I shot to my room and had a two minute shower, just enough to wash away the sweat that clung to my body and threw on a pair of track pants that sat low on my hips and a crop top that showed my stomach. With summer basically gone and autumn showing its face, the weather was in that weird maybe hot, maybe cold phase. Slightly annoying when you were picking out what to wear for the day. I figured it was easier to grab a sweatshirt and tie it around my waist because if I was cold, than wear shorts and have to go back to my room and put some warm pants on.

Not just a pretty face, right?

The club girls took turns with the daily chores. It worked for us and it meant that with everything spread evenly, we still had most of the day free.

Breakfast for me was easy, the men needed different options because of preferences and because some occasionally took on strict workout diets to keep their bodies in optimum shape. It wasn’t a requirement of the club to have a killer body and be good looking, even though you’d think so by looking at them. It was, however, expected that they at least looked after themselves.

I quickly set to work—baking, frying, mixing, pouring. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage, cereal, toast, and coffee—these men needed coffee.

They filled the large dining room steadily. There was a buffet-like table for them to pick up their food and then a collection of tables and chairs scattered around, with the kitchen just through two large swinging doors. Because of the old hotel setup, it was perfect. I assumed this was where hotel guests came for continental breakfasts and maybe even lunch and dinners.

I picked at a plate of food as I watched members and club girls come and go. A lot of the boys thanked me with a kiss on the head, they may be tough bikers, but even they know not to bite the hand that feeds you. I popped a piece of bacon in my mouth just as Optimus walked through the doors with his arm firmly around Lou Lou—another club girl.

I almost choked. They both looked my way, but at least she had the decency to throw me an ‘I’m sorry’ glance. I didn’t blame her. We weren’t to say no to the men unless we felt unsafe or had good reason, but I’m sure she wasn’t exactly disappointed. Optimus was sexy, strong, and knew his way around the bedroom.

While I’ve been with my fair share of the men, there’s one who has slowly begun demanding my time a lot more than the others. Our great president himself.

Optimus is serious and stern and runs his club like he rides his Harley—hard and with purpose. He’s a fair leader, but the brothers know not to fuck around with him because he can be deadly. The Optimus I saw behind closed doors was my favorite. He could be charming and sweet and funny.

And oh when he smiles, Jesus!

Unfortunately, something or someone had broken him and he held me at arm’s length, just close enough to touch my heart but far enough away to not let me see what’s in his.

I felt a pat on my back as I coughed around the small piece of bacon and watched them collect their food.

“You shouldn’t let it bother you.” I smiled and looked up at Leo. He’d recently had a haircut and his bushy mane was now very short and buzzed to his head like he was heading into the army. I had to say, I loved it.

“I’m fine.” I pushed my cheeks wide with the forced smile and held my arms out for the wiggling two-year-old he held. Harmony and I had helped raise Leo’s little girl Macy when his wife died giving birth. I still tried to help out when I could but Leo’s sister-in-law now took her a lot of the time during the day, so I didn’t get as much time with her as I used to. She was still wearing her pajamas and rubbing at her eyes, but she held her arms out toward me. Leo laughed as I took her and she snuggled her face into my neck, sucking her thumb into her mouth.

“Baby, you can come to my bed anytime. Prez is a brooding asshole who doesn’t know what he’s got when it’s right in front of him.” Leo smirked.

Leo was all kinds of sexy and good in bed. Not good, great. But since Optimus began taking over most of my time, a lot of the other men stopped.

Since Harmony and Kit left last week, things have been different. Optimus has been avoiding me. I could feel it and with him showing up this morning with his arm around Lou Lou, his intentions were clear.

I placed Macy on the ground and watched as she quickly waddled off to the nearest brother who didn’t hesitate to hoist her onto his lap. These sexy, strong, scary men had a soft spot—their kids. Not all of them lived at the clubhouse and some even had jobs outside the club. A few had children—some even a couple grandkids—at home. Family played a huge part in the club life.

I turned back to Leo. “Your bed free tonight?” I chewed my lip. Leo’s eyes widened slightly like he hadn’t expected me to take him up on his offer, but excitement soon shone in them. He reached out and hooked his finger into the waistband of my pants, pulling my hips toward him.

He brushed his lips against my neck and I sighed, enjoying the soft touch. “Macy goes to her aunt’s in an hour. Meet me in my room.” His voice was harsh and stern, leaving no room for arguments and that was exactly how I loved it. My stomach fluttered. Not quite in the same way it did when the words came from Optimus, but still more than enough to drench my panties where I stood.

“Yes, sir.”

I hadn’t dressed up much, it was rather pointless when you knew that you were just going to be taking everything back off again. I’d thrown on a sexy denim mini with tears in the fabric and an emerald green halter that made my breasts looking freaking amazing. I also threw on a pair of heels just for fun. They were my favorite and cost a shit load to boot—cowboy style ankle boots with a few small chains and studs. They went perfectly with my denim mini and made my legs look fantastic. I checked myself in the mirror.

I’d do me.

My body was excited by the thought of getting Leo into bed, even if my heart was holding back a little bit. I pulled my hair to the side and ran my fingers through it.

I, like most little girls out there, had a love for fairy tales. I lost my parents when I was only young, barely six, and since then I’d moved from foster home to foster home, never spending too long in the same place. Not all the homes I’d been placed into were all that bad. But the shitty ones really had outweighed the even slightly pleasant ones. There were drugs, there was drinking, there was abuse.

What saved me from turning to drugs or alcohol or just deciding to give up altogether? I ran.

I loved to run. I felt free, I felt like nothing else mattered but placing one foot in front of the other, slicing through the air, feeling my body burn.

Running as a form of exercise had always been a part of me. I think it was burned into my genes. My mom was a cross country runner at school and my dad was a running back for his high school football team.

I remember how competitive they got.

I giggled, watching from the porch as my mom taunted my dad.

“Come on, David! I’ve got three laps on you, just give up!” she yelled, laughing as if she could continue running all night. Something I knew she would do if that’s what it took to prove she was better.

“Never!” my father spluttered. I saw the moment the idea crossed his thoughts and he veered off from the usual marked out course and shot across the center to the opposite side where my unsuspecting mother was.

He held his finger to his mouth with a smile, gesturing for me not to give away what he was about to do. I covered my mouth with my hand, but the giggles were unstoppable. Mom looked up at me curiously, but it was already too late, my dad had swept her off her feet, hooking his arms under her knees, the other around her back.