Micaela Chapter 1

Groaning as I stood at the luggage carousel waiting for my bags, I stretched out my back. The flight from Florida to Texas had been long. It would've been better if I had been able to take a direct flight, but that wasn't possible. There were no direct flights to the airport here in Tenillo, so I had a layover for a few hours. Flying wasn't my favorite thing to do, to begin with, and then to have to wait was torture. It wasn't because I was afraid to fly. I hated being idle and unable to freely move.

I let out a squeal as arms encircled me from behind. Reacting automatically, I jabbed back with my elbow. I hit what felt like a rock wall, hurting my elbow. A loud oomph sounded in my ear, and air rushed across my ear and cheek. I was about to stomp back on a foot when a gruff voice I'd recognize anywhere hissed in my ear.

"Goddamn, try not to maim me days before my wedding. Shain will kill you if I can't perform on our wedding night."

Gasping, I whirled in his arms, which had loosened a tad when I hit him. I glared up at him. "Well, it's your fault if you can't perform, and I don't need to hear that, by the way. You should know better than to grab me from behind, idiot."

He gave me a sheepish grin. "Hey, is that any way to talk to your favorite brother?"

"Who said shit about you being my favorite?" was my automatic reply. When we got together, all of us especially, there was always someone trying to get the upper hand. Being the only girl and the youngest, I had to work to get the upper hand constantly.

A snort followed by a giggle had me glancing to the side of him. There stood Shain, trying hard not to burst out laughing. I grinned at her. "Let go, you oaf, so I can hug my sister. You're disposable. The smartest thing you've ever done is snag her. Don't fuck up before the wedding and make her run."

He let go and sent me an offended look, which I knew was all an act. I pushed him so he'd step back, and then I had my arms around my soon-to-be sister-in-law. Shain was a hard hugger, which I loved.

As I kissed her cheek, I muttered loud enough for him to hear me, "Thank God, finally a sister. The family has too damn much testosterone in it. Mamá and I have been holding out for so long. Please, please don't run. I know he's awful, and your life will be hell, but I swear gaining me will be worth it."

As she burst out laughing, I was jerked back and away, then whirled around before I was engulfed in my brother's arms again. The asshole planted a big kiss on my cheek, which was wet, the kind he knew I hated. I shuddered.

"Asshole," I grumbled as I lifted my shoulder to wipe it on my shirt.

He laughed as he replied, "Bitch. Don't you dare try to steal my woman."

"Daredevil, don't call your sister a bitch," Shain said in outrage.

"Why? She is one. She knows it. She wears the title like a badge of honor."

I should've let her tear him up, but I took pity on him. "He's right. I do. I'm so happy to see you, Shain. This one, not so much, but since it seems you're gonna be a package deal, I'll suffer."

He pinched my side, making me jump. "Hush, brat. I knew Mamá and Papá should've left you at the orphanage they found you in."

"Well, at least they chose me. In the case of you and the other three, they had to take what they got."

"Oh God, you two are terrible. It's worse in person than online. Come on, let's grab your bags and get out of here before you two get arrested," she said with a grin and a shake of her head.

"True. I'll wait to torture her where there are no witnesses. Good idea, Mon Rêve . What do your bags look like, brat?"

" Mon Rêve ? Lord, he's bringing out the Cajun rather than the Hispanic side. Wait until Papá hears you. Of course, Mamá will love it. Suck up. I have three bags, and they're black and turquoise cheetah print."

"Shit, I should've known. Nothing basic and boring for you," he muttered.

He was right. He should've known. I'd never been one to fade into the background. I loved bold colors and lots of them. It was what made me an artist.

"I assume the bag you have in your hand is your camera?" he asked.

"You know it is. There's no way I'd check this as baggage. This costs more than my life is worth."

He scowled at me. "Nothing is worth more than your life."

"I was joking, Rome, I mean, Daredevil. Damn, it's still hard to remember to call you that. I promise I'll do better. I don't want to make you look bad in front of your club," I told him as he spotted and then grabbed the first of my bags.

"Please do."

"How were the flights?" Shain asked.

"Long. I hate waiting and being immobile. When will scientists discover how to teleport us like in the movies?" I complained.

"You'd rather have your particles scattered to hell and back and run the risk they'll never come back together in the right order than fly? Your ass might end up where your face is," Daredevil said as he gave me a wicked grin.

I gave him one back and beat him to it before he could say more. "In your case, that might be an improvement."

