Deceptive (The Houston Defiance MC Series Book 6) Read online

  We could have sent her back out into the world.

  We could have let her be on her way.

  But the second I saw her with her dark green hair, thin pale face, ripped jeans, and leather jacket with studs on the shoulders, I knew I was in trouble. Even with her injuries, she is stunning with just that little bit of punk vibe I love in my women.

  Prinie had it when she came back to the club. She’s changed now, but when she first came back, she was uber punky. But Billie has an aura of mystery wrapped around her tied in a nice bow.

  One I really want to unravel.

  As a club, we all walk to our rides.

  Billie appears a little apprehensive, so I lean into her side. “I promise they won’t hurt you back at the clubhouse. Our club’s a bit different from others. We take family and brotherhood seriously. They won’t take advantage of you.”

  She relaxes a little when I reach my ride, and I throw my leg over. Her eyes widen, and she bites down on her bottom lip. “This your bike?”

  I peer down at it. “Yeah?”

  “It’s dark purple… it suits you.” She grins from ear to ear.

  “Well, Phantom has to have a purple bike, right?”

  “Seems fitting.” She slides in behind, wrapping her arms around my waist. The second her arms tighten, something surges inside me, like a wave of adrenaline ignites every atom inside me. My breathing speeds up, and my pulse increases. I’ve ridden with people on my six before, but I’ve never felt anything like this.

  I kick back the stand, then start up the engine. She holds on, but it’s not firm enough, so I turn my head to face her. “Hold on tight.”

  “Oh, I plan on it.”

  Chuckling, I hammer down, taking off alongside my brothers, riding in formation, some of them with their old ladies on the backs of their bikes.

  Is this what they felt like the first time they rode with their women?

  Whatever this feeling is, I hope to feel it again.

  There’s something about Billie.

  I know absolutely nothing about her, but I want to help her. To protect her from what or whoever is hurting her and to keep her safe from harm.

  The last couple of years it’s always been about Prinie and how I fucked up my chance with her. How she chose Wraith over me. I’m not saying Billie is the answer to that problem. I’m just saying, the way I’m feeling right now as I ride the open road with Billie clung to my back, I know, I just know, even if she’s not her, that there is another woman out there for me other than Prinie. And maybe now, I can start to finally move on with my life.

  Billie has made me see that now.

  She has woken something inside of me, made me feel something for someone else. And even though I don’t quite understand what I am feeling right now, it’s better than pining over a woman I can’t and will never have.

  Riding in formation is always a highlight, but on Christmas Day, it feels fucking special. The streets of Houston are lined with decorations as we make our way from the hospital back to the club.

  Was Billie a Christmas present sent especially for me today?

  Smiling at how much of a pussy I sound like, we halt at the gates. They open, and we all ride in, pulling into our usual places, duckwalking our bikes back into position.

  Using my foot, I kick out the stand.

  Billie lets out a long exhale. “That was so exhilarating. I forgot just how freeing it is to be out on the open road like that.” She slides off.

  I stand to meet her. “Riding is everything.”

  She weakly smiles, then turns, taking in the outside of the clubhouse. Her eyes go wide as saucers. “This place is huge… and clean?” She says it more like a question than a statement.

  I let out a chuckle. “You were expecting us to be filthy?”

  She shrugs. “I mean… well… yeah?”

  “Mmm…” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and start walking with her toward the main door, feeling somewhat sorry for her. She’s been through a rough patch, then she asked us for help and was expecting to come to a shit hole.

  She really has been thrown in the deep end.

  “C’mon, let’s get you inside.”

  We make our way in. Billie is so inquisitive as her eyes take in every fine detail.

  Nessie spots me with Billie and tilts her head at me in question.

  “Nessie, this is Billie. She’s going to be staying with us for… well, I’m not sure how long. We’re gonna need a room.”

  “You guys and bringing in strays for protection…” Nessie chuckles. “She can move into the room where Fin was staying when she was here. It’s ready to go.”

