Welcome to the world of the Broken Souls Motorcycle Club!
Sparks fly when the clubās investigation leads an alpha biker to a sweet high school teacher.
His intrigue drives him, putting himself in her path at every turn.
Demanding dates with a side of hot looks, his fascination increases with every denial that falls from her lips.
But when his investigation puts her directly in the crosshairs of his suspects, heāll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Welcome to the world of the Broken Souls Motorcycle Club!
Sparks fly when the clubās investigation leads an alpha biker to a sweet high school teacher.
His intrigue drives him, putting himself in her path at every turn.
Demanding dates with a side of hot looks, his fascination increases with every denial that falls from her lips.
But when his investigation puts her directly in the crosshairs of his suspects, heāll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Kate
Shoot, Iām going to be late.
I pick up speed at the thought, rushing through the parking lot of the one and only grocery store in Frostown on Friday afternoon.
Mr. Grayson is my last errand of the day.
I just need to get in and out before I can answer the call of the weekend.
Not that my weekends are exciting. You canāt have much of a social life when you have no friends.
No, itās my promise to Mr. Grayson prompting my rush. Heās homebound after a stroke and sadly, he has no family to help so I do what I can for him.
The sound of a loud motor snaps my head up. It must be the new motorcycle club in town. Iām no expert on vehicles but even I recognize the distinct sound of those engines.
Even though the Broken Souls Motorcycle Club has kept to themselves since their move here six months ago, everyone in town knows who they are.
Obviously, they come to town, but from what Iāve heard their trips are limited to bars, restaurants, or the grocery store. I havenāt seen them myself.
Resuming my mission, I grab a cart on the way inside while I mentally map my route through the store. It helps to know Mr. Graysonās shopping list by heart as I quickly make my way through the aisles. That is, until Iām stopped in my tracks by a brick wall.
Not really. The only brick walls here surround the building, not the center of the store.
But it sure feels like it.
A brick wall definitely doesnāt have the strong hands currently wrapped around my waist. Nor does one elicit the spark of electricity coursing through my body.
I inhale a breath to steady my nerves but it backfires as an intoxicating blend of leather and sandalwood, with a faint layer of motor oil, overwhelms my senses.
This brick wall exudes a deliciousness that immediately brings to mind thoughts of sweaty tangled limbs and heights of pleasure I could only dream of.
My eyes take a slow journey up strong thighs encased in denim, to a wide chest straining the seams of a black t-shirt until I finally reach the face of the most attractive man Iāve ever laid eyes on.
My eyes about pop out of my head as I realize the brick wall I barreled into is the most handsome man Iāve ever seen in my life. He must be with the motorcycle club. If the vest thing-y heās wearing is any indication.
I take a step back and admire the view as his hands slowly trace across my stomach. The touch is sizzling even through material of my shirt.
Short brown hair shaved close on the sides; the top is just long enough to make a woman long to run her fingers through it. The scruff on his face, perfectly framing full lips, is just short enough to see the sharply chiseled line of his jaw.
Iām sure he has the body to match one of the modelās gracing the covers of the raunchy romance novels I devour. No doubt, heāll be the star of all my fantasies now.
āHey, sorry I wasnāt watching where I was headed.ā The slow grin accompanying his apology is as hypnotizing as his voice. Smooth and soothing.
A girl could get lost in both.
Of course, Iām no exception. His grin even silences my inner voice.
Entranced, I watch as his smile morphs into a smirk while he slowly eyes me up and down like he likes what he sees. I have no hope of controlling the heat creeping over my face.
His eyes roam my body, igniting heat in more than just my cheeks. My nipples harden at the intensity of his perusal. Thereās no hope of hiding my bodyās response behind the cups of my lacy bra.
The jerk knows exactly what heās doing to me.
Okay, I have no idea if heās actually a jerk.
But it is a little jerky to call me on my embarrassment. Even non-verbally.
And my inner voice is back online.
I might be shy but my inner voice is not. Itās as outgoing as you could get.
With my shyness, most of those thoughts never pass my lips.
