Chapter One

 

“Do you know what I realized every time I’m here?” Lacey asked.

“I have no idea.” Natalie Pritchard smiled at Lacey in the mirror as she continued to run a brush through her hair.

“That you girls always get me to color your hair. I’m like the hair fairy or something.”

She burst out laughing. “I was sitting outside and you dragged me in here.”

“For a good cause,” Lexie said. “Your hair was starting to look really unkempt and kind of, you know …”

“Gross,” Lola said. “When was the last time you brushed it?”

Natalie stared at the old ladies of The Skulls MC that had decided to visit Piston County, along with the ladies who were her best friends of the Chaos Bleeds MC. She never thought she’d actually be friends with a bunch of bikers’ chicks, but here she was, getting her hair done while some of the women enjoyed some bubbly. Holding her cup, she’d not even taken a sip.

She never drank.

Most of the time she was the driver, seeing as Devil had helped her to pass her test in the past few months. She’d never had the time in high school. Between studying, her art, and the ranch, driving seemed pointless.

Of course, now that she was all alone, she didn’t have much choice in the matter. Devil had been amazingly patient with her, taking his time to guide her. Out of all of the Chaos Bleeds men, he’d been the only one willing to give her a chance. All of the others had been terrified.

Poor Devil. During the first few lessons she nearly killed him.

“Remember you’re carrying a father right now, and imagine that not only do my kids need me, but also the whole of the club needs me as well.”

He’d often repeat those words, or some variation of those words. After the first few hiccups. everything was fine. Devil was alive and would be happy with his children—who she happened to babysit, or at least work as their live-in nanny.

“Your hair is perfect. Ignore them. You only had a couple of knots. Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Lacey said, patting her shoulder.

She liked Lacey. The woman was kickass, smart, and she didn’t take any shit from anyone. Completely the opposite of her. She had a tendency to run and hide, or to accept the gibes that always came her way. High school had been the worst years of her life.

Still, she’d go through it all again if it meant she’d get to be sitting here, talking with these amazing ladies.

All of them had curves, and all of them had men who were completely devoted to them, and she … no, she didn’t crave it. She thought of both Butler and Slash, and she closed up, refusing to wish for something she’d never have.

“So, I hear you’ve not only got one man panting after you, but two,” Lacey said.

“You should see Slash and Butler around her. Seriously, they’re like two dogs chasing after their bone,” Judi said.

Judi was married to Ripper and they had three beautiful babies. She was also Devil’s adopted daughter, but she didn’t know all the details related to Judi’s adoption, only that she’d been a lot older than most kids, and had a really rough time of it.

“I bet they consider you a very tasty bone,” Lacey said.

She chuckled. Slash and Butler.

Both men were gorgeous in their own way. Slash was … rock-hard, solid. He’d been to hell and back, and still managed to have a cheeky smile that was infectious. Butler was a different matter. He’d been an addict—his vice being drugs—but in recent years he’d also stopped drinking. There were many times she’d see him holding a bottle or a glass, but it always turned out to be a soda of some kind. He simply held it in a way that made it look like alcohol, just to fit in.

Slash had kissed her.

Butler didn’t make her feel weird. He made her laugh by his blaringly obvious statements that were never designed to hurt. After her father’s passing, she needed someone to say something like, “I know you’re going through shit right now, but even though I sound like an asshole for saying it, it’ll get better.” Butler had been the one to say it. He’d not coddled her either.

Working on a ranch nearly every single hour of the day, being coddled or told everything was going to be all right, wasn’t something she was used to. When Slash did it, she always felt like something was about to go wrong. Then there were times that she loved his optimism and she enjoyed his company. The kiss they shared had also been … amazing. Her first kiss. Her only kiss.

Being a little older than Lola, she was still a virgin.

Yeah, in this day and age, she still held her precious V-card, and hadn’t let it go. She took a sip of her drink.

“Both of those men are mighty fine. If you want to get away from it all though, there’s always a place for you at Fort Wills, just so you know,” Lacey said.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“A lady needs to realize that she’s never alone. We’re all together. Don’t get me wrong, some of us really don’t get along, but we deal with each other, and move on. We’re a family, honey, and you’re part of that.”

Lexie moved toward her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Just like you’re part of our family.”

