, and I loved that old woman like a mom, so I couldn’t tell her no.

Even if I had been about to drop with exhaustion.

All I wanted was to go home and climb into bed. Maybe sleep for a few days. Not that that was even a possibility. I had bills to pay, and money didn’t just drop into my lap out of thin air. Therefore, I had to work as many hours as I possibly could there.

Keeping a smile on my face was making my cheeks hurt, but I never let it falter as the evening wore on. My smile was the difference between one dollar and a five dollar tip. I had been doing this for almost nine years, so I knew a few tricks of the trade.

As I placed a glass of tea in front of two of my regulars, an older married couple who came in every Saturday night for their “date night,” I heard the bell over the front door jingle again and bit back a groan. If one more person walked through the door, the freaking Fire Marshall was going to drop in and give Aggie a citation for being above capacity.

Not trusting the other waitresses to turn the newcomer away, I headed for the front door, my smile still in place.

As I passed one table after another, I waved at other regulars, noting which of my customers needed refills and whose food I needed to check on.

Even if it had been my first day on the job, I could have easily spotted the locals from those just passing through. The locals didn’t even have to look at the menu, while the others looked half afraid to eat anything that was put in front of them.

The outside of Aggie’s wasn’t much to look at. It needed a new coat of paint and the sign had long ago lost most of its lightbulbs, but even though Uncle Chaz had offered to do all the repairs for no cost, Aggie had refused. She could have easily afforded the costs of repairs. She just liked that the outside typically kept the outsiders outside.

As I neared the front door, I saw the newest customer and my smile dimmed, then disappeared altogether. Tossing my braid over my shoulder, I crossed my arms over my chest and made sure to put a blank expression on my face. I refused to let seeing him unexpectedly like this show on my face. I had learned years ago it was better for everyone, especially myself, not to let this particular man see my reaction to him. My heart, however, didn’t know how to not beat at triple its normal rate whenever he was near. Even after everything that had happened, the disaster of that night and my stupid drunken decision, I couldn’t help being affected by him.

Raider and Colt had been gone for several weeks on a run with a handful of the other MC brothers. Colt hadn’t told me they would be home today. Then again, he never told me much of anything about the runs he went on, other than to let me know he was leaving.

Club business stayed club business. He didn’t discuss it with me or even Kelli. I didn’t know where they had been, or what they had been doing while there, but I figured it involved the wrong end of the law … and probably a few chicks to keep Raider entertained.

I had been thankful for the reprieve that both their absences had given me. It had given me time to think and make some tough decisions. Ones I couldn’t have made if Colt was constantly around. Ones I knew Raider wouldn’t have cared less about.

Now Raider was glancing around, as if looking for someone in particular, his wide shoulders tense, as if he were preparing for a confrontation or something.

“Shouldn’t you be working?” I asked by way of greeting, keeping my voice as neutral as possible.

Raider snapped his head in my direction, the tension in his shoulders seeming to ease. His eyes drifted over me for a moment, taking in my mostly makeup free face, the simple T-shirt with the word Aggie’s over my left breast. Lower they traveled to the black apron that was tied around my waist that held extra straws, napkins, a little notepad I wrote orders on, and my tips. Something darkened in his green eyes, but in a flash, he masked it before I could even attempt to decode what it might have been.

“I’m on my way to the bar now. Had to pick up an order for Raven first.” He scanned over the packed house and whistled low, before coming back to me. “Can you check on it for me? Make sure that Aggie fixed it so I can tell Raven that no one else touched her food?”

I should have told him to do it himself. Should have just turned around and took care of my own customers. I had too much to do without him adding more to my list. I wasn’t handling call-in orders. Normally, whoever took care of the customers sitting at the counter did that. However, I knew how picky his sister was over people touching her food.

It was for Raven, and only Raven, that I went into the back to see if Aggie had it ready.

Aggie was just finishing putting the food in a bag when I walked into the kitchen. “That for Raven?”

Aggie snapped her graying head up and gave me a tired smile. She had four cooks working tonight, but she had pushed one out of her way to fill Raven Hannigan-Reid’s order personally. Aggie loved all the Hannigan children, and the current queen of the Angel’s Halo MC was like a daughter to her. “Sure is, kiddo. She here for it?”

I shook my head. “One of her brothers.” I took the bag from her, not bothering to explain that it was Raider and not one of the other three Hannigan men who was currently in attendance. “This everything?”

“There are two bags,” my boss told me as she handed everything over. “Don’t worry about charging them for it. With this madhouse, I’m pretty sure I won’t miss the money from a few burgers.”

“Sure thing.”

I turned to go, when Aggie caught my arm, turning me to face her. “You okay, Quinn?”

I put my smile firmly back into place, hiding anything she might have read in my eyes. “Just tired, Ag.”

She was still trying to read me as she finally released my arm. “You know, if you ever need to talk, I’m right here.”

I leaned up on tiptoes to kiss her cheek. Even Aggie was taller than I was. It was annoying being so small. “I know, Ag. Thanks.” I stepped back.

“Quinn, if you need to take a day off, just let me know. You look so tired, honey.”

I ignored her as I went back out into the dining room. I did need a day off. Hell, I needed a month off, but I needed the money more.

Making as much money as quickly as possible was my new goal, one that I would accomplish or die trying. Money would get me as far away from this place as humanly possible. Money was life, and for me, it would offer me a new one.

Raider wasn’t where I had left him. I wasn’t surprised to find him at the counter, flirting with a group of sheep who had come in for dinner before heading over to the bar for the night. One of them had an arm wrapped around his waist, playing with his belt with her other hand, not caring that there were families with kids seated where they could easily see her. Raider didn’t even seem to pay her any attention, though, as he flirted with the other two sheep.

Jealousy was an all too familiar pang in my chest, but I pushed the feeling down, annoyed with it and myself. I had learned my lesson where this guy was concerned. It had taken me years, but I had finally seen the harsh light of reality. I was done with that crush and ready to move on.

I had no other choice.

It was either let him go, or spend the rest of my life eating my heart out for a guy who fucked everything with a vagina.

Crossing toward him, I set the bags on the counter in front of him, not caring that I had just interrupted whatever the hell it was they were talking about. “Aggie said no charge,” I told him with a colder version of my normally warm smile. Then I stepped back and turned toward my section. I had drinks to refill. Food to deliver to tables. Bills to pass out and hopefully get some of these people out of there.

I hadn’t taken more than a few steps when firm fingers caught my elbow, pulling me back around.

I jerked my arm free and backed away from him, needing space from this man.

Raider frowned at my reaction to him. I hadn’t ever done that before. Normally, if he ever touched me, which had been on very rare occasions, I would usually try to make the most of the physical contact.

Not anymore.

Not ever again.

Lesson learned.

“I just wanted to say thanks.” He arranged the bags in his hands a little better, shifting in a way that was very un-Raider-like.

I shrugged. “No problem.”

“Are you and Kelli coming to the party tomorrow night?” He surprised me further by asking.

“Nope,” I assured him, popping the P as I started to turn away again.

After the disaster of the last one I had attended, if I never went to another club party, it would be too soon.

He caught my elbow yet again, those green eyes scanning oddly over my face. “Maybe you should.”

I shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine without either Kelli or I there. Have a safe drive. That rain looks dangerous.”

I walked away before he could try and stop me again, forcing myself to forget about him as I focused on work. I needed to keep my head in the game. Ignoring my customers would cost me good tips and that was something I just couldn’t afford to do right then.

The sooner I could save up enough money, the sooner I could get out of this town and away from Raider Fucking Hannigan.