“Is he still following you?” Mary asks when she arrives at work. She must have seen Butcher sitting outside the bakery, staring inside. Today he seems much more intense.

“Yep.” I set out the cupcakes in the glass showcase. Mary is staring at me like I am pure crazy.

“That doesn’t freak you out?” She says slowly like I am illiterate.

I stand up and cross my arms across my chest. “Well, I guess it should, but it doesn’t.” I don’t know what else to say to her because I sure as heck don’t know what is going on.

“I say we have a girls’ night tonight, and let’s try to leave him behind?” Mary taps her hand on the counter, and I can tell she is nervous. I sigh and lean my hip against the counter. I guess a girls’ night sounds like fun.

“Sure. What do you want to do?” I ask her as I turn back around to finish lining up the fresh cupcakes.

“The club?”

“Okay. Want me to pick you up tonight?”.

“Yeah, as you’re the D.D. I am in major need to let loose.” I hear sadness etched into her voice, and that causes me to look at her with concern. I see bags under her eyes—she looks exhausted.

“What’s wrong, Mary?” I touch her forearms. She hangs her head and lets out a deep breath that sounds like a sob.

“Mary?”

She looks up at me. “It’s my stinking cousin again. I get calls almost every single night needing me to bail her out of parties that are getting too rough for her. She is getting into deep shit, and I don’t want to deal with that.” She stops and softens her voice, her eyes filled with tears. “She is family no matter what. I still remember her being my best friend while growing up.”

I pull her into me, giving her a tight hug, taking some of the burden away. Her cousin got her into some deep shit a couple of years ago, and Mary was lucky to get out of it. Her cousin placed all the blame on her and said Mary would give the dealer the money.

“Call me next time and I will go with you,” I say and she nods. I know Mary is scared because the dealer roughed her up and my dad got pissed. You can imagine what happened. Mary is my best friend and has been since I was a little girl. She is close to my dad and brother, but not the rest of the club. She just hasn’t ever taken an interest in it.

“Thanks, Shay. I love you, it’s just the stress is getting to me.” She straightens up and smiles at me, tears streaming down her face.

“Welcome, doll.” I smile saucily at her. “So, you ready to go out tonight? We got to find you a man!”

She throws her head back, laughing, before pointing a finger at herself. “Me? Look at you! You’re still a v—”

I put my hand over her mouth before she says those words. “I think I got all the man I can handle.” I look out the window at Butcher.

“Good point! I am going to work on the cake order for the birthday party later tonight.”

“Thank you!” I call to her as she walks into the kitchen.

I think back to how Butcher loved my cupcakes, and I grab a to-go box. I fill it up and grab a bottle of water. “Mary, I am stepping out for a second,” I yell as I reach the door. I step out and look at Butcher, who is focusing on me.

The Texas heat is blaring down on me when I step outside. So I know Butcher has to be frying in all of that black leather. He is sitting on his bike, though, like he is completely unfazed.

He is looking majorly badass today with those black eyes and dark hair. His eyes are so intense it’s like he is staring deep into my soul, and they are scary as hell. His nose looks like it’s been broken because it’s slightly crooked. I can see, through his shirt, that tattoos cover his chest all the way up to his neck and his arms are both complete sleeves.

Once I am about a foot or so away from him, I stop. “I brought you some cupcakes.” I smile at him widely. The expression in his eyes softens. I hand him the box and then the water. I lick my lips and get a good look at his face.

“Thank you.”

A shiver runs up my back and leaves goose bumps across my arms. I am attracted to this man. I am attracted to bad boys. The more bad the better, and Butcher is as badass as it gets.

I smile at him again. “You’re welcome.”

I turn around and walk back toward the bakery. I may or may not have added extra pep to my step.

I walk inside Mary’s house, which is just two blocks from where I live. It’s eight o’clock and it’s time to hit the club. I have to get back sort of early tonight because I have to work tomorrow. I’ve just got to open the store, and then I am coming back home to relax.

“Mary, are you ready?” I yell as I walk through her kitchen.

“Yeah!”

I walk into her living room, and I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of her cousin sitting on the couch dressed to the nines—in my dress! I let Mary borrow that, and I sure as hell don’t want this girl in it!

