Xander: Grim Riders MC Series, #5

By Molly Black

I didn't know who this Xander guy was, but he definitely wasn't a superintendent. 

He also definitely wasn't anyone that I should be getting involved in. 

After all, what did I need him for? My life was perfect, just me and my daughter. 

Somehow, though, Xander seemed to be fitting into our lives in a way that I could never have expected. 

But I have to look out for my daughter, first and foremost. And the last thing I need is to be involved with a member of a motorcycle club. 

How do I convince my heart to be rid of him, though? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: MB
• Release date: Aug 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386188377

Book preview

Chapter 1

Xander

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Ihad barely finished getting dressed on Sunday morning when the doorbell rang. I frowned, wondering who that could be. Granted, I hadn’t gotten up particularly early, and by the time I’d had a quick breakfast and showered, it was edging on toward eleven. Still, it was Sunday morning.

I hoped it was just one of the guys from my motorcycle club wanting to know if I wanted to go for a ride that day. But usually, they would have just texted me to ask that. For someone to show up on my doorstep like this, if it was someone from the club, it probably meant that something was wrong.

Of course, we were on pretty good terms with the sheriff at the moment. It helped that one of the other members of the MC had saved the sheriff’s daughter not too long ago. But things with the local law enforcement were always subject to change. It wasn’t like any of our deals could be put down on paper and signed off on.

Beyond that, there was always the threat of other MCs trying to move in on our territory. Greenboro wasn’t a big city, and every bit of business mattered. We had managed to hold our region for a long time, but again, things were always subject to change.

And then there were our clients. Most of the business that the Grim Riders MC did was protecting various clients from various threats. There were plenty of reasons that a person might not want to go to the police about a threat to their life, starting with corruption and ending with the possibility of having their crimes found out. For example, if a guy murdered someone and was afraid that the dead guy’s friends might come after him, he might ask us for help.

Not that many of our cases were that extreme. But we did a good turnover, made some decent money, and mostly stayed above the board as far as the local law enforcement was concerned.

I was one of the people that Otis, president of the MC, sent off to protect our clients, so there was a chance that if this was about club business, that was why.

I pulled open the door to find Dax standing there on the doorstep. He was one of my oldest friends and another member of the MC. I leaned against the doorframe, my worries confirmed. MC business, then. I sighed inwardly. I had been hoping to have a chill day, maybe go out for a long ride, but mainly just enjoy myself. My work schedule had been pretty crazy lately, and I just wanted to relax before Monday’s weekly meeting, when Otis would no doubt assign me more work for the coming week.

But I didn’t let on about that to Dax. Business was business. I had a job to do.

What’s up? I asked him.

Dax grinned at me. Don’t worry, he said quickly. It’s not a work thing. I just wanted to chat with you about something. I thought that maybe we could go fishing today.

I blinked. Sounds great, I said slowly. Even though Dax and I had always been close, practically brothers, I hadn’t gotten to spend a lot of time with him lately. Between my work schedule, his work schedule, and the time he spent with his girlfriend, it had been hard to find time where both of us could get together. So a day fishing with him, even if he prefaced it with the need to talk about something, sounded perfect.

I wondered what it was he needed to talk about. Maybe it wasn’t work business. But if not, what? Wedding plans? I almost snickered at the thought of that. Dax and I might be close, but there was no way I was the guy to talk to about wedding plans. And Dax knew that very well.

Hell, I planned to never get married. Just didn’t think I would ever find a woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and there were so many complications with the MC business. And if I did ever get married, well, I’d be just as happy to let everyone show up in jeans. I didn’t go for the frippery and nonsense. Just get the thing done with and move on.

Let me get my fishing gear out of the garage, I told Dax. You got bait already?

Yep, Dax said, nodding. And a cooler of beers in the back of the truck.

I laughed. Perfect, I said. How’d you know I was going to agree?

Dax snorted. Come on; I know the way Otis has been pushing you lately. Figured you probably needed a day away from club business and a little relaxation.

You’re right about that, I said, grinning. Of course, Dax would know exactly what I was up to today and not bother making plans with me ahead of time. He knew how I worked.

We drove out to one of our favorite fishing spots. It was deserted today despite the warm, sunny spring weather. I took a deep breath of the air when I got out of the truck. Dax cracked open a beer from the cooler and handed it to me, then cracked open one for himself as well. Beautiful day, huh? he said. Just hope the fish are biting.

Sure they will be, I said. We’ve had good luck here before.

Sure, Dax said easily. Just haven’t been up here in a while. Could be all fished out by now.

I snorted, Doubtful, and Dax laughed.

Well, come on, let’s check it out, then, he said, grabbing his tackle box and rods from the back.

We headed down to the water and strung the rods, working in companionable silence for a moment. Do you remember that time Otis took us fishing in upstate New York? Dax asked after a minute. He flashed a grin over at me. I’m just thinking about when I caught that snapper.

I snorted. Oh, I remember that, I said, nodding. You let the thing pull you into the lake, and then you let go of the rod. I still can’t believe Dan was able to get it back.

I know, Dax said, shaking his head, mirth crinkling the corners of his eyes. I swore I was one day going to get my diving license when he did that. But I still haven’t. He glanced over at the water and shrugged. Honestly, there’s so much seaweed in this lake that I probably wouldn’t be able to see anything in here anyway.

I laughed. Yeah, or it would be like one of those horror movie scenes, and you’d, like, see a dead person’s hand floating out of the seaweed or something.

Dax rolled his eyes. We never dispose of bodies up here, he said. It’s not deep enough, even way out in the middle. They’d be too easy to find.

