Page 8 of My Darling Mayhem

“Just wish you had more support here. If any of our enemies catch on that you’re here alone, it’s dangerous. You should have the club out; be sure people know you’re not a lone wolf or anything.”

I nodded, knowing he was right.

“Not sure how my new HOA will feel about that.” I smiled, but there was a sliver of truth to it. Not that I gave a fuck aboutthe fees or whatever power those stupid organizations had, but I didn’t want to attract any negative attention. I had to look like I was a good fit for my brother to live with. I had already talked with Ruth, one of our hackers, to see if we could have what was already on my record expunged, but in the eyes of the family court, I wasn’t sure it would make much of a difference.

Even as the president of a motorcycle club, with all the negative connotations that come with that, I couldn’t allow Kane to go to our father if he decided to pop up again. Establishing a way to balance the club's responsibilities while gaining legal custody of Kane would be a top priority, but to do that, I had to ensure I didn’t draw any negative attention to myself.

“That pretty new neighbor a member of the HOA?” Thistle’s question had my mind snapping back to the moment. Then picturing how her silky soft hair bounced against a narrow waist and round ass. How her amber eyes looked against her brown skin and those thick dark lashes. Even more so, how she’d spoken up to distract Kane’s teacher when she didn’t have to.

Wren. She’d said her name was Wren Vasquez. The name had looped around my head several times, forcing me to type it into a few social media search bars, but nothing came up.

I shook my head. “She sure acts like she is; I don’t think she likes me very much.”

“Just flash her that Archer Green smile, and I’m sure she’ll beg you for a ride.” Thistle’s laugh boomed through the empty room, his innuendo clear.

We both laughed and joked before he had to leave to get back to the city to work in the morning. I grabbed our glass bottles and a few other flattened cardboard boxes and exited through the back. The recycling bins were currently set up along the side of my house because my garage was full of all my shit.

It was almost dark, but as I rounded the small alley next to the house, I could see over the fence where Wren’s carwas parked. She acted as though I disgusted her like my mere existence was a stain. I would almost assume she was doing it because she thought she was better than me, but her car was older, her clothes were from a discount store, and she seemed to be on her own with her kid. Maybe she just really didn’t like that I nearly hit her with my bike.

Maybe I should actually apologize instead of the bullshit apology I gave her.

My hands were full as I began shifting things around to fit inside the bins, but suddenly I heard a car pull up behind Wren’s.

A fucking Tesla parked, and the guy who crawled out from behind the wheel wore a suit and a tie…I glared at his slicked hair and the fact that he wore loafers without socks.

He didn’t see me watching him from my side of the fence as he pulled out his cell and slowly sauntered down the driveway toward Wren’s front door.

Was this her boyfriend? He seemed too clean…too perfect for her. It would be like pairing up a wildflower with a wax plant.

I continued to watch as he knocked on her front door, and then she stepped out, wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a thin tank top. She instantly started pushing at the man’s chest until he was away from her door. She seemed surprised, almost shocked, or panicked that he was there, which only proved correct when she started yelling.

“What are you doing here?”

I couldn’t see the man’s face, but he raised his hands and shoulders as if to shrug.

Wren shook her head, crossing her arms tight across her chest. “No, I didn’t respond to your messages. You can’t show up at my house, Brian.”

Brian? Oh shit, that’s too easy. Such a stupid name.

He said something back to her, then shoved his phone in her face. She didn’t seem to like that, and honestly, neither did I. It felt a little aggressive, especially considering she had already stated that she didn’t want him there.

I took a slow walk past my bins, setting all the materials down so as not to make a sound. Then I pushed open my side gate and rounded the drive, standing at the top of Wren’s. Neither of them could see me, and she was waving her hands and pointing at Brian’s car, telling him to go.

But he wasn’t moving.

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I made my way closer to the pair, and I heard the asshole saying something about the two of them fucking. Wren scoffed and rubbed at her forehead like she was exasperated. For no reason whatsoever, I detested the idea of the two of them together that way.

I kept walking until they both saw me and turned. Wren’s lips parted while those amber eyes went wide. I decided I liked that expression on her face and that I was the one who put it there.

“Hey, sorry to bother you both. I’m the new next-door neighbor, Archer.” I threw my thumb over my shoulder to indicate my house. “Just wondering if either of you had a screwdriver I could borrow?”

The man, Brian, I guess…was staring down at his cell phone while Wren glanced between us both.

“Yeah, I do. Brian, you can head out.” She lifted her chin toward his car while standing guard in front of her door.

Brian finally glanced up at me, then over at Wren. “I’m not leaving until we discuss this.”

I pivoted, my boots kicking up a bit of loose gravel as I moved directly in front of him.

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