Page 76 of Pay the Price

I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE IT ALONE. NOW YOU’LL LEARN.

The note had to have come from Calvin. The Beasts had told me that he was the only one who’d been by Old Mountain Road the day the broken vase was left on the porch, something they’d found out at almost the exact same moment I was being kidnapped by Calvin.

He’d been quiet since my kidnapping, and I’d assumed my dad told him to stand down, that I’d gotten the message.

Except Calvin wasn’t standing down, and that meant my dad’s lesson wasn’t going to stop with my kidnapping and imprisonment at the dam.

Wolf extricated himself from a group of men standing by the food tables and made his way toward me. Had he been waiting for Honey to leave? Giving us time for girl talk? That would be like Wolf. He seemed to anticipate everything, seemed to know the exact right thing to do and say no matter the situation.

And I had to say, he was looking mighty fine. Unlike a lot of the Blades, he wasn’t wearing a cut, but he didn’t need it. In faded denim and no shirt, the elaborate montage of images on his chest and arms on full display, he looked good enough to eat.

Or fuck.

Or both.

I hoped someday I’d have the time to properly inspect the intertwined images inked onto his body.

“Hey there, sunshine.” He bent to kiss me, right there in front of everyone, and no one batted an eye. Did everyone in the MC know about me and the Beasts? Did I care?

“Hey,” I said. I hadn’t told the Beasts about the latest letter. I was going to, but I’d just gotten it the day before, and I wasn’t scheduled to work again for five days.

I just wanted to enjoy the holiday before they went into Secret Service mode.

“You about ready to hop in the river?” Wolf asked.

“More than ready. I’m dying. I’m so glad the pool company is starting next week.”

“Same.” He bent down to murmur in my ear. “Although I have to say, I think I’m as excited to watch you swim naked as I am about the relief from the heat.”

“Who said I was going to swim naked?”

“Are you saying you won’t?” he asked. “Because I was definitely planning to join you, and I’m willing to bet Otis and Jace will be more than happy to join us both.”

Heat rushed between my thighs at the thought of swimming naked with all three Beasts, our bodies sliding together in the water.

He laughed like he could read my mind. “I get the feeling you’re reconsidering.”

“I never said I wouldn’t. I just don’t want you to take it for granted.”

His grin was devilish. “Never. You always keep me guessing, sunshine.”

“It’s hotter than Hades out here!” one of the Blades said, tearing off his cut. His giant hairy thighs were on display in cutoff shorts made comical by his clunky black biker boots. “Time to tube!”

A whoop went up from the crowd, followed by a handful of people yelling, “Time to tube!”

Otis and Jace made their way through the crowd to join Wolf and me.

“Don’t think you’re keeping Daisy to yourself this time,” Otis said.

Wolf grinned. “I think that’s up to Daisy.”

“Who gives a fuck?” Jace said, back to his surly self, which was par for the course of every day ending in “Y.” “Let’s get wet.”

Chapter 46

Wolf

It was a good day, even without a detour to the meadow where I’d taken Daisy’s virginity. I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes when we passed the creek that led to the spot, but I fell in love with her a little bit more when she laughed and said, “Don’t be a baby.”

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