Thank God for that.
Breaking from my trance, I finally find my voice. āThatās okay. It was really my fault. I wasnāt paying attention.ā
Smirk still gracing that beautiful face, he holds his hand out to me. āIām Mac.ā
I, of course, go back to staring at him like a mute, ignoring his outstretched hand. Thereās no way I could survive without self-combusting with skin to skin contact. If just the feel of his hands through my clothes is anything to go by, Iād go up in flames.
āHey, Mac, we gotta go.ā Iām jarred back to reality when a beautiful brunette wraps her arm around his waist, saving me from my embarrassment, even as her eyes spark with curiosity as she introduces herself. āHi, Iām Jade.ā
Her smile is friendly. If thereās hostility, I donāt see it.
āNice to meet you, Jade. Iām Kate.ā My manners return with my attention off the hotness sheās attached to.
I reach my hand out to her, bypassing his still extended offering. Even though I broke eye contact, itās impossible not to feel the heat of Macās stare that continues to caress my face.
She makes no effort to hide her amusement at my blatant move. Itās obvious she sees exactly whatās happening to me. She probably witnesses this embarrassing scene on the regular.
āMac, weāre running late. The brothers will riot if weāre not back with food and drinks soon.ā
My eyes ā stuck on them like a pre-pubescent teen ā catch her turning back to me even as she guides him away.
āKate, it was nice meeting you. You should come by the clubhouse sometime. All that blatant testosterone in your face gets overwhelming. Us girls could use some friends in town.ā Her invite is as friendly as her smile.
I wonāt lie. There is no way Iāll show up there on my own.
Not because I judge. I just know my limits. And a rowdy crowd of men is a hard no for me.
If the steamy books I devour are true, all the men will be hot.
Iāll be tongue-tied as heck.
Reading about and imagining sexy times is much different than being faced with real-life hotness.
Not wanting to be rude, I stick with a non-committal smile.
That was my first encounter with the motorcycle club since they moved here. Iām confident I wonāt run into them again. At least not anytime soon.
A wave of relief washes over me that I wonāt be forced to relive my embarrassment.
Iām sure Iām not even a blip on their radar, forgotten as soon as they walked away. Wish I could say the same for myself. Iāll relive those hot looks for the foreseeable future.
A warning from my phone snaps me back to the task at hand.
Shoot, time got away from me. Iāll be cutting it close.
Moving on auto pilot, my thoughts inevitably return to the handsome biker.
Even with my limited experience, it was impossible to miss the interest in his electric blue eyes.
I know Iām not ugly but Iām no comparison to the beauty attached to him. If the familiarity between them is any indication, heās the complete opposite of my shy self.
I finish shopping quickly then Iām rushing back out to my car, the unusual heat and humidity hitting me hard.
This yearās August heat is stifling. I can feel my hair revolt against the control I thought I had on it. Even in the normally mild Tennessee summers, I have no hope of taming my wild brown curls.
I never did learn how.
Growing up, my father considered hair products trivial and unnecessary. Even as an adult, I still havenāt figured it out. Itās easier to just pile it on top of my head or pull it back in a ponytail.
Putting my run-in with Mac and Jade out of my mind, I finally set off to Mr. Graysonās on the other side of town.
My anxiety mounts as I think of all I have to do. My to-do list is way too long. Never seeming to shorten, it just continues to grow. I donāt even notice the shops and restaurants passing by on Main Street.
Preparing for the upcoming school year while making time for my true passion ā volunteering in the community ā I have no time to meet new people.
Not that I could make new friends to save my life.
My strict upbringing makes that impossible. Growing up with the school Principal father and meek stay-at-home mother wasnāt a recipe for an extrovert.
My extracurricular activities were limited to what my father approved of. Playing in the school band when all the other girls tried out for the cheerleading squad. Labeled a nerd for always making the honor roll.
Though I wasnāt bullied, the combination of the two didnāt really incentivize my classmates to befriend the principalās daughter.
I was okay with that. My focus was on getting out from under my fatherās roof. And rules.
