Chapter One

Teagan

"WHERE IS IT?" Dad demanded.

"Where's what?"

"The fake," he growled.

I bit my lip. My father, Logan "Mack" Reed was the secretary for the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club and built like a Mack truck, hence the name. He has been married to my mother for over a quarter of a century, and they are still in love just as much today as yesterday.

He is also a lawyer.

Which meant, us kids (my big sisters Harper and Huxley, and our baby brother, Grayson) got away with nothing. Or next to nothing, anyway.

Like planning my best friend Daisy's twenty-first birthday party. Our girl group went to a club to celebrate, and Tillie, Ace's daughter, had procured me a fake I.D.

Which brings me to now.

My father had discovered my little stunt and showed up at the club, dragging me out.

"Fake, what?"

"I swear to Christ, Teagan, if you continue with this sass—"

"What, Dad? Are you going to ground me? I'm twenty years old."

"Living under my fucking roof while I foot the goddamn bill for your life."

I huffed. "You're footing it? I think Mom might have something to say about that."

His knuckles bleached white as he gripped the steering wheel. "One more word, and I'll fucking cut you off, kick you out, and drop you off."

"Drop me off where?"

"The bus stop, the army recruiting center, the nearest convent. You can pick."

I was currently in law school (having gotten in early because I'd done a fast-track program through high-school), and my parents were allowing me to live at home while they paid my tuition, which was a bone of contention because I wasn't doing well. I wasn't failing, but I was close. I also had a job working for my father during summers and breaks, and admittedly, he paid me far more than ‘market value.'

"Don't be dramatic, big man."

"You want drama?" he hissed. "I'll create so much drama for you, you'll shit out an Oscar."

"Ew, gross."

"And an Emmy, and that bitch looks sharp."

"Daddy, don't be disgusting."

"Keep talking and your asshole will be a goddamn EGOT."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom would never let you cut me off."

"Try me," he growled. "Hand it over."

I dug the phony ID out of my purse and dropped it in the middle console.

"Now the real one."

"Real what?" I asked.

"ID. You've officially lost driving privileges. No more car, no more driving yourself anywhere."

"How the hell am I going to get to school and work?"

Did I mention my parents had bought my car for me?

"One of the prospects will drive you wherever you need to go."

"That is beyond the pale!" I sputtered. "And child abuse."

"It's called consequences of your actions, baby girl." He glanced at me. "What did Tillie's guy charge you for this thing, anyway."

"How'd you know it was Tillie?"

"I didn't for sure until now."

"Goddamn it," I hissed. "Never trust a lawyer."

"How much, Teagan?"

"Two-fifty. Why?"

"'Cause that's how much is gonna come out of your next paycheck."

"What? You can't do that."

"Don't worry, I'm gonna make a charitable donation in your name to Bikers for Kids."

"That is so unfair."

"It's not about fair," he said. "It's about you learning the value of a dollar. And to remind you never to give your money over to criminals and scam artists ever again."

"I think I've learned my lesson, I'm not that stupid."

"I didn't think you were stupid enough to do this in the first place, but here we are."

"You're calling me stupid?"

"No. You are intelligent, resourceful, and quick on your feet. But you did a stupid thing and I need to make sure you understand the gravity of your actions."

He was right, of course, but I wasn't about to admit that.

The guy to whom Tillie had referred me wasn't there but his ‘cousin' was, and he was super sketch. I should have walked away immediately, but I didn't and immediately regretted it. The original cost had actually been a hundred bucks, but ‘Hooks' (the so-called cousin) upped the price when I arrived to pick up the ID, going so far as to offer that I could pay in a different way.

I'd thrown the money at him and gotten the hell out of there as fast as I could. It's not like I could tell anyone about the encounter. I was doing something illegal, after all, so I was stuck.

"I don't know what the big deal is. I'm going to be twenty-one in eleven weeks." I crossed my arms with a groan.

"Driver's license, baby girl," Dad prodded.

"You're not really serious, are you?"

"As a fuckin' heart attack," he growled. "Want to add your phone to the pile, too?"

I muttered several expletives under my breath as I pulled my driver's license out of my wallet and dropped it next to the fake.

"Does Mom know you're doing this?" He raised an eyebrow, and I wrinkled my nose. "Stupid question. Of course she knows about this."

"We don't do anything if it's not together."

He pulled onto the freeway, away from our home, and I frowned. "We're not going home?"