"Okay, hold on. I love my man's face and ass, but I don't want any parts of his anatomy lost or rearranged, so no teleporting for anyone."

"You've got her blinded," I teased them both.

He now had all three of my checked bags. I tried to snag the smallest, but he shook his head and started walking off, rolling all three. Knowing it would do me no good to argue, I threaded my arm through Shain's and followed him.

"Stick close. It's crowded here, and I don't want to lose you or have anyone touching you. I'd have to kill if that happened," Daredevil informed us.

"You're such a primitive," she told him.

"Hell, yes, I'm a primitive, and it's one of the things you love about me. Don't act like you don't. Stop distracting me. We need to get out of here. Cullen, Dragon, and Ashes are waiting on us."

I knew Ashes and Dragon were the names of two of his club brothers. He'd mentioned all their names more than once. I had no idea who Cullen was or why they'd be waiting on us.

"Who's Cullen, and why would two of your club brothers be waiting for us?"

We were almost to the doors. I was relieved. There were too many people for my liking. The doors opened automatically, so we were able to walk out without stopping.

"Cullen is one of our prospects, and Dragon and Ashes came so they could do that," he gestured with his chin.

Ordinarily, you weren't allowed to park in the pickup area at any airport. The airport police would run you off if you did, or they'd tow your car. You were expected to park in one of the lots or garages, even if it was a mile away, or had to take a bus to get to the airport. As I skimmed the area he indicated, I was taken aback to see two bikers sitting on their bikes in front of an SUV. Next to the SUV's driver's door was another guy who looked like a biker. As I took them in, I was stunned.

It was only slightly due to how they weren't run off. As tough and dangerous as they appeared, no one in their right mind would tell them to move. I overlooked it in Daredevil because he was my brother. Still, seeing him through new eyes and how people watched us, I realized he was the same. The leather, boots, tattoos, and fierce expressions shouted to fuck with them at your peril.

However, the main reason I was stunned was how damn hot the two on the bikes were. Jesus, I felt my pussy spasm, of all things. Instantly, I was beginning to get wet. What was wrong with me? Oh yeah, I was sex-starved, and sitting in front of me were two delicious men. I'd been without for longer than I wanted to remember. As we made our way to them, I saw them glance at each other and then back at us. I had no idea why. Their faces remained expressionless, and their eyes were covered with sunglasses.

I took them in. Thank goodness I had sunglasses on too, so they wouldn't catch me eating them up. One had short, medium brown hair, which he styled with the slightly longer top puffed up but not in an unattractive way. It was thick-looking. His rugged face was lightly tanned like his tattooed arms. A fine mustache and beard matching his hair color covered his jaw. Dark, thick brows were visible above his glasses. He had full, almost pouty lips.

The other one had short pitch-black hair, which was slicked back on top. The sides were shorter like the first guy's. His beard and mustache were thicker but still kept trimmed short. His skin was olive-toned. As we got to them, they lowered their sunglasses, and I wanted to moan. The first guy's eyes were a pale, greenish-blue color, and the other one's were what I'd call crystalline, the color of ice on a frozen lake, that ever so faint hint of blue.

My panties were getting damp. I had to gain control. I couldn't be panting after my brother's club brothers like some bitch in heat. Not only would he not allow it, but I'd never be able to choose between them, and I wasn't a slut sleeping with every guy who caught my eye. But if I were, they would be in danger. Of course, I was assuming they'd want me.

Their eyes scanned me from head to toe. I gulped. There was heat there. Nope, Micaela, you can't. Forget it. You've just been without too long. An extra-long session with your vibrator will fix it , I told myself.

They came off their bikes. As they did, the one by the driver's door hustled over to my brother.

"I've got these, Daredevil," he told him before taking my bags away. He smiled at me. I couldn't say he was hard on the eyes, but he didn't hit me nearly as hard as the other two. As he took my luggage to the rear of the car to load them, Daredevil gestured to the ones making my panties a mess.

"Mic, these are my brothers. This is Dragon and Ashes." He pointed to the one with the greenish-blue eyes when he said Dragon and the other when he said Ashes. "Guys, this is my sister, Micaela. We'll be loaded in a minute, and then we can get out of here."

Once the introductions were done, they came over to me. I swear my legs weakened. They both held out their hands. I took the nearest one, trying to figure out what else to do. As I shook Ashes' hand, my heart sped up for the sensation it caused in me.

"It's great to meet you," he said in a deep voice.

