The vote came through as a yes from the club and, after some back and forth, we finally secured the perfect place big enough for what we need here in town.

"How did you go on getting licenses for the shelter?" Nix asks when everyone has gone through all the usual day-to-day dramas. On top of sourcing qualified staff and volunteers, we've been jumping through hoops to make sure all paperwork is up to date so we can legally receive donations and government grants.

"Have everything we need, bar a name. Any suggestions?" I ask the table, hoping someone has something. This part of the business holds the least interest to me, which is why Kelly is a perfect business partner.

"Well," Brooks speaks up. "The boys and I were thinking maybe you wanted to name it, Missy's Place." I hold my breath, trying not to react.

My sister.

The reason I started all of this.

"You don't have to." Nix takes my silence for a no, letting me off the hook. But it's not what I want.

"I think she'd like it." I bite the inside of my cheek until the metallic taste of blood fills my mouth.

"Then it's settled Missy's Place it is." Nix reaches over, slaps me on the arm, before moving on to the next topic. I miss it entirely, my mind's too lost in the memories of Missy and what this means for me. For her.

I never thought I'd ever come to a point in my life where I'd be able to honor her name.

Until now.

It might have taken ten years, but f.u.c.k it feels good.

"You still with us?" Nix asks a while later, pulling me back. I look up and notice the boys have all left, leaving Nix and me.

"Yep." I stand, ready to go.

"So you wanna tell me what happened to your face." He stops my exit like I should have known he would.

Taking a seat back down, I prepare to lay it all out for him. "One of T's boys jumped me after leaving Fireside last night."

"How's he look?"

"Lucky to be alive."

He draws a breath in and slowly releases it. "This gonna come back on us?"

"Depends if he has the proof he says he has."

"Is there a chance he has proof?"

"I don't think so, but he seems adamant."

"You don't think so? Jesus, Beau. You either know or you don't."

"I don't f.u.c.king know. I can't be sure. It wasn't a planned rescue. It happened so fast. You know this already. I saw her and took her."

He taps the table three times, thinking through our options. "Well, where is she?"

"She's still in town. Tiny has her in one of his safe houses. She doesn't want to leave in case he files kidnapping charges. Tiny's dealing with it." It's probably not the best place to have her considering Baz is losing it, but after this, I'll make sure I talk with Tiny.

"Well, keep an eye on it. If this f.u.c.ker gets out of line again, don't be so easy on him next time."

"Oh, I look forward to it," I tell him, knowing I don't need my Prez's permission to take this s.h.i.t further. If Baz f.u.c.ks up again, I won't have a problem taking the a.s.shole down.

"You really okay with using Missy's name? Didn't mean to throw that s.h.i.t out there when you're unprepared." Nix changes the tone of the conversation, but I'm prepared.

"It's fine. I'm good." His brows dip a little, watching me for a reaction.

"You just seem a little wired. Everything okay at home with Mackenzie?"

f.u.c.king wired is an understatement. I'm on f.u.c.king edge and don't need to be sitting around f.u.c.king talking about it.

"I'm good. Look, I gotta head out to the new building with Kelly. She wants to discuss furniture s.h.i.t. We done?" I stand and look down at him.

"Yeah, we're done." He finds his feet and follows me back out to the bar.

"You ready?" Kelly stands when she notices me.

"Yep. You bringing her?" I ask, looking down at Mia playing at her feet. I don't have a problem if she does, but I have a feeling we're gonna have to go shopping and, f.u.c.k, shopping with Mia where she runs around touching everything is gonna drives me nuts.

"Don't be an a.s.s, Beau." She shakes her head, before digging through her bag.

"What did I say?"

"She has a name. It wouldn't hurt for you to use it." She pulls her keys from her bag and starts to walk out to her car.

"You're a d.i.c.k," Jesse shouts across the clubhouse, happy for once I'm copping it and not him.

"Yeah, says the biggest d.i.c.k of all." I flip him off.

"I know I have a big d.i.c.k, thanks." His laughter can be heard all the way outside as I follow Kelly.

Jesus, I'm losing my touch. I f.u.c.king walked right into that one.

Fifteen.

Mackenzie "Please, tell me this did not actually happen?" I laugh at Kadence's reaction as Holly relays a story involving Nix, Valentine's Day and v.i.a.g.r.a.

"Oh, it happened," Kadence answers, laughing just as hard as the rest of us.

It's a Friday evening, five nights after my tense encounter with Beau where he told me he wanted me as much as I wanted him but wouldn't act on it.

I had planned on having a quiet night in until Beau was called into work, and he didn't want to leave me alone, so I told him I would call Kelly over to keep me company. She showed up with alcohol, Kadence, Holly, and Bell, turning my quiet night into a girls' night.

"So what did you do?" I take another sip of my drink, my third for the night, and I sit back in the chair I now call my own. I know it's not really mine, but I've claimed it as my own whenever I sit down to watch TV or read a book, it's the comfiest spot.

"We had to go to the ER. It was so embarra.s.sing. Everyone knew." Kadence giggles, hiding her face in her hands.

"I can't even imagine." I laugh along with them, picturing it all play out.

"Enough about us. We want some gossip on you." Kelly leans forward and tops up her c.o.c.ktail.

"What? I don't have any gossip." A warm blush creeps up my neck and four sets of eyes fall on me.

