Ride Rough (Raven Riders 2)

The words chased away some of the happiness Alexa had felt upon awakening. Telling her mother about the move was going to be hard. So hard that Alexa realized she’d need help to do it. She had to get her mom’s case worker out to keep her calm and offer some support. Which meant Alexa had things to do.

“Okay, little friend, I have to get up and start my day.” She slid Lucy off of her and pushed out of bed. The screen on her phone said it was nearly seven-thirty.

She typed out a quick text to Maverick. Hope everything’s okay. Be to the clubhouse in 30.

Be better when you get here, was the quick reply. Well, now she wanted to hurry.

So she did. She rushed through showering, dressing, and running some Google searches to make arrangements for moving her mom. She left a message with the case worker, hoping the lady could come out today. And then Alexa was heading out the door, eager to try Haven’s mean cinnamon buns and see Maverick to make sure everything was okay.

When she arrived at the clubhouse, voices rang out from the big mess hall, indicating breakfast was in full swing. Alexa felt a little shy about walking in to a roomful of Ravens already sitting and eating, but she also wanted to be a part of it, too. A part of them. So she pushed through her anxiety and walked through the door.

She shouldn’t have worried.

From among the dozen or so gathered Ravens, Phoenix and Jagger called out immediate hellos, and Bunny gave her a big smile and a wave. Haven rose from her seat next to Dare to give her a hug. “I’m so glad you came,” she said.

“Thank you,” Alexa said, feeling more comfortable by the second.

And Maverick . . . he came to her wearing a tired smile and eyes full of satisfaction. “I’m glad you came, too. Come, sit.” He took her hand and guided her to the open seat next to him. A cinnamon bun already filled a big part of the plate. “I grabbed one for you because they never last long.”

Aw, that was kind of crazy sweet. And thoughtful. And proof that he’d been thinking about her. All of which stirred up more of that warm pressure growing in her chest. For him.

“That’s so sweet, Mav. Thank you,” she said.

“Yeah, Maverick, that’s soooo sweet. You’re just the sweetest motherfucker I ever knew,” Phoenix said in a singsong voice. He glared at Mav and eyeballed her cinnamon bun. Laughter rumbled around the table.

Maverick flipped his middle finger and gave Phoenix a big shit-eating grin, then he winked at her.

Smiling, she leaned a little closer to Mav. “Sorry,” she said.

His hand fell on her bare thigh under the table. “Don’t you worry about it,” he said in a low voice full of humor.

Heat shot from his palm to her clit so forcefully her breath caught. And then that heat got amped up even further when Mav’s gaze cut to her, his eyes full of blue fire, his expression smug and knowing. His fingers squeezed, his little finger slipping under the hem of her shorts.

“Yo, pass everything down for Alexa,” he called out.

Warmth spilled into her cheeks as she accepted a platter of sausage and bacon from a younger guy with brown hair whom she didn’t know. The patches on his cut indicated he was a prospective member. Like Tyler had been.

Thinking of Ty while sitting in the Ravens’ clubhouse set off a small pang of longing in Alexa’s heart, but it also did something she didn’t expect—it made her feel a little closer to him. For the first time in a long time. Why hadn’t she ever thought that could be the case? That being around the guys he’d so badly wanted to be a part of would allow her to be around a part of him, too? She was seeing all kinds of things in a new light lately, wasn’t she?

“Thanks,” she said to the prospect, taking a few slices of bacon. “I’m Alexa.”

“I remember,” he said, passing her a bowl. “Blake. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, have we met already? I’m sorry.” She scooped scrambled eggs on to her plate next.

He shook his head. “Not officially. I was here when you—” He cut himself off and gave an awkward shrug. “A few weeks ago.”

“Oh.” So he’d been here when she’d shown up with the bloodied face. Awesome. “Right.”

Maverick’s hand squeezed again, softer this time, like he meant to reassure her.

Alexa dug into her food and listened to the banter that ran around the table. She remembered this, the rowdiness and camaraderie of meals at the Ravens’ clubhouse. Her eyes scanned the room. It hadn’t changed a bit. Two big long tables, one currently empty, filled the space in front of a large stone fireplace that harkened back to the building’s past as an inn. A carving of the Ravens’ raven/dagger/skull logo was mounted over the mantel, and POW/MIA flags hung from the rough-hewn exposed beams overhead.