"You too," was all I could say. He held my hand a little longer than necessary, or at least it felt that way. It wasn't until Dragon nudged him that he let go. Dragon's larger hand immediately engulfed my hand, and the same awareness hit me.

"So damn glad you made it alright. Welcome," Dragon uttered. Jesus, were deep, sexy voices a requirement in their club, along with gorgeous faces and bodies?

"Thank you. Glad to be here."

With them standing up, I knew they were over six feet tall, like Daredevil. Their jeans and shirts molded their bodies, showing they were more than fit. Dragon was medium-built in the muscle department. Ashes was barely bigger than him. Neither was a weakling. Dragon was smiling at me, and so was Ashes. It was a rumble of a growl, which had him dropping my hand to glance at my brother, who was scowling at them.

They didn't appear intimidated by him, which was new. Every guy who'd ever met him seemed to be. They seemed to be communicating something nonverbal between the three of them. As they did, Shain sighed and took my arm.

"Come on, Micaela, let's get in the car. Leave these he-men to posture." I heard the amusement in her voice.

I let her lead me because I was lost as to what to do. I was tongue-tied, and that wasn't something I'd ever been. The other guy was already there holding the door open. When we got to it, he smiled at me again.

"Hi, I'm Cullen. I'm a prospect. If you need anything, just let me know." There was interest there. His smile slipped when three growls came from behind us. Shit, wasn't their prospect allowed to be friendly? Well, too bad. I gave him an extra bright smile as I held out my hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cullen, and I'll remember that." As he shook it, I noticed he didn't light up my nerve endings like Hunk One and Hunk Two. He let go immediately.

I felt someone crowding up behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I discovered it was all three of them. Ignoring them, I got in and scooted over so Shain could join me in the back seat. The door slammed, and Ashes and Dragon moved toward their bikes, while my brother got in the driver's seat and Cullen was in the passenger seat. Before they did, though, they removed their leather cuts and laid them gently over the middle console.

The roar of the bikes' engines was loud. I saw heads turning to watch us. The SUV came to life, and then we were moving. I tried to stay on track with the conversation swirling around me, but it was hard. I kept returning to Dragon and Ashes and how I reacted to them. Surely, it was merely a response to having not been with a man in a while.

While I was no virgin, despite how hard my brothers tried to keep me one or wanted to believe I was, I wasn't a hussy either. I'd had more than one lover over the years, but the last one was more than a year ago. Things had started good for us, I thought. We seemed to have a lot of things in common. He was attractive and didn't only talk about himself. I'd gone into the relationship with high hopes, only to discover everything was a lie. He didn't let me see the signs until we'd been together for three months. That's when I began to see the cracks.

The sex was good, although not exciting, but if everything else had been the way I thought it was, I could've overlooked and lived with it. The cracks were little things at first. Things he claimed to have the same interests in began to change. He didn't want to do them or would get impatient if I wanted to do them. Then it was how he changed his stories about his family and life. When I asked to meet them, he kept finding excuses not to introduce me. As more and more issues became apparent, I realized he'd only told me what he thought I wanted to hear. His whole persona was a lie. When I confronted him, he didn't deny it. I told him it was over. That hadn't gone over well with him.

He tried to tell me I'd never find a man to satisfy all my needs. For weeks after we broke up, he kept trying to get me back and would pop up at the most unexpected times. One night, he came to my door and insisted on talking to me. I wasn't stupid enough to invite him inside, but I let him talk out on the doorstep. It was a mistake. When I ignored him, he got angry and then violent. He slapped me.

The benefit of growing up with four older brothers was that I knew how to handle myself, and being able to protect myself was part of it. I punched him in the face. There was a short ruckus with him trying to calm me, but I kept fighting back. In the end, as the police sirens were heard coming, I warned him to go, and if he wanted to live, he'd better get the hell out of our town, better yet, out of Florida. He'd heard enough about my brothers to know what I meant.

When the cops arrived, I told them the story. A couple of neighbors, one of whom called the police, came out to corroborate my tale. They promised to pick him up when it was all said and done. Only by the time they got to his home, he wasn't there. As far as I knew, he never came back. If he did, no one had admitted to seeing him, and I had no more contact with him. Good riddance.

A year was a long time to go without intimate contact other than with yourself. Toys and my hand just didn't do the same job. I missed the intimacy as well as the sex. Maybe when I get home, I should try to date again. After my disastrous time with Terry, I'd avoided all offers for dates. I was leery, but I knew I couldn't go forever without ever giving a man a chance. Not everyone was like him or the other men I'd been with over the years. Seeing Daredevil with Shain, and feeling my response to these two, it was time to get back out there. The only way I'd ever have a husband and kids was if I tried.