"Girl, you're hot gossip at the moment. Don't leave us hanging," Kadence encourages, and I almost feel disappointed I have nothing to gossip about with them.

"I swear, I have nothing." I shrug, those four sets of eyes, fading from excitement to suspicion.

There is no way I can tell them what has or rather hasn't happened between Beau and me.

"You mean to tell me, you've been living under this roof, living in your own bubble with no interruptions, no nosey club members to cramp your style and you have nothing to share?"

"Believe me, if I had something to share, I would." I let out a huff at my own displeasure.

Ever since that night when Beau told me what he wanted to do to me, then told me we can't, he has been reserved, keeping to himself and staying clear of me. It's been tense and somewhat awkward, but I'm trying to put it behind me with hopes maybe things might change.

"So you do like him. I knew it!" Holly stands to raise her gla.s.s.

"Sit down, fool. We all knew she liked him." Kadence rolls her eyes and turns back to me.

"So what's the issue? He's too moody?"

I laugh at her question only to find them all staring back at me blankly. "Beau is not moody. He's just composed," I defend him, watching as each of them share a look.

"Girl, the man is so moody, some days I wonder if he's PMSing on the same cycle as me," Kadence fires, and I can't help but laugh along with them.

"He's not that bad." I shrug, not seeing Beau the way they do. He's direct and quiet, but moody? No.

"We have bets to see how many words he can say sometimes. I think the most I've ever heard in one night was fifteen. Fifteen, Kenz. Fifteen." Kelly shakes her head, disturbed by the number.

"He talks to me," I offer, hoping to show them he's not the moody a.s.shole they seem to think he is.

"Yeah, 'cause he likes you, probably wants to tie you up and spank you." Bell's hand slaps over her mouth just as fast as the words leave her lips.

Oh, G.o.d, did everyone know about Beau and his wants but me?

"What. Do. You. Know?" Kadence turns to face the younger woman, whose eyes are practically falling out of her head.

"Oh, G.o.d. No, nothing. I know nothing." She shakes her head, denying it as much as a kid caught with his hand in the candy jar would.

"Bulls.h.i.t. Don't you dare hold out on us," Kelly pushes this time.

"I can't say. I wasn't meant to say. Oh, I'm gonna be in so much trouble." Bell starts rocking.

The thought of her knowing something she isn't supposed to doesn't sit well with me. A spark of jealousy settles in me. What does she know?

"Well, the cat's out of the bag now. Just spill," Kelly adds, just as eager to know.

"s.h.i.t, guys." Bell stands and starts pacing.

"If it's bad, you shouldn't say." I try to pull the conversation back, not wanting to know.

"It's not bad, bad. Just, I was sworn to secrecy. And now I've gone and blabbed."

"What if we guess?" Kadence asks, offering her a way out of her guilt.

"Yeah, okay. If you guess correctly, I'll just nod, that way I'm not actually telling anything." I nearly laugh at how serious Bell's taking this.

"Let me guess. Beau is the kinky f.u.c.k who tied Lissy up, spanked the f.u.c.k out of her a.s.s while we were in Vegas." I spit my drink at Holly's guess and watch all color drain from Bell's face.

Lissy? Oh, my G.o.d. This is worse. He's had s.e.x with Lissy. Is he still having s.e.x with her? Is that why he doesn't want more from me?

"How did you know?" Bell sits, her hands moving back to her mouth. "s.h.i.t."

"'Cause Lissy told me." Holly shrugs, a slow smile pulling at the corners of her lips. "She didn't swear me to secrecy, so we're cool," she a.s.sures Bell before turning back to me.

"Are they still?" I stop to think how to phrase it. I've met Lissy a couple of times in the last two months. She's a little crazy and loud, but a nice girl. I never once suspected her and Beau had or even have a fling.

"Oh no. It was a one-time deal. You know Lissy, she's just having fun. You have nothing to worry about. It's all in the past." I look at Bell, silently pleading with her to stop.

"Why, do you have a taste for kink, Mackenzie?" I fight the blush that runs over my face and offer Holly my innocent look.

If only they knew.

"I don't have a taste for anything." I clear my throat and push all images of a naked Beau spanking Lissy out of my head.

"I bet ya that's why he hasn't made his move. Innocent Mackenzie is messing him up." Holly, oblivious to my panic, starts running through all the scenarios. Jesus, is this woman psychic?

"Beau just isn't interested in me, guys." I try to put out the fire they started with their questions and let them down easy. It's not like I can tell them he wants me, but because of my past is too afraid to go there, and I was too clueless to understand any of this until I practically begged him.

Yeah, I'm a hot mess.

"Are you deaf, blind and stupid?" Kadence asks this time. "The man is so into you, I'm concerned for his own health."

"I kissed him then kind of freaked out. Now he says we can't go there, and I've tried to forget about it ever since." This time I slap my hand over my mouth, realizing I just revealed too much.

"HA! I knew it." Kelly stands, dances in her spot then holds her hand out. "Pay up, b.i.t.c.hes." She waits patiently as Kadence, Holly and Bell place ten-dollar bills in her hand.

"You made a bet?" I ask, not sure if I should be offended or laugh along with them.

"You'll get used to them, don't worry," Bell offers and for reasons I can't explain, I believe her.