"Club."

Shit. If we were going to the club, that meant I was going to have to face someone I really didn't want to face. "Can't we go home?"

"No one's at home, Teagan. We're going to the club."

I sighed. "Fine."

He reached over and took my hand, giving it a squeeze. "I love you to Jupiter and beyond, sweetness. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know that. I just wish you could love me a little bit less."

He chuckled. "Wouldn't even begin to know how."

We rode the rest of the way in silence, pulling up to Big Ernie's Bodyshop (where the Dogs of Fire compound was housed) about fifteen minutes later.

I followed my dad inside and immediately came face-to-face with him.

* * *

Cash

"Teagan," I said as soon as she and her dad walked into the great room.

Jesus, she looked cute… and way too fucking sexy for my comfort. Her V-neck was way too low, and her skirt was way too high, but I was not her father, so I had no say in what she wore, which she reminded me on the regular.

Her eyes narrowed as she bit out, "Cash."

"Hey, kid," Mack said. "You available to chauffer Teagan this week?"

"He's got his patch, big man, or did you forget?"

"You want to hand over that phone, Teagan?" he threatened.

"Dad!" she hissed.

"It's either Cash or your brother," Mack warned.

"You're going to make Grayson drive his big sister around during his senior year of high school?" Teagan challenged.

Grayson would be graduating this year and was almost eighteen and would, in fact, object highly to having to drive Teagan everywhere should he be forced to.

"Yeah, I can drive her," I said.

She threw her hands in the air. "I'm getting a drink."

"Soda," Mack ordered.

"What? Why?"

"Because you're not twenty-one."

"I have always been able to drink here," she argued.

"Well, your privileges have been revoked for now."

I chuckled. "Come on T, I'll find you a soda."

She let out a quiet curse but followed me into the kitchen. The second I knew we were in the clear, I grabbed her hand and tugged her down the hall pulling her into one of the bunkrooms and closing the door behind us.

"I told you this was a bad idea," I growled, pushing her up against the wall and wrapping my arm around her waist.

"It was the perfect idea until someone told my dad."

"I told you I'd go with you," I said.

"That would make people ask questions."

"Then I could have sent someone to have your back. Not happy you went around me."

"Well, you're going to have to get over that," she said.

"Teagan," I snarled.

"Were you the narc?" she accused, changing the subject.

I leaned down and ran my tongue over her bottom lip. "You seriously asking me that?"

She sighed, leaning into me. "Well, do you know who did narc?"

"No." I moved my mouth to her neck.

"Cash," she rasped as I slid my hand up her shirt and tugged the cups of her bra down.

"Next time, you gonna listen to me?" I scraped a thumb over her nipple, and she leaned into my touch.

"Hell no."

I met her eyes with a frown. "Why the hell not?"

"Because then I won't get ‘punished.'"

"Jesus, I've created a monster."

"Yes, you absolutely have." She tugged on the button of my jeans, then slid her hand under the waistband, wrapping her fingers around my already hard length.

Teagan and I had made our ‘secret' relationship official, but not public. We were the only two people on the planet who knew the depth of our feelings for each other.

And those feelings were deep.

Three months ago…

"I don't want to follow you around like some toddler forced to go shopping with her mom, Cash," Teagan snapped as she stomped behind me out to my truck.

"I don't give a shit. I'm on Teagan watch, so guess what? I go where you go, and you go where I go." I pulled open the passenger door with a shit eating grin. "Sucks for you."

"You're a dick," she hissed, climbing into the cab.

"Get a new line, that one's old."

We continued to bicker as we drove out of the compound but the second we were clear, we bust out laughing and Teagan turned toward me and asked, "Do you think we sold it?"

"Absolutely," I assured her.

She clapped her hands and turned back to face the road. I reached over and linked my fingers with hers, the feeling of her soft skin against mine heady.

"Oh my god, it's the first time we're holding hands," she breathed out. "I want to remember this forever."

"Pace yourself, baby, we're going to take some time and make some plans. We'll have a lot of time to hold hands."

"Where are we going?"

"My place. I figured we could talk privately there."

"Good idea," she said.

"You're sure you want to start something?" I asked.

She sighed. "I'm not even going to dignify that ridiculous question with an answer."

I grinned staring back at the road. I was still a little in shock by how all of this had started, but it had all been Teagan's idea. And I say that because one of the biggest rules our parents had instilled in me and Archer was, hands off the Wolfpack. Not to mention the fact, she was almost ten years younger than me and my sister's best friend, I had never even entertained the thought of her.

