Alexa
Portland, Oregon
Eight years ago...
FOR AS LONG as I can remember, my mother has always told me that I was a descendent of the House of Romanov, but unless there was a survivor from the massacre, it would be impossible. But Mama loved her stories and you didn’t argue with Mama or you’d find yourself on her “list,” so we always played along.
I might not have been imperial by blood, but I was Mob royalty... a fact I abhorred. And because of my “royal” connections, I had several secrets I was forced to keep. The biggest one being that I’d fallen in love with the son of a notorious biker and if my father discovered our secret, he’d kill him... then me. I was seventeen, after all, and couldn’t possibly know my own mind. My father had all the power when it came to my life... the father who killed people who defied him, so I was kind of stuck.
My parents moved to the US from Russia one year before my brother was born, and they’d quickly acclimated to their new life, taking over most of the West Coast while managing to keep me in a protective bubble. The bubble had burst the second I’d met Reese Alden and he explained a few things to me about how the world of one-percenter motorcycle clubs and Mobs worked.
“Lex!” my brother snapped.
Sergei pulled me from my thoughts and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yes, darling brother?”
“Her name is Alexa, Sergei,” Mother said. “Don’t make me remind you of that again.”
“Da, Mama,” he said, and met my eyes again. “Alexa. Are you going to homecoming with Vlad?”
It was family dinner hour (or, as Sergei and I referred to it, the witching hour), so it was imperative we played the adoring children, even if it was far from the truth.
“No,” I said (for the umpteenth time). “I’m not going anywhere with Vladimir Kozlov, Sergei, we’ve had this conversation before.”
“I’d like you to go with him,” Father said, his Russian accent heavier than usual, an indication he was tired.
I scowled at Sergei. This was his doing, the little bastard. I schooled my features and faced my father with a serene smile. “Papa, Vladimir is not respectful to me, and I’d rather not subject myself to his wandering hands.”
My father set his knife and fork down and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “He touches you?”
“Alexa,” my brother hissed under his breath.
I ignored him.
“Yes, Papa. Often. It’s disgusting,” I whispered. “And he scares me.”
My brother let out a painful groan, albeit quietly, but I refused to let it affect me. I had to get the Kozlovs off my father’s radar in reference to an appropriate family match. If I didn’t, the second I turned eighteen, I’d be forced to marry Vlad.
“He scares you,” Father said, his voice pitched low.
“Da, Papa.”
“I will take care of this.”
Okay, maybe I’d gone too far. I wanted Vlad off my back, not dead.
“Papa, please don’t hurt him,” I rushed to say. “I’m sure he doesn’t mean to scare me.”
“Solnyshko, I will take care of it.”
Well, crap. Whenever Papa called me his small sun, he was on optimum protect Alexa mode.
“Spasibo, Papa.”
“Pretty sneaky, sis,” my brother whispered for my ears only.
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and he was mentally stabbing me to death... I knew he was. I knew this look all too well, over far too many games of Battleship and Connect Four. Pretty sneaky sis, indeed.
Vladimir was a friend of his... a disgusting, douchebag friend, but still a friend. I sighed internally. I’d need to figure out how to minimize the damage somehow.
Dinner finally wrapped up (thank God) and we were excused. My brother grabbed my arm and dragged me up to our suite of rooms, pulling me into his room.
“Does Vlad really touch you?”
“Yes,” I said. “All the time. How do you not know this?”
“Maybe because you didn’t tell me.”
I sighed. He was right. “I’m really sorry, Sergei. I should have.”
“Damn it!” He dragged his hands through his hair. “Dad’s the least of his problems.”
“I don’t want him dead,” I insisted. “I just want him to stop harassing me, so if you can figure out a way to make that happen, I’ll love you forever.”
He gave me a wry grin. “You’ll love me forever even if I don’t.”
“This is true. You’re kind of a big deal in my life.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you.”
“Am I still driving you to Paisley’s?”
I nodded. “That would be great.”
My parents refused to let me get my license. They felt it was the man’s job to drive, so I was at the mercy of my brother or one of Papa’s drivers, to take me wherever I needed to go. It sucked.
“Grab your stuff,” Sergei said. “Let’s get out of here before they stop us.”
I was already packed for my overnight with Paisley. No one knew I wasn’t actually planning on being there the entire night, but that’s what best friends were for... cover. Especially when said friends had parents who were rarely home.