Scholarships were my only option to accomplish that.
College me was much the same as high school me. Minus playing in the band.
My head was in my books. I had no desire to party.
The one time my roommate talked me into going to one, I embarrassed her when I stood awkwardly in the corner all night. What she didnāt understand is that I honestly lack the ability to socialize. I wasnāt a snob.
Unfortunately, thatās how I came across.
At one point, a popular football player approached my commandeered corner. The handsome baller made a quick exit when my awkwardness became obvious. Staring up at him like a mute didnāt invoke stimulating conversation.
The ability to engage in casual conversation eluded me.
Even though I wish it was different, Iāve accepted my lonely existence. The only constant in my life is my cousin April and sheās even more introverted than me.
Understandable when you learn her history. Adopted by my aunt and uncle when she was four, April was a silent girl with haunted eyes when they brought her home. Just when she adjusted to a happy home, my aunt and uncle were killed in a car accident. I didnāt see them often so I didnāt suffer as much as she did. My father didnāt agree with their affectionate raising of her so we kept our distance.
With nowhere else to go, April came to live with us. She had three good years with them before suddenly losing her loving parents. I thought April would struggle in our strict household but she seemed to thrive on my fatherās rules.
That wasnāt the case with my mother.
When I was sixteen, Mom decided sheād had enough of his rules and ran away with another man. Last I heard, she remarried and lives in Florida with her new family.
Good for her. She found her happiness. But she left April and me alone with a bitter man. Her leaving only served to strengthen his resolve to control his household.
April is the reason Iām back in Frostown. When my father died right after my college graduation, I couldnāt stomach the thought of uprooting her again. The best thing for her was to move back into my childhood home so she wouldnāt have to move again.
I break from my trip down memory lane, not wanting to be late dropping off Mr. Graysonās groceries. April is waiting for me for our Friday night dinner.
I run up the walkway to Mr. Graysonās, only to stop and stare when I reach the door. I may have overestimated my abilities, juggling the bags to find the lock to fit my borrowed key.
Triumphantly unlocking the door, I call out to let him know Iām here. āMr. Grayson? Itās Kate. I have your groceries.ā
He wheels around the corner with a smile and I canāt stop the responding grin lighting my face. His warm greeting always melts my heart. Despite his limited social interaction, he doesnāt let it get him down.
Once again, I wish I could do more. If I had a way to transport his wheelchair, I would get him out of the house.
āKate, how are you today?ā He asks.
āIām good Mr. Grayson. Did you get a chance to sit outside today?ā
He has ramps that allow him to roll his wheelchair to both the front and back porches.
āYou know I prefer sitting out when youāre enjoying it with me. At least then I know youāre taking a break.ā He always worries that Iām not taking care of myself.
Another reason to love him.
Heās like the grandfather I always wished I had.
Maybe if I had a loving grandparent growing up, my fatherās overbearing ways would have been easier to handle. Or at least softened him.
āI can stay for a few minutes but then I need to get home to April.ā Everyone in town knows sheās my main priority.
Everything I do, I do for her.
āThatās alright. I know youāre busy. We can sit a spell on your next visit.ā
I agree with a mixture of guilt and relief and we chat while I put the groceries away. Once the last grocery is in the pantry, I give him a quick hug before leaving.
With a wave, Iām back to my car.
Itās a short trip home in our small town. A drive I could make in my sleep. As I take the familiar route home, my mind wanders back to my run in with the sexy biker. My cheeks heat at the remembered heat in his eyes.
How I wish just once that type of rugged man was truly attracted to me.
Sadly, heās probably already forgot all about me.
***
I pull into the garage with a sigh of relief. Pushing through the door to the kitchen, I call out my cheesy greeting. āHoney, Iām home!ā
A grinning April waits for me at the kitchen counter. āYouāre right on time. I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.ā
āSounds delicious. Let me go change really quick.ā I hurry down the hallway to my room.
