Chapter 1

The world is my fucking oyster, and this summer is going to be epic. Mama always says to think positive, and good karma will come your way.

But epic? In E-town? Doubtful.

The ornate iron gate opens, letting me and my gold BMW 325 enter my parents' lavish estate. Now, I need to decide my next steps in life.

Neither of my parents went to college, but Daddy could sell water to a fish in the lake. I graduated from university with a degree in marketing and am currently unemployed, unable to find a job in my field in my small town.

As I wind up the paved driveway, I pull into the circle in front of the house and as always, Henry is waiting for me. He lifts the suitcases out after I pop the trunk. When I try to grab one of them, he says, "Princess, please let me earn my salary."

After four years of doing for myself, it feels odd to have someone waiting on me. Henry does just about everything around our house—mows the lawn, landscapes, paints, and is our general handyman. Honestly, I've never seen my father do any of those things.

"Sorry, Henry, but how am I going to earn my keep?"

He shakes his head a bit and smiles. "I'm sure your parents have something in mind."

True. Daddy may want me to create advertisements for the dealerships he owns. Will he want a print campaign or television commercials? My last boyfriend was a Stallions basketball player, and Daddy paid him to do a commercial and sit on a Harley. He was six-foot-five and looked like he was sitting on a moped. I can do better than that if he'll give me some freedom.

Serita, our maid's daughter, must hear me coming because she pounces on me before I'm out of the grand foyer. "You're back."

"Is your mom working?" I notice she has a dust rag in one hand and a can in the other.

Her face falls. "Yeah, but I'm working here too."

My brows dip to the center. Serita was a straight-A student and went to community college to get her CNA license, so I'm not sure why she's cleaning.

I wrap my arms around her, attempting to hide my discontent that she's cleaning instead of pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. "Come up to my room."

"I will when I finish. I can't wait to hear about Jazarius."

"Nothing to tell. He's going to be drafted in the first round of the NBA and didn't want any… distractions."

She grabs me into a sincere hug. "His loss. We'll go out one night and make you forget all about him."

"I'd love that." And not just because I have nothing else to do. Serita and I were close until I went to college.

Bringing up my ex gets me down. Dating an athlete, especially a Stallions basketball player provides unique opportunities, but I had been teased relentlessly about being two years older than him. Few basketball players stay longer than a year, and Jazarius stayed two years, so I should have known he would break things off. Admittedly, I enjoyed how dating Jazarius elevated my social status even more than being in a sorority.

The more I think about it, the more I want to take Serita up on her offer. It's time I find a guy my age or maybe twenty-three or four, with a job.

I unpack my clothes and put them away, then I accidentally fall asleep listening to the new Hayes Dieslich song.

"Princess. Supper is ready," Mama calls from the bottom of the stairs.

Sighing, I check myself in the mirror one more time before heading downstairs. Serita and I are going out on the town tonight—one small town over.

"Are you going somewhere, Princess?" Daddy asks. He has taken his suit coat off but still wears his dress shirt and tie.

"Going to Fancy Falls to the Whiskey Waltz with Serita."

I've been home a few days, and I can't get used to telling my parents my every move, instead of coming and going freely. I have to find a job and move out. Daddy won't like it, but I'm a grown woman with a degree.

My mom sets our plates in front of us. She may not do much else around the house, but I'll put her cooking up against anyone's.

Once we're done eating, Serita comes in through the back. "You ready?"

"Yep." I take my dishes to the sink and rinse them off. "Let me run up to brush my teeth."

As I'm coming back down, I hear Serita laughing with my parents like she's one of their own children. They've known her most of her life and even though I loved college, I miss that she wasn't there with me.

They're talking about my little brother Thomas. Correction, younger brother; at six-foot-three, two hundred twenty pounds, I can't call him little. He's away at an elite football camp for potential D1 players.

Mama says, "You know Thomas has been crushing on you for years."

"No, he hasn't," Serita says as giggles pop from her throat.

It was cute how Thomas would ask me if Serita was coming to swim or if Serita was meeting us at the mall.