“Hi, Shay. It’s nice to see you!” Her cousin, whose name is Lexi, rises from the couch and walks over to me, and I notice immediately that she is way too thin. She has been on drugs for a while, and no amount of makeup can cover that. Drugs don’t make someone a bad person, but the way some people act because of drug abuse creates trouble. This girl blinds people with that fragile look, and then she does shit.

So I cut right to the chase. “Why are you here, Lexi?”

Her eyes narrow, and then that smirk comes over her face. She knows I am not going to fall for her shit like her cousin does. Mary is too kindhearted and thinks the best of everyone, when she knows better.

“Whatever do you mean?” She mocks and flips her hair over her shoulder. It’s like trying to flip tree trunks because it’s that stiff.

I narrow my eyes on her. Is she joking? “Don’t play me as a fool. I am not someone you want to mess with, Lexi. Don’t screw over Mary. She is too good to you.”

Lexi rolls her eyes and smacks her lips as she chews her gum. I cringe at the sound. “I can do whatever I want to do…” She smiles.

1, 2, 3, 4… I count to myself with my eyes closed so I don’t pummel the bitch.

She finishes her sentence. “Bitch”

She went there.

My right fist shoots out, nailing her right on the mouth. One, I want her to shut the eff up, and two, I can’t stand that gum chewing. Lexi grabs her nose.

“I told you not to mess with me, Lexi!” I have a temper—have I mentioned that already? Plus she was asking for it. I take a step closer to Lexi. “Now, are you going to be a good girl and not screw with Mary?” I say sweetly.

“Fuck that.”

The smile falls from my face, and I grab a handful of hair with my right hand while my left clamps around her mouth so she doesn’t make a sound. Even though Mary is tired of her cousin, I don’t think she wants to see me manhandling her.

I drag her to the door and, much to my surprise, it opens. Butcher is standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face.

I pull Lexi’s hair and push her out of the house. She stumbles but stays on her feet. I step onto the porch, shutting the door silently. “Remember what I said!” I smile at her widely.

She gives me an evil look, and I just wave at her. Butcher is standing behind me, still grinning ear to ear. “Fucking crazy,” he drawls out, sounding amused.

I blush and push my hair behind my ears. My face is hot with embarrassment. So I lost my temper. You can call me the ugliest person in the world and I will laugh in your face, but when it comes to people I care about? That is totally different.

Mary is extremely kindhearted, and that is a huge downfall but an amazing quality to have. She looks for the good in people no matter what, even when she knows better. Her cousin is a perfect example. Lexi treats her like shit, steals from her, and puts her down, but Mary keeps on caring for her.

“I need to go inside before Mary notices something.” I point over my shoulder, with my thumb, toward the door. Butcher just stares at me, the corners of his mouth barely tipped up. I swear I hear him chuckle just as I close the door behind me.

“Shay! You ready?”

I scramble into the living room before Mary pops around the corner. She will never know I just handed Lexi her ass right there in her living room.

I sit down on the couch and fix my clothing before I straighten my hair. I hear Mary walking down the hallway, and I whistle once she walks into the room. “Woah, girl! Look at you!” I catcall at her and she blushes.

She spins in a circle, completely red with embarrassment. Her long dark brown hair reaches her butt. She is around five foot seven and has curves in all the right places while rocking that doe-eyed look with her dark brown eyes.

“You ready?”

I nod and stand up. I straighten my dress and walk back to the front door. I look out the window—Butcher is sitting on his bike, staring up at the house. I am thrown back to the movie Sixteen Candles when Jake is waiting outside her house, leaning against his car.

“Why is he here?” Mary asks.

“He isn’t bothering anyone, Mary.” I give her the look, telling her to shut the fuck up about it.

I motion for her to step out first, and I follow her. She steps to the side so she can lock her door. I sneak a glance at Butcher. Much to my utter shock—but to my utter delight—he is still staring. His eyes are only on me.

Mary stops when we get to the porch steps. “Where is Lexi? She was on the couch when you showed up...” Her face is scrunched up in thought.

I suck my lips together, hoping she doesn’t connect the dots. She looks back at her house and then at the ground. “I guess she just left.” She shrugs.

I grab her hand and pull her in the direction of my car. “Let’s forget about her. It’s time for you to let loose.” Mary grins.

As my hand closes around the door handle, Butcher’s bike roars to life. I smile to myself.

