Epilogue

Brynn

DO YOU KNOW what it's like growing up in everyone's shadow and constantly being teased that you're the ‘oops' baby of the family? My brother Maddox and sister Zoey are always teasing the hell out of me because Zoey is seven years older and Mad is six years older than I am.

And when I say I grew up in their shadow, it's not a lie or any kind of stretch of the imagination.

From the second I started school, I was compared to my sister who is a damn genius while Mad is the jock.

They won every award possible for everything they did and Mad took two of his three sports teams to the championship game at least three of the four years he played in high school and won those games.

Zoey went to an ivy league school while Mad was granted a scholarship to any college he wanted to play ball in.

At the end of the day, I'm neither one of them.

I don't play sports like my brother and I'm not a genius like my sister.

Yes, I was a cheerleader in high school because I always loved gymnastics and dancing.

I figured cheerleading was the best of both worlds and I discovered it was something I was extremely good at.

While I got almost straight A's in school, I had to study for hours a day and earn every single one of those grades.

Nothing came easy to me and I struggled more often than not.

Add in the fact that I wasn't very girly when I wasn't cheerleading and I was constantly bullied and picked on by my peers.

They hated the fact that I rode a sport bike from the time I got my license and I was even in a race or two over the years.

Another shadow I grew up in is that of my dad, grandpa, and uncle.

See, I grew up in a motorcycle club.

My mom was one of the strippers for their club and that's how my dad met her.

I don't give a fuck what my mom did, but apparently some people in town did.

Maddox and Zoey were never picked on for what our mom's profession was before she started having kids and met my dad.

When it comes to me, it's like I have a giant sign on my forehead that it's okay to bully me and not to worry about how I feel because I'm never going to do anything about it.

Anyway, my grandpa is the infamous Blood, President of the King's Vengeance MC.

Scathe is my dad and Ace is my uncle.

My grandpa alone is known by a ton of men in MCs all over the States and I'm not sure that it's a good thing he's so known by everyone.

On one hand it made it very easy for me to fade into the background and disappear when I wanted to.

Other times, it was very hard to disappear and fade into nothing because one of my parents, my uncle, or my grandparents would be searching for me.

I was usually lost in a book somewhere if I'm being honest.

It was the one way I could escape my life and forget about the world of assholes around me.

Especially the bullies and those who pretended to be my friend in order to get closer to the club.

Especially my older brother.

No one was ever genuinely interested in getting to know who I am as a person because I'm the loser of my family.

If I had told my brother, sister, parents, or anyone else in the club, they would've stepped in to put the bullies in their place.

Especially the boys who I considered my cousins.

Since none of them had the problems I seem to have in school, it was never something I was going to burden others with.

Despite being on the cheerleading team, bullies found it hilarious to beat me down on a daily basis.

Now that I've graduated high school and don't want to go to college, I've moved away from my family to carve my own path in the world.

My dad and mom weren't happy that I wanted to move so far from them, but my grandpa chose to step in on my behalf when I ran off in tears because no one truly understands how hard things have been for me.

He's always been close to me and I've always been a Daddy's girl.

This was one time being so close to my dad didn't work in my favor.

Anyway, my grandpa stepped up and told my parents the truth of what I'd been dealing with all through school on my own without telling a single person about it.

How he found out, I have no clue, but he knew every minor detail of everything the bullies ever did and said to me over the years.

Even about the time I ended up with a broken arm during a football game because the other cheerleaders thought it would be hysterical to drop me while I was up in a mount.

I almost quit over that, but refused to give them the satisfaction.

Pine View is a small city I overheard Maddox talking about one day.

He'd gone on a ride through several states and stopped there for a week or so.

He was talking all about a new MC in the city and it was someone Grandpa knew from years ago.

So, I figured I'd be safe there with another MC so close.

The day I moved, my mom almost didn't let me go once she wrapped me up in one of her tight hugs.

My dad shed a tear over me leaving and tried to pretend like it never happened.

Even Uncle Ace got emotional when I left.

Don't get me wrong.

My family loves me very much.

Even Zoey and Maddox love me and will be the first ones to step up and defend me.

They were pissed when they found out from our grandpa that I was being bullied and I never once said a word to them.

Both of them were in college or Prospecting for the club and I didn't want to be a burden to them as I said before.

I've been in Pine View for a little over a month now and each day is the same.

I don't have to work right now because I've saved every penny I've ever earned or gotten for my birthday or holidays over the years.

The only time I've ever spent a penny is when I bought my bike and all the gear I ride in.

Everything is brand-new and my parents didn't help me buy it at all.

I'm very proud of the fact that my new bike is all mine and no one can ever say I didn't earn it.

Even my first bike that I learned to ride on is all mine.

I bought it in the junkyard, paid for every part my dad and I installed on it, and I maintained the bike every single day without help from anyone.

Even now no one helps maintain either bike and I'm paying to have my original one shipped from home to Pine View as we speak.

Anyway, I get up and go for a run around the city before stopping into my favorite little café for a large iced coffee.

After having a good breakfast of fruit, eggs, sausage or bacon and toast, I make my way to the shower to clean up after my run.

Once I'm ready for the day, I get on my bike and head for the nearest book store in the city.

It's actually located right down from the Phantom Bastards clubhouse.

The only reason I know that's the club in town is because I've seen them all over the place since moving here.

My day is spent reading my favorite books, buying new authors I've never read before, and working on my own novel.

Yes, I plan on being an author and am just getting started in the entire process.

