“Well don’t you have a shit-eating grin on your face.” Casey’s smile was one of the most beautiful I’d ever seen on a woman. With her golden locks and flawless figure, she could get anyone she wanted, whenever she wanted, but damn if she used it to her advantage. Casey and I have been friends since we were kids, growing up at the club, right alongside each other. Her dad, Bam, was a patched member, who died a few years ago.

We’ve experienced everything together. She was my ultimate partner in crime and damn did I miss her. Grabbing her face between my hands, I stared into her emerald eyes before kissing her full on the lips. They tasted like cherries, reminding me of the little things that I’ve missed. Then I moved and kissed her once on each cheek.

“Well, hello to you too, girl.” She laughed at my gesture and wrapped her arms tightly around me squeezing the ever-loving shit out of me.

Stepping back, “I just missed ya, babe. Get me the hell out of here.” Throwing open the car door; I hopped into the beautiful piece of machinery. The sleek car was the ultimate ride, a classic. In our world, it was called a cage, since anything that isn’t a motorcycle was considered just that.

Casey’s father helped her fix it up at the shop, spending hours and hours perfecting it. He taught her everything that she’d ever have to know about fixing cars and bikes. When her father died, this car was the only connection to him she had. She treasured it more than anything on this planet and took care of it like she was loving her child.

Casey worked at the shop, Banner Automotive, attached to the Club. She may be beautiful and girly, but give her a wrench and an engine, and she was all over it. Not to mention, I’ve been told the guys really like the tight-ass jeans she wears. Men are so damn predictable.

“Sure thing, you ready to get that mop tamed?” Casey’s eyes travelled over my ugly, stringy, brassy brown hair. I knew I looked like shit, which was why it was the first order of business.

“Absolutely.”

After three hours in the chair, chatting it up with Cam while she worked her magic on my hair, I felt like a new woman. My dark brown hair was back in place with the bright streaks of red, just like I liked it. Instead of stringy, it was soft and silky. The natural wave was always a plus. Keeping it long in jail was a feat I never wanted to repeat. Just because my Pops had guys on the payroll, didn’t mean that things were handed to me. I had to earn it, and damn it if I didn’t. Not that I ever wanted to relive any of that again.

The drive to our place was quick, and I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of these prison clothes. I needed to get the stench of that place off of me. Wrapping my hair up, I jumped in the shower letting the water wash away the two previous years of hell. After turning into a prune, I exited getting myself together quickly. I found my favorite pair of jeans with the thousands of holes in all the right places and my tight, black Harley t-shirt. After a bit of makeup, I was ready to go see my family.

Walking into the living room, Casey was flopped on the couch with the remote in her hand, thumbing endlessly through the channels. “Where is she?” I asked, wanting my girl back.

“Come on.” Casey got up and headed towards her room, with me following closely behind. She dug through her closet, pulling out a locked box. Casey walked the box over to her dresser and placed it softly on the top. She rummaged through her top drawer, pulling out keys and unlocking the box.

Sitting inside was my girl. 9mm’s of power that fit the palm of my hand perfectly. I learned how to shoot with this gun. My dad gave it to me when I was fourteen, and I never leave home without her.

Feeling the weight in my hand, I thumbed the beautiful piece of metal, feeling happy and at peace. I always felt protected when this was with me. It’s one of the things that kept me alive for this long. Not only am I fast, but I am a great shot. Two years was a long time with no practice, though. I needed to get to the firing range and shoot off some rounds.

Checking my gun, I made sure the bullet chamber was fully loaded. I locked the safety, gave it a soft kiss, and placed it underneath my shirt in a small holster on my back.

Casey wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly, which I returned. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she whispered softly in my ear.

“Me too. Let’s go see the boys.”

I pulled away staring into her eyes. She was the one person that I knew would always have my back no matter what. “Let’s go.” She smiled, pulling my arm through the door.

Driving through the streets of Sumner, Georgia, everything seemed exactly the same as before I left. The same shops and banks lined the center of town with people walking through the streets without a care in the world. They were free, just like I was, and how I was going to stay.

Good people lived here. They were honest people; well, for the most part. When the outsiders came in, that’s when we had problems.

Unfortunately, I’ve been kept in the dark about most of what was going on with the club. When Ma came to visit, she never discussed the brothers, and I never asked. People were always listening to us, and neither of us could risk it. I didn’t know the good or the bad of what was going on, and I felt quite lost. Ma would only say that my family loved me. I knew that.

What I didn’t know was what I would walk into once I got to the shop and the club. It was a bit unnerving, but I couldn’t let that show. I’d never show any weakness… ever.

Pulling up to the locked gates with barbed wire lacing the top, the smile that was plastered on my face was irreversible. I was finally home.

A man I’d never seen before, wearing a Prospect rag, came to the side of the window. “Hey, Casey. You working today?”

Smiling widely at him, she reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. He was pretty hot for a newbie Prospect. His dark hair hung low covering his ears, but not quite down to his shoulders. His brown eyes were the color of chocolate, matching the smoothness of his voice. His nose looked like it had taken one too many beatings over the years and hadn’t been set quite right. He had a very hot, dangerous persona.

Squeezing Casey’s hand back to let her know I understood his hotness, she finally spoke. “Hey, Tug. I brought Harlow home.”

Tug looked me up and down, eyeing me. “Get a good look there, Bud,” I said with my signature smirk that I knew would make him putty in my hands.

“Sure thing, Sweetheart. So you’re the famous Princess, huh?” Rolling my eyes, I turned to face the windshield already done with the conversation. Spending your entire life trying to prove something wrong was exhausting, and I knew everyone here would be calling me that word.

“Let’s go,” I said, snapping my fingers in front of me, pointing to the gate.

“Your Pops is real excited to see ya, but they’re in church. They’ll be out soon.” Tug turned to the gate, throwing the switch to unlock the steel doors. They began to move, opening wide.

When the gates spread, I took in the view. To the left was the shop, Banner Automotive. This was one of the businesses the Ravage MC owned that did really well, not to mention they all needed some place to work on their bikes. My mom worked there doing the books and handling all the clients that came in and out through another entrance, opposite of where all the guys come in. She’d been doing it since I was a kid. I spent a lot of time in that office with Ma. My eyes scanned to the members and Prospect only parking to the right. One parking spot after the other and I could name the owners of almost every one of them. That’s how I knew there were five new guys, either patched in or Prospects.

Casey parked the car in front of the shop doors and killed the engine. Walking in, it actually felt eerie. I didn’t recognize anyone, but they all said hi to Casey. I should have expected a new crew of workers; they rotated quite often. Club business was kept separate from the shop. I could feel their eyes boring into me, but I kept my eyes trained on the back door. I wanted to see my man.