Just because you’re not stupid enough to do it doesn’t mean no one else ever has, I pointed out.

Yeah, because there’s just so much crime around Greenboro, Dax joked.

I shrugged. We seem to do a fair amount of business protecting people, I reminded Dax.

True, he said. He paused. Speaking of business—

I groaned. It’s my day off away from the business, I said. I don’t want to talk business today.

I know, I know, Dax said, holding up a hand. He shook his head. I still don’t get why you’re in the MC, to be honest.

I gave him a surprised look. What, you don’t think I do a good enough job? I asked. I narrowed my eyes at him. Has Otis said something to you?

No, of course not, Dax said. Jesus, quit worrying. I know you’re stressed because things have been busy lately, but you’ve really got to chill.

I know, I sighed. I just feel like I keep getting weird looks from Otis when I’m at the clubhouse. Like he’s, I don’t know, considering something. But you know Otis. It’s not like you can just ask what the hell he’s thinking about.

Dax grinned and shook his head. Yeah, he said.

But seriously, I don’t know, I continued, getting back to his original point. It wasn’t like we hadn’t talked about my reasons for joining the MC before now. Most of the guys in the MC didn’t know my whole backstory, but Dax and Otis, plus Dax’s brother, Kane, definitely knew that I had graduated at the top of my class. And even the dudes who didn’t know the real backstory there could tell I had a decent head on my shoulders.

I knew I wasn’t the only person who had to answer why he was in the MC. Victor got a lot of the same questions. He was the club’s hacker, looking into information about our new clients, making sure there was nothing fishy going on with them, nothing that might come back to bite us in the ass eventually if we took them on as clients. But at least he could always remind everyone that his options were either work for the government or against the government. And at least he also had the excuse of already having gone to jail. That was how he had met Otis, and I guess it was easy enough to picture him on the MC path from an early age.

But Dax always had a harder time seeing that about me. I didn’t know what he thought I could do with my life, what sort of career he pictured for me, but I didn’t see that for myself.

I always planned to join the MC, I said. What the hell would I have done with higher education?

Dax shook his head. You could have done anything, he said. You’re too smart for this shit. And charismatic.

I shrugged. But I’ve got everything that I want in life, I reminded him. I’ve got a nice house, I’ve got a nice bike, and I’m good at what I do.

Dax sighed. You are, he agreed. I don’t know, I sometimes think there must be more to life than this club business. Especially when Otis is running you into the ground, basically, and still wants more from you.

Are we talking about me or you? I asked, confused. Did Otis want something more from me? What could he possibly be looking for?

Dax shrugged evasively, looking away from me as he recast his line. Just seems like if you were going to get out of this business, now’s the time for it. The longer you’re in it, the harder it’s going to be to ever change your life. And it just seems like you have the potential for more.

I frowned, trying not to feel frustrated. I knew Dax was just looking out for my best interests. Again, we were basically like brothers. He wanted me to do well in life. It wasn’t like he had anything against the MC life, himself. It was what he did too.

Is this what you brought me out here to talk about? I finally asked. Because if so, you’re wasting your time. I’m happy with the MC, and I’m happy with my life in Greenboro. And that’s all there is to it.

Dax was quiet for a long moment. Otis has been talking about moving you out of Greenboro, he finally said. He wants to put you in the New York chapter.

I nearly dropped my fishing rod in surprise. What? I asked. Suddenly, his earlier comments made sense. Otis had been asking a lot of me lately, and now he appeared to want more from me. Jesus, though. New York? Why?

I felt like I would have heard if the New York chapter was struggling. Not that we had tons of interaction with the other chapters of the MC, at least outside of casual rides, which happened a couple of times a year. Of course, we would always be there for one another if needed. If a chapter was struggling, we might help them out. But reassigning members there?

Dax just made it sound a lot more permanent. It didn’t sound like I would just be helping out there; it sounded like, well, something more.

Otis wants you to become president over there, Dax explained slowly.

Fuck, I said, reeling my line in and walking back up on the shore, thinking hard for a moment. I spun back around to face Dax. So he wants to fucking exile me, all so that, what, we can have closer ties with the New York chapter? Spread our own influence?

I don’t think he means for it to feel like exile, Dax said sympathetically. I mean, you wouldn’t be that far away. An easy day’s ride. I think he feels like this town is too small for you.

He probably wants you or Logan or somebody to take over as president here, doesn’t he? I asked bitterly. So New York is my consolation prize. To be honest, if it came down to it, I would rather continue to be a nobody in the Greenboro chapter of the MC rather than be president of the New York chapter—or any other chapter.

Jesus, New York. Living in New York. I couldn’t imagine myself there. Sure, I’d visited New York a few times, and it had been fun, but I couldn’t imagine living there. I just wasn’t a city person.

It was more than that, though. The MC here, Dax and the other guys, was basically my family. Sure, I’d still be close enough to get back and visit, or they could come to New York to visit me. But I wasn’t stupid. I would miss things. Spontaneous nights out, that sort of thing. I wouldn’t be there.

And I’d be on my own, trying to find my feet with a whole different set of guys, trying to get them to trust me. President of a club full of guys I had never met before? I couldn’t imagine that going well.

I like where I am right now, I said to Dax. And you can tell Otis that.

Dax sighed. I had a feeling you might say something like that, he said. He shrugged. But you’ll have to tell Otis yourself. He didn’t ask me to ask you on his behalf. I just wanted to give you a heads-up so that you weren’t blindsided when you found out from Otis.

I nodded curtly and headed back toward the water. I could tell Dax still had more he wanted to say, though.

You know that if Otis wants to move you, he can do that, he finally