Paisley Bell had been my best friend since I was ten. We’d met while attending the same private Catholic school and we’d been close despite the fact she was “normal.” I’d been raised to never speak about my father’s business... not that I was told much, but I was an inquisitive child and found out things I shouldn’t have. The only two people I ever told anything to were Paisley and Sergei.
I kissed my parents and then followed Sergei to the car. We drove in comfortable silence to Paisley’s home in the West Hills of Portland and Sergei walked me to the door. Paisley’s parents were out for a few hours, but my mother had spoken to her mother, so the overnight was sanctioned since Paisley’s parents would be home before midnight.
Paisley pulled open the door and grinned. “Hi, guys.”
My best friend was gorgeous with a capital G, and I smiled as Sergei suddenly got taller. He adored her, but she had no time for him, which was good for him. My brother needed to be taken down a peg or two on the conceit board.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, then slipped into the house and closed the door.
“You’re cutting this close, Lex,” Paisley warned.
“I know.” I bit my lip. “Dinner took a little longer than expected.”
Paisley peeked out the living room window. “Your brother’s gone.”
“Okay.” I glanced at my watch. “Five minutes.”
Four minutes and fifty-eight seconds later, I heard the sweet sound of Harley pipes, and hugged Paisley before rushing out the front door and around the corner. My breath hitched as I watched Reese swing his leg off his bike and remove his helmet.
Good gravy, I loved him with everything I had. I made a run for him, his arms coming around me as I slammed against him, kissing him deeply. “Ohmigod, I’ve missed you, sugar bear.”
Reese was nineteen and had always reminded me of a Norse god. Shaggy, dark hair, soft to the touch, fell over his forehead shielding his deep blue eyes when he desired it to. Never to me, though. I always got his full attention when he was with me. I’d given him his nickname mostly because it had irritated him and he got the cutest look on his face whenever I used it... but now he was so used to it, his look was gone, replaced with an expression of loving resignation.
He chuckled. “Missed you too, Freckles.”
I was a sucker for his nickname for me, partly because he was such a badass and there was nothing sexier than a biker badass calling me “Freckles.” But mostly because it was said in such reverence. I used to hate my freckly face until he informed me it was one of his favorite things about me.
His father and my father were the same. Oh, Papa would say that John “Brick” Alden was far below him, but my father killed people for a living while trafficking drugs, and so did Reese’s. The only difference was, my father flaunted his wealth, giving the impression he was high-class, while Reese’s dad was part of the Rockford Spiders out of Gresham, a nasty and gruff motorcycle club, indicating he didn’t care what impression he gave.
I’d met Reese when my brother dragged me and Paisley to a bonfire out at Cannon Beach two years ago. Reese and his buddy, Ryder, were already on the beach and they had beer. My brother and his friends sniffed them out in zero point two, and Paisley and I had no choice but to go along for the ride.
I’d ended up talking to Reese all night. I was surprised to discover he didn’t really drink much... he said his dad was an angry drunk and he didn’t want to turn out like him.
After that, our relationship was an exercise in subterfuge, which admittedly, made things a little more exciting.
“How long we got?” Reese asked after he stopped kissing me.
“Until midnight.”
“Okay, Cinderella, let’s roll.”
After another kiss, he handed me a helmet and a leather jacket, then I climbed on his bike behind him. Reese drove me to our private make-out hill overlooking Portland. Despite the cold, I felt warm, especially when Reese pulled an oversized sleeping bag out of his saddlebags.
“Is this thing going to give you enough room to get a good smack or two in?” I asked.
“Fuck, baby. Seriously?” he asked, and I couldn’t help but notice his growing erection.
I giggled. I had just discovered I loved having his hand connect with my ass...like, I thought about it constantly, and demanded it anytime we had sex. It had all happened about six months ago when we’d been at Paisley’s parents’ beach house. Paisley and her boyfriend at the time invited us up for the weekend, and they left us alone in the house for a couple of hours. Reese had playfully smacked me as we headed into the bedroom and I attacked him, ripping off my clothes and begging him to do it again. Because the thought of hurting me (even when I begged for it) was abhorrent to him, it took some convincing, but now we both looked forward to our version of a little kink.
“Yes, seriously,” I said.
Reese shook his head. “That stays behind closed doors, I think.”
I wrinkled my nose, but didn’t argue. He was probably right. I’d be mortified if we were caught naked in public.
