There was a knock on the door as I was pulling on a clean pair of jeans, my hair still damp from my shower. “Coming!” I called out as I hopped around, trying to pull the jeans up over my ass and button them.

I pulled the door open to see Jess standing outside. “We need to go to the meeting,” she said simply.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” I answered, stepping out and pulling the door closed. We walked down the short hallway together, I could already see everyone filling the main room, waiting for Optimus to come and speak.

Jess continued to stand beside me as we found a place against the back wall. Jess and I had joined the club around the same time. I guess you could say we formed somewhat of a bond even though our personalities and aspirations were vastly different. Jess was a straight talker, and I often found her attitude around the club a little too brash, especially when it came to speaking to the other club girls.

She definitely didn’t hold back, and in all honesty, could be a total bitch.

But she’d never really been that way with me, or maybe it was just because I saw through the hard shell she’d created around herself, and had seen how caring and soft she could be behind closed doors. She’d been a friend to me when I needed it, listening late at night when I’d be worked up about college assignments or when the danger surrounding the club had become all too real.

She always managed to stay calm and collected.

While Jess didn’t go to school like me and some of the other girls did—working at the club as more of a way to get by until we graduated—she did do work online and had a pretty popular online fashion blog. The club allowed her to take time to work on it like a job or school, as long as it was done anonymously, and she never shared with her following, who she was, where she was, or what she actually did there. And as long as it didn’t interfere with her duties.

“All right, listen up,” Optimus called over the chatting crowd that had gathered, instantly making people shut their mouths and pay attention. I tiptoed up, seeing him standing over by the pool table, cradling one of his baby boys in his massive arms. “As you should already know, we’re heading out on a charity run the day after tomorrow. Attendance is compulsory unless already discussed with me.”

I sighed, happy that Optimus had warned us about this ride a couple of weeks ago as I’d had a paper due during the time we’d be away, and had to make sure it was finished early so I could hand it in this afternoon.

“Since the club girls are coming, here’s who you’ll be riding with. Any issues… I don’t give a fuck, suck it up,” Optimus continued before he listed off which girls would be riding with which brother. “… Jess, you’ll be with Camo, and lastly, Skylar, you’re gonna be with Eagle.”

I looked to my right and found the man in question staring back at me. I threw him a small smile, and in return, he nodded his head before turning his attention back to where Optimus was discussing how long we would be gone.

This would be interesting, to say the least.

I’d never really had any kind of interaction with Eagle other than to serve him drinks when I worked at the bar, and even then, the most he offered was the type of beer he wanted and a grunt in thanks.

While all the men who were part of the club were scary in their own ways, Eagle was the one that I found the most intense. I’d yet to see a soft side from him like I’d seen from the other guys. He always seemed so broody and unapproachable, even in the rare times where I’d seen him smile while chatting with his brothers or one of the old ladies.

“At least with Camo I know I’ll be getting laid,” Jess said with a snort, and I turned to look at her, noticing her gaze had been in the same direction as mine. She continued to watch Eagle as he listened intently to Optimus’ words. “Eagle doesn’t touch any of the club girls.”

I frowned. “I wonder why.”

Jess shrugged. “I’ve seen him with girls at clubs and shit, or on runs like these. So I know he doesn’t play for the other team.” I cringed slightly at her brash use of words and shook my head. “I think he feels like we’re below him,” she continued, narrowing her eyes on the man before looking back at me.

The crowd began to thin out as the meeting finished and Jess instantly skipped off, making a beeline for Camo. He turned and greeted her with a sexy smirk, delight in his eyes. I stayed where I was, allowing the chaos to die down around me before I made a move.

“Hey, Sky!” I smiled as Sugar headed toward me, a bright and energetic grin on her face. She looked great and had been really thriving since she and Wrench got back to the club. I’d watched over her store while she was away. Thankfully Optimus had cut my duties back for those few months so I could keep the store running, and also still attend classes without having to worry about being kept up all night by drunk brothers looking for a lay. Doing it all at once would have been far too stressful, but fortunately, Optimus and the boys are understanding and respectful of these kind of things.

“Are you looking forward to having a break away?” she asked cheerily. Sugar had booked me the time off so that I could go away with the boys. Har was still too young for these type of runs, so she had to stay behind with her and help Chelsea with the twins. “You’ve been working so hard between the shop, the club and school, you deserve some time out.”

I laughed. “I guess when you put it that way, yeah, it will be nice to get away for a little while. Even just the ride there and back will be peaceful,” I told her, butterflies starting to flutter in my stomach as I thought about getting on the back of a bike. Excitement washed over me. There was something about riding that made me feel… free. And that was a feeling I wanted to embrace as often as possible. “I’m a little worried about leaving Emerald though.”

Sugar didn’t seem surprised by my confession. By now news had got around about her, and I knew there were a lot of questions floating around the club about Emerald and me, and the place which we’d come from. I guess it wasn’t every day you met someone who’d made a run from a religious cult and survived.

That sounded a little dark, but for the most part, it was true.

I’d done the research myself, watching documentaries about other survivors and how they had managed to escape by the skin of their teeth, and even some about people who were allowed to pack their things and their families and just walk away.

Turns out it isn’t exactly uncommon. There are hundreds, if not thousands of groups out there that claim some kind of religious or spiritual following and are not unlike the Colony I came from. Some much, much worse.

The difference between the world we’d grown up in and the one in which I lived now, was like night and day at times, and Emerald seemed to be still struggling to cope with what was going on. I was battling to split my time between the club and my sister, but luckily for the time being, Deacon had taken time off work to be at home with Emerald as we tried to figure out our next step.

In the meantime, I had to stay with the club. I couldn’t afford to leave and take care of the both of us while still going to school.

Not yet.

And that broke my heart that I needed to rely on someone else to watch out for my family.

“Talk to her. Unfortunately, this is an obligation and not an option,” Sugar said with a slight warning in her voice to let me know that I shouldn’t try to get out of it. “If Op says the girls need to be there, then you need to be there.”

I nodded in understanding.

I knew my place within the club. From the outside, it might seem somewhat like the cult I escaped from, but inside, it was vastly different.

The men here ruled, but they were also men who had certain values and levels of respect. Being here was on my terms—I could walk away at any moment if that’s what I wanted to do and I’m sure most of the people inside this building would hug me tightly and wish me well. When push came to shove, I was never made to do anything that I didn’t want to do.

As club girls we were cared for and protected, it had been one of the huge draw cards for me when I met another of the club girls in one of my classes at the local college. At that point I was still scared and looking over my shoulder all the time, waiting for that moment when they would appear and drag me kicking and screaming back to the Colony.

I’d managed to secure enough money to pay for one semester of class, hoping I would find a job at some point to try and cover the rest. One meeting with the Brothers by Blood and I had my shit packed up that night and was moving into the clubhouse. I felt safe there, strange I know, but so true. They let me know that they would have my back and I could go to them for help.

I couldn’t pass it up.

And now with Emerald around, I had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before I needed to ask for that help, so walking away now was simply not an option.