It's hard because I haven't found anyone to ask questions of, but I'm sure there's an author out there who would be willing to help me get started.

Today is no different.

I'm sitting on the second floor of the book store, Turn the Page, with my notebook in one hand, a book in the other, and my coffee and muffin sitting on the table in front of me.

I always get a blueberry muffin when I'm here to hold me over between breakfast and when I go home for dinner.

I'm different because I'm not a big eater of lunch.

Most of the time I forget all about eating it and don't realize how late it is until I'm hungry and can't ignore my stomach any longer.

It's something my family always used to get on my ass about because they didn't feel I'd ever eat enough for riding my bike and cheerleading.

It never bothered me though.

Sitting at my usual table, I try to focus on the new paranormal book I'm reading.

It's where the girl doesn't have to choose between the men she loves and they're all her fated mates apparently.

This is a first for me and so far I'm absolutely loving the story.

It's actually pretty damn funny because the girl reminds me of a few girls I knew.

She's full of sass and snark, always saying what's on her mind.

The men are head over heels in love with her and it's something I've wanted all of my life.

Someone to love me for the woman I'm growing into and not because of what I can offer them with the men of the club I grew up in.

As I get lost in the story, my table is bumped into and my eyes immediately land on my coffee to ensure it doesn't spill all over the place.

Looking up to see who bumped into my table, I find the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen in my life.

He's got long, dark hair with some curl to the strands that are held back from his face by a black bandana tied around his head.

This man's eyes are the darkest blue I've ever seen in my life.

They're almost a navy blue and I'm instantly drawn into his gaze in a way I've never experienced before.

There's stubble along his jawline that adds to the bad boy appeal this guy is exuding in waves.

His body is covered by a pair of riding pants I've only seen on guys who ride sport bikes and a tight tee-shirt covering his muscled chest, showing every single ab on him.

I stop my perusal of his body immediately when I see the cut covering his torso.

After growing up in an MC, I swore I'd never date a guy in a club.

Not because they treat their women horrible.

If anything, it's the exact opposite.

I've dealt with every single issue in my life on my own and it's made me an extremely independent woman.

That's why I'll never date a biker.

Most of them can't handle a woman who prefers to take care of shit on her own while still giving her man all the love she has to give another person who isn't part of her family.

"I'm sorry,"

he says, his deep voice washing over me and making me shake in my seat.

I have always loved a man with a deep voice and the hint of a graveled undertone to it.

For a second I close my eyes and try to push away the feelings I have rushing through my body right now.

I'm definitely glad I took my riding gear off because I'd be overheated by now from a few minutes in the presence of this guy.

"It's okay.

Can I help you find something?"

I return, keeping my eyes on the table in front of me so I don't stare at this guy too long.

"You work here?"

he questions me, pulling out the chair across from me and making himself comfortable.

"No.

I'm just a person who's here every single day.

Almost from the time they open their doors until it's time to go home for dinner,"

I answer him honestly as I put my book down and make sure the notebook I have notes in for my story is closed so he can't see it.

"I see.

So, you're one of those girls who loves to read?"

he asks, not in a mean way, but in a tone that's full of curiosity.

"I am.

There's nothing like getting lost in the world the author creates so you can forget what's going on around you,"

I respond, a smile on my face as I look up to see him giving me a slight smirk making a dimple pop out and I'm a fucking goner.

"So, can I take you out some time so we can continue this conversation? Maybe learn about some of your favorite books or authors?"

he asks me, his voice making me want to break my rule and say yes so bad.

"I'm sorry.

I don't date right now.

I just moved here and right now I just want to focus on me and only me,"

I tell him, trying to figure out if I'm doing the right thing.

"Are you sure about that? I can see in your eyes that you want to say yes to me,"

he says, leaning closer on the table toward me as I get a faint sniff of motor oil, leather, and something that is uniquely this man in front of me.

"You're right, I do want to say yes more than anything.

But, you're a biker.

And no, that's not a bad thing and I'm definitely not judging you.

I grew up in a family of bikers and so I tend to avoid them at all costs because I know how you operate,"

I tell him, defeat lacing my voice because this guy is honestly the first male I've ever been attracted to.

"I see.

Well, I'm not a man who gives up when I see somethin' I want.

I'll see ya tomorrow, Red,"

he says, giving me a smile showing off his dimples before he stands from the table and leaves me alone once again.

This is when I realize how truly fucked I am.

The last part of my list of what makes a man sexy is tattoos.

This guy has them on his arms, back, and at least one on his neck.

The only reason I know there's a tatto on his back is because part of it is peeking out from his shirt.

Most of them are black and white while one or two of them have a little bit of color.

Definitely my damn weakness.

Before the guy disappears down the stairs completely, he offers me a wink and smirks again before I can no longer see him.

I shake my head to clear it and try to focus back on my book after taking a sip of my coffee.

It's no use.

Today isn't a day I can be in the book store.

Gathering up my things, I make sure to keep the book so I can buy this one and take it home with me.

Once I've bought my book, gotten a bag for the muffin so I can take it home with me, and dumped out the last of my coffee, I head for the bathroom and put my riding gear back on.

I don't leave the bathroom until even my helmet is on and all of my hair is hidden by the helmet and under my jacket.

With a smile on my face, I leave the bathroom and head out to the cool afternoon so I can head home.

During the entire trip, my mind is on the guy from the book store and I wonder if he'll show up tomorrow.

If he does keep his word, and I know bikers tend to, I'm going to be in deep as fuck trouble because I won't be able to withstand him for very long.

Fuck my life!