  “Thanks, Ness.”

  Billie turns to me raising her brow. “Fin?”

  “Texas’ Old Lady.”

  “He has an old lady… interesting.”

  “Why is that interesting?”

  “He’s grouchy.”

  I burst out laughing. “He’s okay. Texas is the first line of defense for the club. It’s his job to be overly cautious... don’t take it to heart.”

  “And Nessie?”

  I glance back toward the bar. “She’s our head club girl. There’s also Lexi and Bonnie.”

  “Right… I’m never going to learn everyone’s names.”

  “For now, I think you need to take a second to just breathe and be looked at by Chills. Make sure any of these cuts on your face and these scrapes don’t need further attention.”

  She sighs. “I’m okay… really.”

  “This is not a request. I’m here to look after you, and I’m gonna do that.” Her lips turn up infinitesimally. “Chills?” I call out, gaining her attention from the other side of the room.

  She stands, then walks over. I gesture for Billie to take a nearby seat. Chills strides up, spots Billie, and slumps her shoulders. “And who do we have here?”

  “This is Billie. She was attacked outside the hospital. They stole her handbag, and I am gonna watch out for her for a while.”

  “Nice to meet you, Billie. I’m Chills, the club doctor. You mind if I look you over?”

  Billie shakes her head as Chills steps in assessing her split lip first. “Phantom, grab my kit for me. The one under the bar will do for this.”

  Turning, I stride over to the bar and duck behind it the very moment Nessie grins widely. “So… you brought a girl home?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Mm-hmm… you’re just taking her under your wing because you’re such a nice guy?”

  Glaring at her, I huff. “Ness, c’mon. She needs help. I was there when she came into the hospital. You didn’t see the fear in her eyes.”

  “And you can’t see the look of smitten all over yours.”

  What the fuck! I sigh deeply and grab the kit, then turn to head back to Chills, ignoring Nessie’s words. There is definitely some kind of connection between Billie and me. I am not stupid and can see that myself. I wouldn’t have fought so hard for her to stay here if there weren’t. But smitten? Nope. That’s too far.

  Handing Chills the kit, she opens it up, pulling out some shit to wipe down the bloody cuts and abrasions.

  “This might sting a little.” Chills dabs Billie’s lip, and she winces, hissing through her teeth.

  My muscles tense watching her in pain. I want to end the fucker who did this to her. “We’re gonna find the asshole who did this, Billie.”

  Her muscles tense like the thought terrifies her, but Chills distracts her from the conversation by dabbing more alcohol on her wounds, causing another grimace and hiss. I can’t stand to watch her in pain, so I turn my back while Chills finishes up.

  Meanwhile, Zero and Neon are talking on the other side of the room, and I know already they are checking out Billie’s story. There is no way Zero would have let Billie in here without doing a full background check on her. I’m not stupid, I know how the club works. So, I am guessing by the fact she is in the clubroom that things must have checked out okay.

&
nbsp; Once I am done here, they’re my next port of call.

  “Okay, I don’t think your lip is going to need sutures, but it’s going to be sore for a good few weeks. You will need to be careful not to keep opening the wound. As for the bruising, I will get some cream to help with that. Your knees are grazed and will heal naturally in a few days. Everything else is just time…” she trails off and thinks for a second. “As for mentally, suffering an attack like this can leave scars on the mind. If you want to have a chat with me about how you’re feeling, we can definitely do that, or if you want to talk to a clinical psychologist, I’ll name a couple of good ones who are close by.”

  Billie’s eyes well with tears when I turn back. She sniffles, wiping them away quickly. “Thank you. You’re all being so incredibly nice to me. I don’t know how to repay you.”

  “There’s nothing to repay, Billie. You need help. It’s what we’ll do,” I tell her.

  Billie peers up at me, a weak smile crossing her swollen lips. “I guess I’m not used to so much kindness being shown to me.”