The thing about Teagan, however, is that when she decided she wanted something, nothing and no one got in her way.

"I just want to know one thing," she said.

"What's that?"

"Are you going to finally kiss me today?"

"Depends on how our talk goes."

She let out a sexy little ‘humph.'

I gave her hand a squeeze. "You've driven this whole thing, baby. You gonna let me lead a little?"

"Have you met me?"

I chuckled.

Pulling into my driveway, I turned off the engine and glanced at her. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

She pushed open her door and slid out. "Why are we here, Cash?"

"I have a few things to do before we head back to the club."

"Oh my god! I had shit to do today, you know?" she whined dramatically as she followed me up to my porch. "The last thing I needed to do was be stuck here with you."

I unlocked my front door and pushed it open, letting her walk inside, and then once we were safely away from prying neighbors, she grinned. "Too much?"

"No, that was great." I locked up and headed into the kitchen. "You want something to drink?"

"Coke?"

"Sure." I grabbed a couple of cans and led her into my living room. We sat facing each other on the sofa and she grinned. "What?" I asked.

"You're just super gorgeous," she rasped.

I chuckled. "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself."

"Are you going to kiss me now?"

"When I kiss you, Teagan, it'll mean something."

She frowned. "So I don't mean anything?"

"Don't turn my words around on me, counselor."

"What do I have to do to get your tongue in my mouth?" she asked just as I took a swig of coke.

I nearly choked on a laugh, slapping my chest as I tried to catch my breath. "Fuck, T, next time warn a guy."

She smiled. "It was just a question, Cash."

"A calculated one."

"Perhaps."

"What do you want, baby?"

"I want you."

"But why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, you're not one of those guys who needs his ego stroked twenty-four-seven, are you?"

"Have you met me?"

"Okay, then. What do you mean, why? Outside of Daisy, you're my best friend. I can talk to you about anything."

This was true. And that friendship had been cultivated over years of closeness in proximity and a natural gravitational pull toward each other.

"I understand that, Teagan, but you need to think about this really hard. If we start this, we have some serious obstacles."

"My dad, your dad, Daisy, I get it."

"No, baby, it's not just your dad, my dad, Daisy. It's the club, the ramifications if this goes tits up, all of it. It's a big deal. And I'm not starting this if it's not a long-term, committed kind of thing."

She bit her lip. "Well, I already know it's forever. Don't you?"

"Baby, you just informed me last night you and I were gonna be a ‘thing.' You wanna give me more than a minute to process that information?"

She wrinkled her nose as she pulled her knees up to her chest. "Well, I was done waiting for you to make the first move."

I reached over and squeezed one of her knees. "You've just gotta give me some time to process. I've always seen you as club family, so looking at you in a romantic light is a bit of a mindfuck, I need a minute to get my bearings. I want to make sure I handle you with care, so this has to be right, honey."

"It is right."

"Well, I'd like to take things slow. For your sake."

"How slow?"

"Well, that's one of the things we're going to talk about today."

She nodded. "Okay. I definitely think we should keep things on the downlow for the moment."

"Agreed."

"But then I want to do everything."

"Me too, honey, but once this becomes physical, I'm a little afraid it'll show on your face."

She scoffed. "You make it sound like I'll have cartoon hearts floating around my head."

"I'm serious, Teagan. The guys in the club might be dumb, but they're not stupid. And the last person who needs to know is your dad if you're hell bent on keeping it from him."

"I am," she said. "Because, trust me, whatever you think he'd do to you, he'd do to me worse."

I raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt that."

"Okay, so we're official, so will you kiss me now?"

"Didn't we just talk about me needing time to process?"

She glanced at her wrist, which was devoid of a watch, but I got the point. "You've had plenty of time."

"Teagan."

"What? If you sit there and think too long, you might just decide I'm too much trouble."

"And, there it is."

She set her coke aside, wrapping her arms around her knees and setting her chin on top of them. "Well?"

"Baby, if I thought you weren't worth it, you wouldn't be here."

"Correct answer."

I chuckled. "You want to come to me, or do you want me to come to you?"

"For what?"

"Our first kiss?" She launched herself at me and I caught her, gently stroking her cheek. "Where you go, I go."

"I love that," she breathed out, and I covered her mouth with mine.