It's hard to believe I won't see Thomas until mid-July, but I'm proud that he's dedicated and is going after what he wants.

"Did Thomas call?" I ask.

"No, he messaged to let us know the camp was going on a phone hiatus for a few days so not to worry."

"Oh, okay." I text Thomas that I love him and slip my phone into my purse. "Don't wait up."

Serita is wearing ripped jeans and a tank top that exposes her bronzed shoulders. Her thick, black hair is in a ponytail, and her look is finished with large hoop earrings and red lipstick. I have on a short dress with a lightweight jean jacket overtop, cowboy boots, and my pearl earrings. A true Southern lady doesn't leave home without pearls—somewhere.

I've never been to the Whiskey Waltz, but Serita says it's a country bar with an eclectic mix of people. The only bars I've been to have been college bars or ones on Spring Break where everyone looks the same.

I park in the lot at the end of town and since we're a little early, we walk around Fancy Falls for a bit, just catching up. When we finally get to the Whiskey Waltz, I notice a group of men dressed similarly in black leather, standing by a row of motorcycles.

Clutching my crossbody purse tighter, I point my eyes to the ground, wanting to get by fast. But one of them says, "Evening, ladies."

I smile and keep walking. The bouncer cards us, and the men follow. They stand at the bar, drinking beer, while Serita and I order margaritas. Feeling the cool drinks soothe us from the inside out, Serita suddenly breaks the silence with a mischievous whisper, "Three o'clock."

"What?"

"The biker at three o'clock can't take his eyes off you," Serita whisper shouts, gesturing with her head.

"Yuck."

"You wouldn't say that if you took a minute to look at him," Serita counters, amused by my reaction.

I scoff. "We've always had different taste in guys."

With a sly smile, Serita nudges me, her light-brown face flushing slightly. "This is a man, not just a guy."

After a pause, Serita's eyes meet mine. "Go for it. He's coming over." She bumps me with her elbow. His sandy-blonde hair hangs past his ears, layered in a messy way. Scruff frames his jaw, leaving piercing blue eyes. As he gets closer, I can't seem to look away. What am I going to say?

Maybe I can talk about Daddy being the president of the E-town Steel Riders Motorcycle Club, but it's because he owns a dealership. They're a charitable organization, not a typical motorcycle club. The men in this group look similar but rougher around the edges. The thought sends a shiver up my spine.

Just when I think he's stopping, he brushes past me, hitting my arm. "Sorry, miss." His eyes collide with mine, and his gaze seems tethered and hard to break away.

"Scotty, how the hell have you been?" he asks the guy I assume is Scotty.

They wander off to the pool table, and the blonde breaks the triangle of balls with force, sending them in all directions.

Serita gushes, "Oh my God, he's freaking hot."

"And… old." But she's right; he puts attractive on another level.

"Everyone will seem old compared to Jazarius; he's a baby."

I purse my lips together. "Come on, let's dance," I say, pulling her onto the dance floor.

As I twirl around the dance floor with my dress rising, I feel a pair of eyes watching me, a piercing blue pair. Is it horrible that I enjoy being the center of an obvious bad boy's attention?

A guy in cowboy boots and perfectly manicured hair joins me and spins me around. He stops, pulling me into him. "Whatcha' doing tonight, sweetheart?"

"Having fun with my friend." I push my hand against his chest, and he jerks me back into him.

"Let me go. I'm with someone." His hand travels to the back of my bare thigh and tries to lift my leg. "Stop."

"Come on, you know you want some of this," he says, pressing his groin into me.

"You don't want to mess with me. Daddy is…"

Out of nowhere, the man with the piercing blue eyes grabs the guy's collar. He's tall, muscular, and intimidating as hell. "She said to let her go." His voice is dark, steady, and forceful. "If you want trouble, I can give you more than you can take."

The guy loosens his hold until I can step back, right as the song comes to an end. Motorcycle man has a patch on his leather jacket that says Double. What a weird name. Double watches until the guy leaves.

Once he has, I peer into Double's eyes. "Thank you, but I'm a big girl and could have handled him myself."

He nods. That's all.