  “Well, you better get used to it. Everyone is pretty laid back around here. And if they accept you as part of the family, then they will give you the shirt off their backs if you need it,” Chills states.

  Billie tries to compose her emotions. Whatever she has gone through in her life, she’s not used to people looking out for her, that’s for sure.

  Well, that all changes.

  Now.

  “Okay, well, I am all but done here. Let me know if you want to talk or need me to refer you to someone. Don’t be afraid to talk it out, Billie. Bottling this kind of shit up never works.”

  “Thanks, Chills. I’ll think on it.”

  Chills nods, packs up her shit, then walks off.

  I grab Billie’s hand, pulling her up.

  Her eyes meet mine while she gnaws on her bottom lip. “I don’t deserve all this.”

  My thumb slides against the top of her hand in a soothing gesture. I stare at her turquoise green eyes that remind me of the ocean. I could drown in them for a lifetime. “You don’t deserve to be attacked in an alleyway, and especially not on Christmas. Look, I don’t know anything about you, Billie, but from the way you easily came with us today and how you sought protection, I have a feeling you don’t have much to go home to. No friends, no family? Right?”

  Her beautiful eyes drop from mine, and she sniffles. “Yeah.”

  “I’m also willing to bet you don’t generally take handouts too easily. You like to stand on your own two feet and fight for what you have and believe in.”

  Her eyes meet mine again. “I do. That’s why this is all so surreal. I don’t know why I’m here. Doing this. Accepting your help. It’s not me. Everyone, but especially you, has been so amazing. Maybe it’s the Christmas spirit or something, but…”

  “You want to be around people. People who want to be around you,” I finish her sentence.

  Her eyes glisten like those words have hit a real nerve, but she tries to hide her emotion. I bring my hand up, wiping a single tear away. “Then you’re in the right place because I want you here, Billie. And this Christmas, you’re gonna have a good night. I promise.”

  She rushes forward, taking me into an embrace. I’m a little taken aback, but I slide my arms around her, my nose instantly falling into her fruity-smelling hair. Feeling the warmth building between us, I close my eyes.

  Man, she gives a really good fucking hug.

  She pulls back and that energy between us is pulling me toward her again.

  That’s when Zero steps in and slaps my back once, hard. “How’s the newbie settling in?”

  Clearing my throat, I take a step back from Billie.

  I need some damn space to clear my mind.

  “She’s doing good. Chills gave her the all-clear. I was thinking… I know it’s Christmas night and all, but would it hurt for us to go into the den and check the security cameras around the hospital to see what we can find on the guy who did this to Billie?”

  Zero purses his lips. “Seems logical. Neon!” he calls out, and Neon walks over.

  Billie instantly tenses like she’s nervous around him for some reason.

  That’s odd.

  Neon studies her reaction, but he gives nothing away. She avoids all eye contact with us both.

  Zero turns to Neon. “Billie here was attacked at the hospital. We need to check out the surveillance footage to see whether we can get a trace on the asshole who did this.”

  “Got it. Let’s go see what we find,” Neon states.

  There’s apprehension in Billie’s shoulders as we start walking to the den.

  And I have no idea why.

  BILLIE

  Neon. I don’t know him.

  I’ve never met him.

  But I’ve heard plenty about him from Rage.

  If anyone here is going to be the person to blow my cover, it’s Neon.

  He’s Defiance’s tech genius and Nicolette Oakley’s old man. Oakley is a problem because she ran with the Heathens for so long, being involved with my brother, Rage, before she fucked the club over and held them to ransom. Personally, I give it to Oakley. She really did a number on Rage, and it made my heart glad that someone got back at him.

  Rage has never forgiven her. His thirst for vengeance on not only her but Zero for making Defiance come after the Heathens is unquenchable. Insatiable. Voracious.

  This is the reason I am here, right now, in this predicament.