She smiled, giving Lexie’s arm a squeeze. Working for the Chaos Bleeds old women was a dream come true. Not only did she babysit or nanny for them, she helped to design and create their fashion line, which had amazing success online and in their store in town.

“You’re all done. We’ve got to give it about an hour, and then we can wash it off,” Lacey said, moving toward the next person.

She loved it when The Skulls women came. Everything just always felt so right, so together.

Natalie stayed in her chair and watched as Lacey made the rounds, doing some touch-ups followed by a few haircuts. When the time came to wash out the color, she was excited and nervous.

Lacey wouldn’t let her look until she’d dried and styled it, and finally when she looked in the mirror, she loved it.

“I know some would complain that it looks like a unicorn, but this is so you.”

“I love it,” she said, spinning around and hugging Lacey tightly. Most of her hair was blonde, but when the length got to about her neck, the color changed from blonde to purple, to blue, then to red, with the tips being a lime green. She adored it.

“I figured the style made you look like your artistic self.”

She gave a little twirl in the mirror.

“We’re all heading back to the clubhouse now where they’re finally going to serve some food. You coming?” Lacey asked.

“Yes.” Her stomach growled and Lacey laughed.

“Tell me about it. I’m so starved right now. Cutting and styling hair always makes me hungry. Fucking, as well.”

Natalie didn’t say anything. She followed the women outside to the waiting cars. Dick, Ripper, and Death were the designated drivers it would seem. She climbed into the car with Judi, Lexie, and the kids, holding Laurell in her lap. Lexie and Devil’s youngest, Amelia, was already strapped in her seat as well as David. Devil already had Simon, Elizabeth, and Josh back at the clubhouse.

Devil and Lexie had so many kids, six in total, seven with Judi.

Every single day she saw the love, that sparkle between Lexie and Devil, though. Their love was … it was like a fairy tale. No matter how many times Devil saw Lexie, Natalie always saw the look in his eyes. It was a mixture of love and lust that seemed to transcend all other emotion.

Conversation went on around her, but she didn’t mind not joining in. It wasn’t often that she had the confidence to actually be part of it.

Arriving at the clubhouse, she saw that it was really busy. The music seemed to vibrate, and she saw the excitement and happiness within the club. Climbing out of the car, Devil was already there to take his kids.

“Go and have fun.” He didn’t even look her way, taking his child, and helping his woman. She didn’t linger, making her way into the clubhouse. Slash was the first person she encountered. Ever since they shared a kiss, or at least he kissed her, and she didn’t respond, he made her a little nervous. Not uncomfortably so, just … there.

“Hey,” she said.

“Wow.” He stared at her hair.

She gave him a little twirl. “What do you think?”

“It’s different. You were fine the way you were.”

Natalie kept a smile on her face and nodded. One of the club whores that still stuck around wrapped her arms around Slash, and Natalie used it as a chance to escape. Couldn’t he have said something nice?

“Well, damn, I’ll certainly see you in a crowded room,” Butler said as she made her way outside. He stepped toward her, holding her hand, and making her give a twirl. “Sexy as fuck.”

Why couldn’t Slash do that?

****

“Get the fuck off me,” Slash said, pushing the bitch away.

“You know that’s not a nice way to treat a lady,” Lacey said.

He closed his eyes, counted to ten, and opened them to finally see the woman in front of him. Out of all of The Skulls women, he didn’t like Lacey. She had an attitude that often rivaled Tate’s and that was saying something.

“It’s none of your business how I deal with bitches I don’t want hanging over me.”

“I wasn’t talking about the club pussy. She’s not here to be treated nicely. She likes giving it to anyone who’ll pay her attention. That’s a slut’s way. No, I’m talking about Natalie. Couldn’t you have said something nice to her?”

“Her hair was perfect the way it was. She didn’t need to change it.” She was sexy no matter what.

Lacey sighed. “You know, it amazes me at times how the world keeps on turning, and overpopulation could be a real threat seeing as men can’t seem to get their heads out of their asses. It doesn’t matter that she didn’t need to change it. She wanted a change, and you know what, asshole, women like that feeling after having their hair done. The one that makes them feel a little different, like a woman, ready to face the world, and shit like that. Ugh! You know what, let Butler have her. You’re wasted on someone like Natalie.”

She pointed somewhere behind her, and he quickly turned to see Butler holding Natalie’s hand, and she was smiling.

