Page 3 of Chief's Addiction

Sierra frowned. “Are you going to be okay?”

I squared my shoulders, forcing a smile despite the hollow ache in my chest. “Definitely. I’m an Allen woman. We always land on our feet.”

My smile felt brittle, but I held it in place as Sierra gathered up the rest of my things and walked with me back toward the parking lot.

I was so embarrassed but I kept my head high. My pride was all I had left, and I’d be damned if I letChiefor his wife see how deeply they’d wounded me.

As I pulled away from the gates, the smile on my face crumbled and the tears began to flow.

Never again would I trust a biker with my heart.

Chapter 1

Cora

Present Day

I was sitting on my butt in the sand, digging my toes in deep enough to feel the cool dampness beneath the surface. And the morning air, it still had that hint of a chill.

This was my church. This was where I worshipped the Gods and thanked the universe for all its blessings.

It wouldn’t last of course.

Come noon, I’d be cussing up a storm about how damn hot it was.

It’s what I liked to refer to as balance.

See, it was late May in Jacksonville, and that meant come mid-day the Florida sun would be beaming and with it came the humidity.

However, in the early hours, when the beaches were almost empty and everything was calm, it was damn near perfection.

“So then my dad says I can have the Jeep for graduation if my GPA stays above 3.8.” Marley sighed dramatically, flopping back onto her beach towel, drawing me back to the conversation. “Like that’s even fair when I’m taking all AP classes.”

I smiled, watching her blonde ponytail fan out in the sand.

Marley Thompson was the epitome of privileged youth. Designer swimwear under her top-of-the-line wetsuit, a father who was some hotshot surgeon, and a future paved with gold. Some might say she was living on easy street.

I didn’t fault her for any of that, though.

Beneath all that life had blessed her with, she was an amazing kid with a soft heart and a gentle soul.

“Life’s tough at the top, huh, Mar?” I teased, scanning the beach for any sign Beckett, then looking back at my student thathadshown up on time.

Marley rolled her eyes but grinned. “You sound like my mom.”

“Oh no you didn’t!” I clutched my chest in mock horror. “Take it back!”

Marley’s lips turned up and a blush tinted her cheeks at my theatrics.

The truth was, I didn’t mind listening to her talk about her problems. It wasn’t up to me to say if they were valid or not. Everyone going through something gets to feel how they feel.

“Do you think he’s going to show?”

Thehein question was my other Monday and Friday student, Beckett.

“I don’t know.” I checked my phone again. It wasn’t like Beck to be this late.

In the ten months since he’d stumbled into my life, he’d been religiously punctual despite the complicated situation of his home life.

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