“So he is coming to the club too?” Mary asks.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

I start my car and she doesn’t say a word after that. I get that it’s weird, but I am not scared of it. I am not scared of him. He could have hurt me a long time ago, but he hasn’t—and my brother trusts him.

She is quiet the whole way to the club, and I am getting the vibe she isn’t happy with me, but I am a grown-ass woman.

When I park my car, she says, “I don’t want to ruin everything. I just worry, Shay.”

I give her my signature smile. “I know, Mary, but don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.” I wink at her.

She bursts out laughing. “Don’t I know it.”

The smile drops from my face, and I frown at her in mock anger. “What is that supposed to mean?” I ask her.

She holds her stomach as she catches her breath. “Well, you do have that anger problem.”

I roll my eyes, “Me? Have an anger problem?” I say in mock disbelief.

She rolls her eyes at that. “You do have an anger problem, but it’s mostly for people you care about. You’re just the girl who will beat somebody’s ass and do it smiling.”

Mary’s assessment is all too accurate, and I guess it would be, because we have been friends for what seems like forever.

I shrug. “So we going to go in or what?”

As I walk toward the bar, Mary falls into step next to me. I hear a motorcycle turn off, and I realize I forgot all about Butcher following us.

We walk up to the bar and, once we are carded by the bouncer, we step inside the club. The first thing that hits me is the smell. The smell is always something you cringe over. Even though it’s considered early in the nightclubbing world, the smell of body sweat and dirty sex lingers.

“Let’s find a seat!” I yell into Mary’s ear.

She yells back, “Okay.”

We pass people who are too busy dry humping each other to know what is going on around them. We just skirt and divert ourselves from them. We spot a booth tucked into a corner. This is the perfect spot for me. It’s out of the way of drunks tripping over themselves, and I like to observe.

I pull out the chair and sit down, and I set my clutch on the tabletop.

“I am going to get some drinks. You’re just wanting water—am I correct?” she asks me.

I nod. “Yeah, I am driving.”

She steps back through the crowd on the dance floor. I cross my legs and lean back in my seat. I look around at the people dancing. Nope, I am not looking for Butcher.

“What are you doing?”

I jump. I didn’t even notice she was back. “Nothing.” I grab my water and crack the lid open. A rock song comes on and I grin at Mary. She grins back and jumps out of her chair. She grabs my hand, and we walk down to the dance floor.

We grew up listening to eighties music. Our parents were obsessed, and it rubbed off on us. I throw my hands above my head and swing my hips side to side. My eyes are closed, and I am dancing to the beat. Letting loose.

“I so needed this!” Mary yells.

I open my eyes and nod in her direction. I turn around, and a man in a suit struts up to me. The closer he gets, the more I am turned off by him—by his gelled, slicked-back hair and suit that fits him perfectly. Ugh. He is too pretty! I prefer my men tattooed and badass.

All of a sudden, the guy in the suit stops walking toward me. His eyes widen, and he turns around and runs away. That is so strange, but it saves me the trouble of telling him I am not interested.

For the next thirty minutes, Mary and I rock the dance floor. We used to do this every single night, and we didn’t care about drinking. We just wanted to let loose and de-stress.

College was my first taste of freedom. As the only girl in the “family,” I had always been under the thumbs of my father and my “uncles” and their sons: my “cousins.” That led to me being constantly protected. When I left for college...let’s just say I let loose and had some fun.

I got pretty dang good at escaping my undercover bodyguards. My father and uncles thought they were slick, but I knew the moment I saw one of the guys walking across campus. They had picked a prospect at the club. How original is that? Why didn’t they use someone I have never seen before?

“Lexi, what are you doing here? Who are those guys?” I spin around at the sound of Mary’s voice. As she says “guys,” I hear her voice crack. I take in Lexi standing there, still in my dress, and the two men behind her. This isn’t good at all. I walk over to Mary and stand beside her.

“Not so tough now, are you?” Lexi sneers at me, her eyes moving up and down my body in disgust. Her lip is curled. The two men behind her laugh. Lexi turns to the side, touching one of the men on the forearm. “These men work for my boyfriend.” Lexi steps away from him and toward me, her face bending toward mine like she is going to whisper something. “They are here to make you pay.”

This is going to be bad. I can take out Lexi—no problem—but three at once? Yeah, the possibilities aren’t going to be good. Mary gasps and scoots closer to me, and I can feel her body trembling. “What do you want to do that for, Lexi?” Mary asks, her voice quivering.

