I’m taking the fact that Landon’s not back as good news…For him, at least. I know Big Sal’s. It’s the Devils’ Dragons strip-joint they own and the MC’s clubhouse is hidden out back. I knew he’d find people he knew there. Maybe he’s forgotten about me too, at this point. I don’t let it worry me too much for now. My day’s gone exactly to plan. Despite missing Landon and wondering if he’s remembering anymore about me, I’ve kept myself distracted and hidden away. Plus my Chinese food was filthy and delicious.

The fortune from the cookie read:

A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not why ships are built.

The sentiment strengthens me today. I am that ship that sailed far on its odyssey and returned home, still afloat…if only just.

A quiet knock on the door makes my heart jump. I ease out of bed and go to let Landon in. Every nerve ending in my body is on edge. Will he remember me? Will he be able to forgive me?

I swing the door open with an apprehensive smile, but it quickly turns to a scream as a grizzly-bear of a man reaches through and grabs me up, his hand clamping down over my mouth as the door closes behind him.

“Lucienne, my dear. It’s been a while. I’m going to let go, but you need to promise me you’re not going to scream again… Give me a little nod that you understand.”

I go limp against him, nodding ever so slightly.

He lets me go and I step back away from him, stumbling toward the bed in my t-shirt and panties.

“I think you have a little explaining to do, little girl.”

“Mac… I’m sorry…”

“Sorry?” he says viciously. “The both of you get amnesia or what? You fall off his bike at the same time?”

“No,” I say, unable to hide my trembling voice.

“We had a deal, me, you and Landon, Lucy. I help you take care of that fucked up father of yours, you work for me or you leave town.”

“I didn’t ask you to bring Landon into it!” I shouted, tears starting to stream down my face. “You tore us apart.”

Mac sucks on a toothpick, grinning. “You should have stayed apart.”

“He came to me, Mac… I was just trying to help…”

The way the old man’s eyes move over my body makes my skin crawl the same way mom’s old friends used to when they’d come visit. I cross my arms to hide my body

“You’re a wily one, huh?” He gives a wide grin. “Just like your mama was.”

“Fuck you.” Keep pushing, Lucy, keep fighting.

“Right. I get it. It’s good to be on guard in a man’s world, baby girl. I won’t stop you. Just one thing I gotta ask though: You in love with him again?”

“Again?” I say, knowing how foolish this charade is but sticking to it nonetheless. “We’ve always been friends…Barely friends.”

“Barely friends, hm? Good. You know how to protect yourself in this world. Landon or your daddy taught you good. Because know that I don’t need Landon to have any distractions, not when the club’s at the crossroads that we are.”

“I only came here to help him get his memory back… I owed that to him.”

“Oh, Palermo. You know damn well that’s not why you’re back here. You’ve been fucking him. I’m ain’t no damn spring chicken. You have to back off now unless you want the police digging up a little patch of dirt outside town. Landon’s not coming back to you. He’s engaged to a pretty little thing named Mia. Probably came down to tell you the good fucking news when he dropped his damn hog. Give him a few days and I’m sure he’ll be thinking straight,” Mac says, his lips curling even more viciously.

Something about the way he was sneering let me know I wasn’t getting the whole story.

“He’s going to want to see me before I leave… You know that,” I protest. I’ve lost Landon once and I’m damn sure not leaving without a goodbye.

“That’s why you’re coming with me,” Mac replies, turning and giving a little whistle toward the door. It opened slowly, and a pair of leather clad men I’d never met stepped through. “Help Miss Palermo gather her things, we’re going back to the clubhouse.”