Shit!

No, this was not happening.

Stepping outside, he watched as Butler pulled her into his arms, and then tilted her back as if they’d come to the end of the dance.

The moment Natalie caught sight of him, however, her smile died in her eyes, and it served him fucking right.

“I think your hair is nice,” he said.

Again, she didn’t smile.

“Nice? It’s sexy as fuck, babe,” Butler said.

“You’re sexy, Natalie, no matter what color your hair is.”

She didn’t smile at either of them. Instead, she pulled away from Butler and made her excuses.

“You know, you don’t know how to give a girl a compliment,” Butler said. “She’s clearly having a hard time of it, so she’s doing something that makes her happy, and you’re shitting all over it.”

“Don’t you think it’s important for us to find out what the fuck the problem is?” Slash asked. “She dyes her hair today. What about in a week? Cutting herself? Taking drugs?”

Butler sighed. “You overthink everything, which I thought was hard to do without a fucking brain.”

“Bite me.”

“I would, but I’d go for your neck and get rid of my competition.” Butler showed his teeth, and Slash walked away. He didn’t want to pound Butler’s face, especially as families were here, and it wouldn’t be nice.

Natalie sat at one of the tables with all the kids. Ever since she’d been working for Lexie and Devil, she seemed to always gravitate toward the kids now. He didn’t like that. She distanced herself at every single opportunity. He’d kissed her, and she’d withdrawn from him, but this had come a long time before he kissed her. She was part of them, but again, she wasn’t.

Simon teased one of her curls, and he watched as she laughed. Eva, Tiny, and their kids were not here, so Simon was in a sulk. Devil’s son had a thing for Tiny’s daughter, Tabitha. When the two were together, they were inseparable.

“Do you want to wipe up the drool?” Jessica asked.

She was a nurse and worked at the local hospital. In recent months, she’d begun to take time off, and he knew it was because Snake and Jessica were trying for a baby.

“It’s not that bad.” He still wiped his mouth though.

“Please. You’re like a little puppy dog with the way you look at her.”

From the first moment he saw Natalie he’d been smitten. She wasn’t like any of the women at the club, or the old ladies, either.

The jeans she wore hugged every single curve, highlighting her rounded hips, and thighs made to be wrapped around him. He loved how gentle she was and had spent hours simply watching her sketch.

Not only did she design clothes, she also loved to draw and paint.

He loved quite a few of her pictures, and even had one on his wall, which reminded him constantly of her.

“You’ve not gotten very far with her, have you?” Jessica asked.

The kiss they shared meant something to him, but he also knew it had only served to put a distance between them. Not only that, Butler making her aware of their feelings pretty much screwed whatever friendship they had.

“She wants nothing to do with us,” he said.

“So? You like her and she likes you.”

“It’s not the same.” He watched as Natalie took the pen Paul, Ripper and Judi’s son, gave her, and began to add to the picture they were drawing.

“Please. I can’t believe I’m hearing this bullshit. Between you and Butler, you’re both fucking suckers. You’re a Chaos Bleeds guy, and she’s right there for you.” Jessica rolled her eyes.

He was about to tell her to fuck off when Snake appeared. “My woman giving you a hard time?”

“No,” Jessica said.

“Yes. Take her away before I find a reason to throttle her.”

“You wouldn’t do that, Slash.” She winked at him and he shook his head as she walked away.

Heading to the table with the kids, he took a seat. “Hey, Slash,” Simon said.

“You okay, bud?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Simon stared across the backyard looking so fucking miserable.

“He’s missing Tabitha,” Natalie said.

“She said she was going to be here, and then her dad decided they needed to go to Vegas to see her granddad. Why couldn’t Ned come here?”

“I don’t think Ned and your dad get on all that well.”

Simon scowled, got to his feet, and walked away.

It scared Slash how fast that kid was growing up. To him it didn’t seem that long ago that they arrived in Piston County with the intention of finding Devil’s kid and being on their way. Of course, the moment they hit the town, everything had changed.

Life had turned upside down, back to front, and been all over the place. Each step had brought him to where he was now. Staring across the table as Natalie tucked her multi-colored hair behind her ear.

She looked sexy as fuck, but he’d also seen her in that dress she designed for herself, and knew she was perfect.