It still feels weird to call the master bedroom mine. When I first moved back into my childhood home, I couldnāt bring myself to move into his room. Instead, I stayed in what had been my childhood bedroom.
April finally convinced me to convert it to an office when it became glaringly obvious we were cramped with leaving part of the house unused.
It was a great idea. Weāve both gotten good use out of the change. Her for school and me for keeping my volunteer activities organized. Plus, a place to do any work from my actual job if needed, but volunteering is my true passion.
I mosey back to the kitchen where a still grinning April places the last dish on the table. āYou look great. All your hard work is really showing.ā
Glancing down, my inner voice agrees with her.
I do look pretty good.
The leggings and tank are more revealing than my conservative work clothes. It wouldnāt do to be mistaken for one of my students. Thereās no need to worry about that in the comfort of my own home. Itās not like anyone but April is going to see me.
These clothes highlight the positive changes in my body.
My New Yearās resolution to get healthier has had the added benefit of a twenty-pound weight loss. That wasnāt my main goal but I canāt say Iām disappointed in the results.
Even though my inner voice agrees, my shyness is ingrained and I automatically wave away her compliment. āItās all the clothes. Not much I can hide in these.ā
She rolls her eyes in exasperation. āItās not polite to disregard a compliment. Just say thank you and accept it.ā
With an eye roll of my own, I do as instructed. āThank you, April. Now letās eat!ā
Every week, I look forward to our Friday night feasts. The rest of the week is dedicated to a balanced diet. Friday night dinner means I get to skip the lean meats and fresh fruits and veggies.
If Iāve learned one thing throughout the process, it is to not deprive myself. While itās okay to indulge, moderation is key.
Diving in, we spend the rest of the night catching up.
Aprilās eyes light up as she catches me up on her week and her friend Aaron. Aaron is her childhood friend. The boy who befriended her when she moved in with us. Heās the only other person with the ability to tempt her out of her shell.
Aaron has been Aprilās rock over the past ten years.
Once the kitchen is clean, we move to the couch to catch up on trashy reality TV.
I enjoy one of my last quiet nights before school and football season starts next week. Just like every year, I dread my required attendance at the teamās home games.
Pushing away thoughts of my upcoming suffering, I settle in for our shared guilty pleasure.
This book was so easy and comforting to read, that I felt like I was transported to another world. The way that the world is set up is not through prolonged or over-done exposition of how the setting looks or what the air tastes like, but how the characters know the place themselves. It was very refreshing to read a novel that does that, and the fact that it was written in first-person really gave it that personal touch that the writer clearly excels in that made this story feel so easy to read.
The characters themselves are key to this novel, being introduced to us by how the main character, Kate, interacts with her world. Although we switch perspectives from time to time over various chapters, it is never done in a way that makes the reader feel lost or overwhelmed by the character shifts. Instead, this allows the reader a more creative insight into the different characters and how they are interacting with the situations they are finding themselves in. It feels very well balanced to read, even though at times there are occasionally jumps in logic that I found to be completely baffling, it was still something enjoyable to read and I found myself unable to stop reading at certain times because of this.
However, there were a few things that I found an issue with as I read through the novel. This is the case with many novels, and no writer is perfect. The main character of Kate seemed, to me at least, to be very naive and weak-minded compared to other women in the novel, and it took me a little longer to come to like her as a character than I would have liked. Her first interaction with the male lead, Mac, made me dislike her because of her swooning reaction to just his appearance. It made her act like every cliched, lovestruck, idiot in many web novels who can't have their male characters be any more three-dimensional than their physique. If anything, it also made me lose a little respect for Mac. For the chemistry to be ignited, and for some sparks to fly, there has to be some chemistry with the way they talk to one another, not just because one of them found the other to be especially attractive.
Yet, over the course of the novel, Kate's character comes to be someone much different than what I read in the beginning, but I felt disappointed by that opening introduction to these two characters. I wanted to like both of them and yet left those first chapters feeling like I'm not going to connect with either of them.
Luckily, the rest of the novel forgave this minor incident at the beginning, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying this ravaging storyline and epic romance.