Reese flicked open the sleeping bag, wrapping us in the warmth, and then we sat down and stretched out on the grass. Reese pulled me over his chest and kissed me gently. “We’re gettin’ out.”
“Getting out of what?”
“The Club. Ryder and me. Axel and Oliver are comin’ too.”
I sat up with a gasp and stared down at him. “How?”
He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them again. “Very carefully.”
This wasn’t good. I didn’t really know his crew. I’d met Ryder only once at the beach the night Reese and I met, and Reese had said that was on purpose. He was also trying to keep our relationship quiet in an effort to protect me.
“Reese,” I whispered. “That’s great... but it scares me.”
“I know... it’s why we gotta quit this for a bit.”
“We’ve gotta quit what?” I asked, although, I knew what he was saying.
“Shit,” he rasped.
“Shit, what?” I demanded.
“Lex—”
“Are you breaking up with me?” I snapped, and tried to get distance from him.
Reese held firm. “Not forever. I just need to get clear. I don’t wanna drag you into any of this. If Brick gets you on his radar, you’re in danger.”
“No one can touch me.”
He sat up and stroked my cheek. “Baby, that’s not true.”
“I don’t want to stop ‘this.’ I love you. We can figure this out together.”
“Ohmigod, Reese, nothing’s going to happen to me. My dad’ll make sure of it.”
He dragged his hands down his face. “You don’t know Brick.”
“And you don’t know my dad.” I pulled his hands from his face. “Hello, Russian Mob.”
“I’m not willing to take a chance with your life, Lex.”
“It’s not your call to make.”
“Yeah, baby, it is.”
“You’re willing to throw this away because you’re afraid?” I challenged.
He swore and shook his head. “Goading me isn’t the way to go here, Lex.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Gah! You’re so bossy.”
“I have to get out without having to worry about you.”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” I argued.
“All I ever do is worry about you!” he snapped. “Goddammit, Lex. I’m consumed with making sure you don’t ever get on Brick’s radar.” He stroked my face. “If he knew about you, he’d either kidnap and ransom you to your father, or he’d kill you for fear of what I may have told you about the Spiders. When my father gets his way, someone else always gets hurt, and I can’t let that someone be you.”
I’d conceded that, because our world was different than most, and Reese knew his dad, but it didn’t mean I agreed with his decision. “Okay, I get it. But I don’t understand why you’re going overboard on this. We’ve kept our secret for two years. We can keep it for longer.”
He shook his head. “If I start the process of getting out, Brick’s going to be even more of an asshole, gettin’ in my business more than he already is. I won’t take that chance.”
“But it could take years.”
He sighed. “I’m aware.”
“You’re willing to be separated from me for years?” I challenged.
“If it means you’re alive, hell yeah.”
I blinked back tears. “Then we’re done.”
“Lex—”
“No. You either love me enough to figure it out with me or you walk away.” My bravado was impressive, considering I didn’t mean any of it.
Reese studied me for several tense seconds before he gave me a curt nod and rose to his feet.
“Seriously?” I hissed.
“I’ll take you back to Paisley’s.”
“Wait. I didn’t mean it.”
He grabbed the sleeping bag and rolled it up.
“Don’t do this,” I whispered, standing slowly.
“Don’t have a choice, Lex.”
“Yes you do. You always have a choice.”
He shook his head and I felt panic and devastation fill my heart. How did I ever believe he was the real deal? God, I was such an idiot. He’d probably planned to hit it and quit it all along. Granted, he’d been hittin’ it for a year, and was just now quitting, but still, I should have known he’d dump me.
“Come on, Lex.”
“Fine.”
I straightened my shoulders, donning my safety gear, and climbing on the bike without comment. As Reese drove me back to Paisley’s, I couldn’t fully process what had just happened. We couldn’t really be over, could we? He was the love of my life, but now I felt like our whole relationship had been a sham...he’d lied to me from the get-go and I wanted to die. When Reese pulled the bike to a stop, I threw my helmet at him, walked into my best friend’s surprised arms, and sobbed for the next three hours.
* * *
Reese
After dropping Lex off at Paisley’s, I forced myself not to run after her. Fuck, I loved that woman more than life, but if she got hurt (or worse) because I didn’t let her go, I’d never be able to live with myself. I just needed a little time to make things safe for us. Ryder and I had a plan. It was a good plan.
Little did I know the plan would take a hell of a lot longer than any of us expected.