Page 8 of All's Fair in Love & Wrath

“No.”

“Sienna. You’re not going out there dressed like that.”

“Why are you such a pigheaded, overprotective buffoon? You should be on my side, not Dad’s. It’s my first clubhouse party. What are you so scared of? You think I haven’t snuck in and seen the stuff that goes on?”

Maddox growls in irritation, and I roll my eyes dramatically, shoving his chest once, but he doesn’t so much as sway. Rude. And inconvenient. Should have probably taken those self-defense lessons he’s been nagging me to take. Would be cool to know how to take his large ass down right about now.

Footsteps approach, and I cross my arms over my chest, pursing my lips, knowing exactly who those steps belong to. Maddox and I are each other’s only siblings, but I’ve grown up thinking of his two best friends as big brothers, too. The three of them have been inseparable since birth, and since we all grew up at the club compound, they’re all I know. They’re family.

The two of them flank Maddox with their big bodies.I may think these two are brothers to me, but at least they’ll have my back. Unlike the big ugly monster currently blocking my doorway like a wall.

“What’s goin’ on here?” Lincoln asks.

“He’s refusing to let me leave until I change my clothes. There’s nothing wrong with my outfit. And if men can’t control their wandering eyes, that’s on them. I’m not going to censor myself because men are pigs. I’m sure one of you will gouge out their eyeballs, or whatever it is you men do to seek revenge and unleash fury if it happens anyway.”

Lincoln chuckles, a toothy grin filling his face as he loosely drapes an arm over Maddox’s shoulder.

“C’mon, lay off her, Saint. We’ll keep an eye on her. Nothing is going to happen to her with all of us here. She’s an adult now, give her a little freedom.” My eyes flash at the black leather cut, the patch that says DEACON, but I just know him as Gage. The three of them never really had a choice whether or not they’d be members of the Kingsnake Motorcycle Club, given that we’ve all been raised in it, thanks to our parents, but it’s still weird to see the three of them in their cuts. I give him a shy, appreciative smile.

“You hear that, Maddox? I’m an adult now. Now move.” I stomp my foot and instantly regret it when my brother’s lips twitch with a smile, his eyebrow lifting silently, saying, “You just made my point. You’re still a child.”

Lucky for me, Gage and Lincoln pull the Neanderthal out of the doorway so I can finally pass through. I flip my burnt-red hair as I walk by, pulling my shoulders back confidently. As a rule, my father never let me attend any of the clubhouse parties, and I’ve been dying to go to one for years. Even though I’ve grown up on the clubhouse grounds, he’s kept me pretty isolated from the actual clubhouse. Instead, we live in a modest house on the club compound property. I’ve seeneveryone come and go, but my dad has made sure no one has ever looked my way.

“Oh! One rule,” I say, stopping and turning to face them. “Keep whatever you three have going on down there”—I gesture to their nether regions—“in your pants. I’ve made it eighteen years without walking in on any of you, and I’d like to keep that streak up until the day I die.”

Lincoln barks out a laugh. “Don’t worry, princess, we’re all going to be too busy keeping you safe tonight. There won’t be any time for our dicks to get hard.”

“Ew! Don’t say it like that. I’d like to pretend you three are eunuchs. Actual holy saints, or whatever the hell you three got your road names after.” It’s no surprise that the three of them have zero individuality when it came to receiving their road names from my dad. Maddox got Saint, Gage got Deacon, and Lincoln got Creed. I don’t pretend to understand it, but I guess it means something to them, so there you have it. “Plus, I don’t need you to watch me tonight. I’m not stupid, and I’m not going to get myself into trouble.”

“Oh, we’re not worried about you, we’re worried about sending a cute little mouse into a snake den.”

“Awe! Gage! You think I look cute?” I bat my eyelashes at him, and he raises his suggestively in return, making me laugh.

“Alright, Enna, we won’t hover, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be watching. Men are pigs. Or in this case, snakes. Which is worse, in my opinion. We want you to have fun, we just want to keep you safe more.”

My attitude softens slightly. I know the three of them mean well and love me more than anything. “Look, I’m not stupid, I just want to go and have a good time. I’m not looking for a hookup, not that it should matter to you three if I am, but I just want to go and hang out. The last thing I need is you three asshats lingering over me and scaring anyone off from talkingto me. It’s bad enough that I’m the president’s daughter. Don’t you think that’s a bright enough neon sign for people to not fuck with me?”

I watch the moment Maddox concedes, and I know I’ve won. His shoulders relax slightly, and his face softens. “Alright, we’ll leave you alone. But if you feel uncomfortable at all, just find one of us.”

I squeal, launching myself into Maddox’s arms. I squeeze him while he chuckles, dropping me back on my feet. I quickly peck a chaste kiss to Lincoln and Gage’s cheeks in thanks.

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Turning away from them, I scrunch my burnt-red curls one more time and head toward what I know will be a night to remember.

The clubhouse sitsto the far side of the compound, with an autobody shop on one side, and a huge vegetable garden on the other, courtesy of my mother. She has left her touch on every inch of this place. My dad has been the club president for as long as I can remember, but has been with my mom longer. She’s just as embedded into this club as he is, and her property jacket proves it.

Tonight, the club is celebrating the new prospects who’ve been initiated into the club, and that also means open doors. Bikers from surrounding clubs attend to party, and they usually last well into the morning. I know there will be a steady flow of alcohol, pot, and sex, which is a huge reason I was never allowed to be here until I was legal.

Heavy rock music blasts from speakers, and a crowd of men in leather and girls in various degrees of undress hang out on the front lawn, drinking and smoking joints. The earthy scent hits my nose and piques my interest.

“Not a chance, Enna,” Lincoln says as he wraps an arm around my shoulders, steering me inside the clubhouse. “No drugs.”

“Why? I’ve never tried it.”

“Because taking it from a trusted source matters. You never know what it could be laced with. You want to get high? I’ll get you something, and we can all smoke together.” I perk up instantly.

“I knew you were the cool one.”