Being around the kids, he kept his needs in check, but it was driving him crazy pretending not to want her.

One of the kid’s favorite songs started up, and they all left the table to head into the center of the yard and start dancing. Slash didn’t want to lose an opportunity to dance with Natalie, and he saw her alone so he headed on over to her.

“Do you want to teach them how it’s done?” he asked.

She burst out laughing. “I don’t dance.”

He held his hand out. “Come on, there’s never a time when it’s too late to learn.”

Natalie nibbled her lip, and all he wanted to do was pull that lip out of her mouth and kiss the fuck out of her.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s a dance. I’m a grown-ass man, Natalie. I’m not going to think you’re offering me anything. It doesn’t matter. I know you, and I know we’re only friends.” For now. “I just want to dance.”

He saw the temptation there, and she finally relented, taking his hand.

Leading her onto the grass that others were dancing on, he kept hold of her hands, and started to sway.

“Isn’t this a little childish?” she asked, as they followed the kids’ moves.

“You’ve got to start somewhere. Did you ever go to a dance growing up?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then this is one hell of a great start. You see, you sway from side to side when you’re kids. Boys don’t want to get close to girls. They’ve got weird diseases. They like hugging, and being all gross, and boys can’t be like that. We’ve got to be cool, you know. Nothing can bother us. We’re in control.”

She burst out laughing.

“Okay, so we’re swaying.”

“Yep, then there’s a few cool moves.” He spun her around a couple of times, and they did some action with their feet, shaking their hips as they did. Her smile was infectious as she copied him move for move.

“You ready to go up a level?” he asked.

“Sure.”

His hand caught her hip and pulled her close.

“This is just going up a level?” she asked.

“Yes. You see, guys go from hating girls, to suddenly realizing there’s a whole lot more to them. Everything suddenly seems like a lot of fun.” He didn’t cross any line or make her aware of the fact his cock was so hard it would push straight through his jeans. He simply held her close. To him, it was perfect.

****

“I have to wonder if you’re even interested in Natalie,” Jessica asked.

Butler turned his gaze from the dancefloor to look at Jessica. “And why would that be?”

“You’re not trying to get in between them.”

“I’m not going to be a child to get what I want.”

“Is she who you really want? Slash loves her. You can see that clearly. You, you strike me as if you’re waiting to cause some trouble.”

“When I need your opinion I’ll ask for it.”

“Okay.” Jessica held her hands up and stepped away. He kept on staring at her until she was far enough from him.

Turning, Butler looked directly at Natalie as she laughed at something Slash said. He wanted her, there was no doubt about that. But every time he wanted something, he was never half-assed with anything.

His addictions set him on a course, and the only reason he held back was purely because Natalie had been through enough. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off or hurt her.

Running a hand down his face, he watched as Slash changed the dancing, and suddenly he held her close.

Natalie stared up at Slash, nervous, unsure, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Stepping onto the dance floor, he moved right up behind her, placing his hands on her waist.

“Didn’t anyone tell you that I know how to dance?” he asked, pulling her back against him. Slash, being the idiot that he was, let her go, and she was against his chest.

The scent of her surrounded him, and Butler felt that panic slowly ease away from him. With her in his arms, focus came back, and with it, a need unlike anything he’d ever known. Not for the drugs. No, it was a need to be this woman’s everything.

No one else had seen through the bullshit lies she gave about feeling fine. Not one other member had seen that she wanted to sell her father’s ranch. Slash himself had told her everything would be okay, and they’d help her out. He’d not seen that Natalie was slowly dying inside trying to keep a legacy alive that wasn’t her own. He spun her around so that she was facing him.

“I love your hair,” he said, watching her smile again.

“Lacey is amazing.”

He ran his fingers down the strands, liking even more that she’d kept it down, and it wasn’t trapped up in a ponytail. There were times he wondered if she even realized she was a woman.

“She really is.” Not half as amazing as the woman in his arms.

Everyone was wrong about him. He wasn’t trying to piss Slash off, or cause a problem. Natalie was unlike any woman he’d ever known. She wasn’t after anything for herself. She was kind, sweet, charming, and so talented. Sitting with her, they could be in complete silence, or even talk about putting the world to rights. To him, it didn’t matter. He just loved her company, and there’s no way he’s letting her go without a fight.