The drive wasn't too long. I was excited to see not only the compound as a whole but also the new house that was just finished for them. I'd seen the plans and photos as it was built, but it wasn't the same as seeing it as a whole and in person.

I eagerly took it all in when we pulled up to the gate. The gate opened, and as we drove inside, I saw so much it was hard to take it all in. The area was fenced in, and it had barbed wire running along the top, which was kinda scary. On either side of the gate were these two small enclosures that reminded me of guard shacks. As you passed them, there were houses to the right, and to the left was a vast building I guessed to be the clubhouse due to the number of bikes and vehicles parked outside it. As we drove up and found a spot, I saw there were more things built behind the clubhouse, as well as what appeared to be an oversized garage a good way further past it.

Cullen opened my door while Daredevil got Shain's. Even though it wasn't long since we'd left the airport, he tugged her into his arms and kissed her passionately. It was hard to watch because I was feeling a tad jealous. I was happy for them, don't get me wrong, but I was jealous I didn't have someone who adored and loved me like they did each other.

As soon as Cullen had opened the door for me, he went to the back of the SUV. I went to see if he needed help. "I can take some of those," I offered.

"Sorry, there's no way I'm letting you do that. Not only is it my job, but it's also what a man does. You should never have to carry or lug stuff if there's a man around," he informed me.

"Sis, get your butt up here and let him do his job. Cullen, take those bags to my house. No need to take them out here," Daredevil hollered.

From the prospect, I got another smile. Cullen grabbed a bag I didn't recognize out of the back and shut the door. I moved to join my brother. I was sorta surprised to see Ashes and Dragon hadn't gone inside. Instead, they were standing at the door waiting for us. As we got close to them, Dragon opened the door. After Daredevil, Shain, and I passed them, I felt the two of them drop in behind me. I fought not to shiver at the heat they made flash through my body.

The loud voices washed over me as soon as the door opened. Walking in, I was stunned at the number of bodies inside. I knew Daredevil had a large club, with most of them married with kids, but it never registered how big it was. There had to be nearly fifty adults and almost half as many kids and babies. They all smiled in our direction, and I was overwhelmed, to say the least. I recognized two of them coming our way, though. My parents were smiling as they came over and hugged me. It had only been two weeks since I last saw them, but they acted as if it had been months.

After a quick hug, Daredevil and Shain pulled me away so they could introduce me. As I shook hands, tried to file away names, and said hello repeatedly, I found I was envious. Daredevil had so many people who respected and liked him. They were a family, just as he always said. It hadn't truly sunk in until now. After a solid half hour, I thought we had to be close to done with the introductions. I was ready to sit.

The whole time I'd been meeting everyone, Dragon and Ashes had stayed nearby. I wondered why a few times. They didn't say anything. They just watched. Saying what was my last hello, I thought, I was turning to head for a nearby table when a man stepped up. My breath caught. Here's another hunk. Oh my God! Was my first thought as I took him in.

He was tall like the other two. The big difference was his hair. While theirs were short, his was long, almost to the middle of his back. It was a lighter brown with golden streaks throughout. I knew they were natural, but women would pay a fortune or kill to have them. He had slightly darker facial hair that he kept short. His face was tanned, and it, along with his bold brows and his hair, set off his incredible pale blue eyes. He was bulkier built and, like all the men, seemed to be in top physical form. He was staring intently at me when he came to a stop to stand in front of me.

"I'm Vicious," he said in a deep, smoky voice as he held out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Micaela," I told him as I slowly took his hand. I was terrified to do it, and when we connected, I knew I was right to be. He sent the same intense, throbbing fire through me as Ashes and Dragon. My hand trembled despite my attempt to hold it still. He squeezed it and didn't let go.

I didn't know how long we might've stayed there if Daredevil hadn't interrupted us. As he did, I drew in a shaky breath. I found myself surrounded by my brother, Shain, and the three hottest men I'd ever met in my life. My body was going crazy, and I could only pray that no one noticed.

"Hey, V, I wondered where you were. Would you mind giving her back her hand?" Daredevil asked as he raised his brow at him. I wanted to sink through the floor. Here we go. He was going to pull his big brother act and embarrass me. Would my brothers ever stop it? Probably not until I was a hundred. I sighed and waited to see what else he'd say or do.