  Rage’s ravenous need to bring the Defiance club to their knees is undeterrable, and with that need, he wants to be able to bring down his wrath on Oakley. He has been living for the day when he will get close enough to her again that he can make her feel his crazed resentment and irritation. Oakley is the wild card Rage never saw coming.

  Everything is because of Oakley, though I am sure she has an old lady name now. I just have to hope like hellfire she doesn’t come back to the club from her racing road trip to find me here. Because if she does, my cover will be blown instantly, and I will be in a world of hurt.

  As Neon steps up to his pin pad on the outside of the thick cement door, he presses the six-digit code which I try to memorize but carefully make sure they don’t realize I am watching. Actually, Neon is quite covert about it. I can’t see the numbers, but I can see the pattern and that helps me to know exactly the numbers he has pressed. The door opens, and we walk inside. The entire place is like some kind of hacker’s paradise. A giant desk with monitors lines the wall. There’s a security feed area on another wall. I even note a mini-bar refrigerator under the desk in the corner.

  Neon’s setup in here is blowing my mind. He is one hundred percent professional, and it shows. This club is nothing like the Heathens—there is no comparison.

  Neon slides into his chair, then his fingers slide over the keyboard, quickly pulling up surveillance footage without me even having to say anything. “These are all the cameras around the hospital. Where were you attacked?”

  I step forward, hoping like hell Rage’s research paid off, or this is all going to go to shit right here and now. “In the alley off the west side, just by the front entrance.”

  Neon presses a few keys, then lets out a low gruff. “Dammit! That alley and the street at the back leading onto it don’t have camera access. What time did this happen?”

  “Around three… maybe a bit before?”

  Neon types more, his fingers like lightning on the keys, the screens in front of him lighting up. People zoom in and out of focus as he does whatever the hell it is he’s doing. Suddenly, he stops the camera on the alley, and I come rushing out, looking a complete mess. I’m running, panting, checking over my shoulder, grabbing at my arm while I dash straight into the hospital.

  Thank God, it all appears real.

  If I weren’t feeling so damn nervous, I would pat myself on the back. I did a fucking good job. Gnawing on my bottom lip, I bring my hand up to smooth out my messy hair.

 
All eyes are on the screens, and I let out a long exhale as we observe intently but, of course, there is nothing to see.

  Neon grumbles out, “He must’ve gone out the rear of the alley. I’m sorry, I don’t have anything for you, Billie. I’ll try to gain camera access to the streets out the back to see what I can find that matches up with that timeline, but without knowing which way he would have gone, I might not be able to find anything.”

  I squeeze my eyes tight, then reopen them. I can’t believe this actually worked. “That’s okay. Thank you for trying.”

  Phantom steps forward. “Now we have to figure out if this is targeted or some random. You need to tell us if there is anyone who could be out to hurt you?”

  Shit! How do I play this?

  “I mean… well, I don’t know offhand. There could be this one guy who was weird a while back, but I haven’t heard from him for a while.”

  “We should check him out. Can you give Neon his details?” Phantom stiffens his shoulders.

  Neon slides a piece of paper toward me. I write an old client’s name, Dominic Torres, and slide it back. My eyes linger on all the computing equipment, trying to take in as much information about this room as possible to report back to Rage.

  The problem is, I have no idea about any of it, so I need to ask.

  “Neon, what is all this stuff?”

  He raises his brow like he wasn’t expecting me to ask. “It’s state-of-the-art technology. I have to have the best of the best to do what I do.”

  I try to push it further. “And what do you do?”

  “Tech shit for the club. That’s all you need to know. Anything else is above your pay grade.”

  Biting down on my bottom lip, I nod.

  I’m pushing it too far.

  If you get ahead of yourself, it’s going to backfire. Then what?

  You’ve been here all of half an hour.

  Slow it the hell down.

  “Sorry, it’s just so interesting.”

  “Interesting, yes, but none of your business. I’ll let you know if I find anything,” Neon states gesturing for the door.

  I bob my head. “Thanks again,” I state, then turn to walk out feeling like a damn idiot.