Moans draw my eyes to the left. A huge male with messy mohawked brown hair sits on the couch. He’s massive and covered in tattoos from his face to his fingers. His head is kicked back and his eyes are closed. And if it wasn’t for the moaning and girl rocking back and forward over his hips, and his death grip on her waist I’d almost mistake him for being asleep.

It’s clear they’re having sex. However, the other occupants of the room seem unfazed by it.

It’s a shock to my system. I expected to walk into a den of sex, smoke, and unsavory acts, but anticipating it and seeing it with my own eyes, are two very different things.

“Who you got there, Lil’ Bird?” someone shouts from across the room. My muscles tense involuntarily as I feel the weight of a room full of stares. My breathing accelerates, but I fight the flight instinct telling me to run back out the way I came.

“About fuckin’ time, babe.” A handsome biker with peppered hair shouts from his stool at the bar. He leaps up and crosses the room with rapid, purposeful strides.

Lily’s face transforms with glee an instant before he grabs her face and claims her mouth with his.

A sound best left for the privacy of a bedroom emanates from him. Half-growl, half-groan. His large hand slides around her waist and gropes her ass.

Lily’s body melts against him. Then as if she suddenly remembers I’m there watching, she slaps his hand away and tries to wiggle out of his grip.

“Goose, baby, stop!”

“Hell no, woman. You were gone for fuckin’ ever.” He places quick kisses up and down her neck.

“Stop. Please, baby. Let me introduce you to my new friend. She needs a place to stay for a few days.”

The man grunts but doesn’t stop his assault.

“I brought her in because I thought the guys would like her. Maybe she can be my replacement. What do you think?”

At that, Goose lifts his eyes from her neck and gazes at me over her shoulder. His irises are azure blue and, good God, he’s a stunner. His tan and weather-beaten face is handsome and is accentuated by long hair that’s somewhat greasy. He has a mustache that circles down to a goatee and this rugged, sexy, older man vibe that’s appealing as hell.

The corner of his mouth lifts as he says, “She’s mighty fine, babe. But I’m pretty sure you know this is a bad idea. You know how Ricky Boy feels about outsiders, particularly redheads.”

My heart sinks. What? What’s wrong with redheads? They can’t turn me out now. Davis is out there.

“Come on, babe. It would be nice to have someone new and normal around the club, not all of these . . .” Her hand flutters as if encasing the room. In a quieter voice, she continues, “ . . . used up rags.”

He chuckles in response.

“Mav said he wanted to do something special for Edge.”

He grins and says, “Yeah, but I don’t think a little redhead is what he had in mind.”

“Baby, she’d be a perfect welcome home gift. And with the party and everything, we’re gonna need some new blood around here. We can’t throw a party with just the four clubpieces on tap. Even if we invited a couple of the girls from Wet Tips, that’s still not going to be enough. And not enough girls equals trouble. Talk to him. See if he’ll give her a chance. A few days. That’s all.” She rubs her hands up and down his arms.

“I don’t know, Little Bird.”

“Please . . . Finn.” She brushes her lips over his.

He visibly shudders. Then closes his eyes for a second and does that growl/groan again.

She places her hands on both sides of his face. “If we get the guys on board, Maverick will listen. He’ll have to. I’m tellin’ you, she’ll fit in perfectly. The guys will love her. I know it, baby.”

Goose pulls back and studies her for a moment. Then shakes his head. “You’re right about us needing new blood. But Mav wanted to wait until after the vote.”

“And that will be too late. Pleaaassseee!” She leans forward and whispers in his ear for a moment.

He sighs, “Fine.” Then smirks at her. “You’re gonna be the fuckin’ death of me.”

With a giggle, she hugs him and gives him one quick, deep kiss on the lips. When they break apart, she turns to me and yanks me forward. “Pumpkin, this is my old man, Goose. Goose, Pumpkin.” I inwardly wince at the tragic new name I’ve been given.

He pumps his chin once. “Hey.” To her he says, “Mav’s not gonna go for it, but maybe if you talk to Dozer and get him on board . . . But if Dozer says no, there’s nothin’ I can do.”

“Where’s D?”

Goose peers behind him, points to the far side of the room. “At the bar. See that big ox, Pumpkin? He’s the man you gotta persuade to let you stay.”

My nerves ratchet up as I search for Dozer.

At the end of the bar stands an enormous man. A man that does in fact resemble a bulldozer . . . if a bulldozer had flesh and muscles upon muscles, and dirty blond hair. The guy has to be close to six and a half feet. He has overly broad shoulders, pecs and ropy biceps, which stretch his gray T-shirt and a black, leather vest to their max capacity.

“That’s Dozer? The big blond?” I don’t know why I bother asking.

Lily laughs, “Fitting, right?”

Yeah, fitting.

Dozer raps his knuckles on the bar. Rigor who’s now serving drinks, places a beer in his hand. After taking a swig, Dozer surveys the room. His gaze stops on our little group, possibly because we’re all staring at him. His brows pucker, and his head tilts slightly. Goose waves him over. After a second, a grin spreads across Dozer’s face and he crosses the room.

As he approaches, I do my best to fight my instinct to flee.

In no time, Dozer stands in front of me. A giant wall of muscle and testosterone. “Well, well, well, look at what the little bird dragged in.”

I force a tentative smile to my lips. Not that he’s not gorgeous with his slate blue-gray eyes, clean-shaven face, and flawless bone structure, because he is. It’s just . . . I’m not usually attracted to guys who tower over me, who can easily overpower me. He’s more Sunny’s type than my own.

I do like that he’s blocking my view of the rest of the room.

“What’s your name, babe?” he asks.

“It’s um . . .” I’m so intimidated by him I nearly spit out my real name.

Thankfully, Lily tightens her hold on my arm and interrupts me by saying, “D, meet my friend Pumpkin.”

He arches an eyebrow and his smile widens. “Pumpkin, huh? Whatcha doin’ in a place like this, Pumpkin?”

Pumpkin. Ugh.

Goose lightly smacks Dozer’s arm, getting his attention. “She’s lookin’ for a place to stay for a few days. Lil’ thinks she’ll make a good replacement for her. Wanted to see if we’ll let Pumpkin stick around. Long enough to see if she fits in.” He shrugs. “Think the boys would like her and she’ll make a nice welcome home gift for Edge.”

Dozer eyes meet mine. “Gift for Edge, huh? Not sure I’m on board with that. What if I wanna keep her all to myself?”

The hairs on my arms rise.

Goose chuckles. “Yeah, well, first we got to get Ricky Boy to agree to let her hang for a bit. I was hoping you’d go to bat for her.” Goose lowers his voice and leans in close to Dozer. “The transition’s been rough for Lil’. She needs this. A friend around until the old ladies stop givin’ her hell and let her in their little circle.” Goose rubs the back of his neck. “Consider this me callin’ in that favor you owe me.”

They stare at one another, and some type of silent communication flows between them. Dozer looks over at Lily.

“The old ladies still givin’ you shit?”

Lily says, “No,” but looks away, raises her hand and inspects her nails.

Dozer sighs and his gaze comes back to me, but this time it feels like I’m being examined for something. “This really where you want to be, pretty girl?”

I push a “Yes” past my lips.

His eyes travel up and down my body. He takes a few steps and walks around me. When he stands at my back, he sets his big hands on my shoulders.