Lexi throws her head back, laughing, her fried hair not even moving. “She didn’t tell you?” Lexi smiles at me menacingly.

“Tell me what?” Mary asks and I can feel her looking at me.

Lexi takes a step closer. Now I can see her two black eyes. That kind of happens when you hit someone in the nose. “Well, this bitch decided to use me as her punching bag.”

I roll my eyes because she is acting all innocent and is going to make me look like the bad guy. She is the one that must bring two grown-ass men to fight me. If that doesn’t scream “I am a pussy,” then I don’t know what does. Lexi didn’t even fight me back.

“Nobody fucks with Mary,” I tell her bluntly.

Lexi’s eyes narrow before a slow smile slides up her pitiful face. This woman needs some serious help. She is not normal and has some major issues. I got that a long time ago, but I never expected her to bring two men to beat my ass. Those men deserve their asses beat for coming to beat up a woman. That shit doesn’t fly.

“Get her, boys!” Mary screams at the top of her lungs. I brace myself for the attack. Mary grabs the back of my shirt and tries to pull me back.

Something moves in front of me, and I step aside in shock. Hands wrap around both of the men’s throats.

Butcher. His face is filled with rage as he stares down at the men, his hands still wrapped around their throats, his arms flexing as he squeezes.

Butcher just saved me.

That’s hot.

I hear someone gasp, and I see Lexi standing there in shock. I grin at her before looking back at Butcher, who is now staring down at me. “You got those two.” I look back to Lexi and point my finger at her. “I got her.”

Butcher

Shaylin grins at Lexi and takes a step closer to her. Lexi takes a step back, and Shaylin laughs before going back to smiling like a loon. Lexi starts to run away. Shaylin runs and grabs her by the hair, which she pulls with all of her might. Lexi hits the ground and wraps her hands around her hair, trying to pull it out of Shaylin’s grip.

Shaylin bends down closer to her. “Why are you such a bitch!” She sighs and punches her in the face. “I.” Punch. “Told.” Punch. “You.” Punch. “Not.” Punch. “To.” Punch. “Mess.” Punch. “With.” Punch. “ME!” She screams the last word and slams home one more punch, knocking Lexi out instantly.

That was fucking hot.

One of the men I am currently choking—his foot touches my shin. I pull them apart slightly and then slam their heads together hard. I let go of them and they slump onto the floor, knocked out.

Shaylin stands up and dusts her clothes off. She looks down at the men on the ground and grins at me.

Fucking crazy. I grin back at her. She’s perfect.

Shaylin

I pull into Mary’s driveway. She doesn’t move and stares out the window. She hasn’t said a word since everything went down. I tried talking to her many times on the way home, but she put her hand up, silencing me.

“Mary?”

She lets out a deep breath before turning to look at me. Her body is still very tense, her arms crossed across her chest and her legs crossed.

“I am moving.”

My mouth falls open in shock. She is moving? “What do you mean, Mary?”

“It means exactly what I said. I am so tired of all of this!” She shakes her head.

Then it dawns on me. She wants to get away from me. I totally get it. I am not a totally normal person, nor am I sane. I fight and have a temper that gets the best of me, but I am who I am. I am the daughter of the ex-president of the Grim Sinners. I grew up seeing violence, and I wasn’t affected because it happened when it was necessary.

Lexi is going to fuck with Mary and put her in a bad situation. I know it is going to happen, because it happened last time. My father got her out of that shit. Tonight, at the club, Lexi showed up with two men to beat me up. How could I let something like that go on? I could have been killed or seriously hurt. This doesn’t fly with me. I don’t take anything from anyone.

“You’re wanting to get away from me?” I say in almost a whisper. My heart is hurting because I see Mary as a sister and I feel betrayed.

She doesn’t say anything. “I just need to start fresh. I hope you understand.” Mary opens my door and grabs her purse. She cranes her neck and looks back at me one more time. “Goodbye, Shay.”

I turn away from her as tears roll down my face. People can throw any kind of shit at me, but the only ones who can truly hurt me are the people I love. They can hurt me the worst. I love with my whole being.

The door slams shut, and I watch as she walks into the house. I put the car in reverse and back out of the driveway.

I don’t want to go home. So I go to the one person who I love more than anything in this world.