Page 116 of 12 Months of Mayhem

“She packed her bags at the cabin. Where’s the liquor she’s picking up?”

“The clubhouse.”

“We have some shit to sort out. I’m going to take her away from everything once I figure out what I’m going to say. Until then, I hope she’ll be around.” I finally feel like I’m living a little and I know she’s the reason. The minute I knew I was coming back home, I felt lighter just thinking about seeing her. The past few years have been all about death and it’s hard to feel hopeful when your job is to be the last person people see before they take their last breath.

“Just make sure I don’t have to hear you two fuckin’. Or see it. For fuck’s sake, don’t ever let me see my sister’s bare ass or tits. I will kill you with my own bare hands.”

“She has the best ass and tits I’ve ever seen, let alone had in my hands.” It’ll be fun tormenting Theo with shit now that I know he’s not trying to kill me for the vile things I’ve done and will be doing to his little sister.

“Or hear you talking about it. Jesus. Do I have to tell you everything.” He fires up his bike and yells at me over the rumble of the engine.

“And her pussy…” He drives off before I can finish, leaving me laughing and coughing in the dust he left behind.

Charlise

Theo wasn’t wrong about the guys waiting for me at the clubhouse. They had it all loaded within a few minutes of me pulling up. Luckily, it all fit in the back seat of the cab and under the bed cover. I can only hope I have this much help when I drop it off at the cabin.

Theo: Invite your friends to the cabin tonight. Tell them the liquor is covered and they can all stay if they can’t drive. You should probably leave the boy out of this one.

Charlise: I thought you were going to have the girls come.

Theo: They are.

I really don’t want my friends around all of that… but I also don’t want to be there without some support. I’ve been around all of the club guys my entire life and luckily, they all treat me like a sister… except Zayne. It’s Zayne that I want help keeping away from. His broody, bossy demeanor won’t even deter me from falling into my old ways. Today was a perfect example of that.

Charlise: I’m bringing Bryce and you’re going to make sure that’s not a problem.

Theo: Fuck. I’m not sure I even have the skillset for that. No, I don’t want to deal with that shit today.

Charlise: I can just drop off the liquor and meet my friends somewhere else. We were planning a bonfire party at the beach anyway.

Theo doesn’t respond, so I don’t know if he’s going to ruin the bonfire for me or be preoccupied enough with his club whores to leave me alone. I can only hope for the second option.

When I get to the cabin with the liquor, I step out and whistle loudly to call all the guys to come help. There are club guys everywhere and of course because I have the liquor, they all come running. Even standing on the tailgate, I don’t see Theo and Zayne until the truck is almost empty.

“Charlise, you’re going on the boat with us today.” Theo yells from in front of the truck.

“Theodore, I’m not going on the boat with you. I told you that I have plans.” I yell back before I jump down and plan my escape. Zayne meets me at my driver door, already holding my truck keys in his hand. Shit.

“I think you should go out on the boat with me. I promise to have you back before your big date.” I glare at Theo when Zayne acknowledges my plans to go out with Bryce tonight.

“You’re a rat bastard, Theo.” I wonder how much Theo knows when he smirks at Zayne standing this close to me.

“Love ya too, Sis.” He’s already halfway across the yard when he hollers back at me.

“What have you done?” I have to ask Zayne what has changed. Zayne looks proud and less tense, so I know something is different.

“Nothing.” He does the thing he always does to me when he’s about to kiss me. He grips my neck and guides me closer to him with a single hand. It’s a dominant move that sends waves straight through me. He’s the only guy who has ever tried it and probably the only guy who could get away with it.

“What are you doing?”

“Starting over with you. Come with me. It’ll be like old times and I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

“Like you are now.” He holds his grip on my throat while he rubs a thumb over my jaw line. His sexy blue eyes go between studying my eyes and watching me lick my lips. He uses his other hand to brush the side of his index finger over my nipple piercing, making me grip the sides of his shirt to keep steady.

“I’m showing crazy restraint right now. You better believe I have a thousand other things I want to be doing instead.” Me too. I don’t say it, but I know my body is already telling him the truths behind the lies I will have to tell to keep my distance from him. My heart can’t take what only he can do to me. No one else has ever had the power to crush me to pieces.

I take a step back, creating a space between us and allowing myself to become grounded again. “I shouldn’t.”

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