Valen (Henchmen MC Next Generation 6)

There was always something going on with the club, so I didn’t really think much of it as I drove back to the clubhouse.

Something about the Mustang in the driveway, though, had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Even though that made no sense. I had no idea what any of the moms, dads, or cousins were driving these days. It could belong to anyone.

But as I got closer and closer to the door, something inside me said shit was off.

When I moved inside, at first, all I saw was my brothers gathered around like we were about to have church.

There was just something about their faces—Seth’s, Finn’s, and Brooke’s, in particular—that had me stiffening, wondering what was going on, if I had done something wrong, if I were about to get my ass handed to me in front of everyone.

It was right then that something had me looking away from them.

And that was when my gaze landed on her.

It took me a second.

First, because she looked a little different. We all did. Time had made her dark, wavy hair much longer than when I’d known her, had thinned out her face a bit, but filled out her chest and hips and thighs in all the right ways.

She had on a pair of ripped black jeans—and if I knew anything about her, those pants didn’t come pre-ripped; she’d done the damage herself by doing something crazy—a black t-shirt, and a pair of old, scratched boots.

She was gorgeous.

Fucking unfairly beautiful.

But it also took me a minute because my mind was having a hard time placing her there, in the clubhouse, around my brothers.

I actually breathed out her name almost like I was waiting for someone to correct me, to say it was someone else, that my eyes were playing tricks on me.

“Louana.”

But when a beat or two passed and no one corrected me, “What are you doing here?”

Did my voice sound off? I was pretty sure it did. I felt like all my air had been squeezed out of my fucking chest.

She did that.

She’d always done that.

I guess I figured that the years apart would take that away.

God, how wrong was I.

I didn’t get to mull that shit over for long, though, because there was a sort of dark delight in Louana’s eyes. I knew her well enough to immediately feel my spine straightening.

And that wicked smirk that toyed with those familiar lips of hers? That was familiar too.

And dangerous.

So fucking dangerous.

“I’m prospecting,” she said, dealing the death blow.

“The fuck you are,” I snapped, feeling like she’d struck me. “The fuck she is,” I added, gaze moving over toward Fallon who was watching the interaction with unreadable eyes. But were his lips twitching a little? “We don’t have female members,” I insisted. “Aunt Maze is proof of that,” I added.

“Yeah, man, but that was a long time ago,” Seth, Maze’s son, insisted. “Things have changed. I mean, Fallon is with a former MC president. Equality and all that shit.”

“You’re not going to allow this,” I insisted, keeping my gaze on Fallon because I knew what I would find if I looked back at Lulu. Delight. Pure, undiluted pleasure at my reaction.

“You know what?” Fallon said, and I could tell from the light in his eyes that he’d already made up his mind. “I think I am. Just because it’s going to amuse the shit out of me,” he added, smile big, clearly taking sick pleasure in my discomfort. “Valen, Voss, meet our new prospect—and your new roommate—Louana,” Fallon said, waving toward her. “I trust you’ll make her feel real welcome.”

“Fallon, can I have a word?” I asked, taking a step forward.

“You can give me all the words until you’re blue in the face,” Fallon said, falling into step with me. “It isn’t going to change my mind.”

“Don’t be a dick,” I demanded, watching as he turned to face me, brow raised.

It was right that moment that I was reminded of my position, that I didn’t get to speak to the guy who’d been raised like my close cousin and good friend like he was those things anymore. Because he was more than that. He was my boss now too.

“A lot of shit has changed since you were in town, Valen,” he said, waving around the clubhouse. “But one thing hasn’t. I’m never going to stop being a dick. And for that comment, I’m going to have you be the one to show Louana around. I’ll be checking in with her, too, so don’t try to pawn that shit off on Voss.”

With that, he turned to walk away, but not before I saw the giant fucking grin on his face.

That was it.

There was no one else to appeal to.

This was really happening.

I would not only have to face Louana—something I always knew would be coming, especially since Seth had said he’d run into her and invited her around sometime—but sharing a short, awkward interaction at the grocery store or the bar was one thing. Having to live and work with her day in and day out for weeks or months?