Revolution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 1) by Michelle Betham

mother’s question, because the answer was obvious. ‘Only you, Tay, Dad and Maggie… only you four knew he was over in the UK . He couldn’t even come into the compound because none of the other guys could know he was there. Why was that?’
    Angie looked down into her mug of coffee. ‘How did you…? How did you find out?’
    ‘I was supposed to be away. But you already know that. That’s why you chose that time for him to come over, wasn’t it? Dad thought I was going on holiday with a couple of friends, but at the last minute I changed my mind. I just didn’t feel like it. Shane and me, we’d not long split up, and it was supposed to be a holiday for me to get my head straight, you know? Not that that was ever gonna happen…’ She started playing with a coaster that was lying on the table, twirling it round and round between her fingers, staring at it as she did so. ‘I’d gone over to Dad’s, to tell him the holiday was off and that I’d be free to work in the office or the garage, if he needed me to, and that’s when I saw him. Coby. Sitting there in Dad’s living room like he’d just popped over for a chat. I hadn’t seen him in so long, seen anyone from Paradise for so long…’
    ‘Did he tell you why he was over there?’ Angie asked, taking a quick sip of coffee, grasping the mug tightly in her hand.
    Lexi shook her head, standing up and pushing her chair back. ‘I’m gonna go get a shower.’
    ‘Did you ask him?’
    ‘Later, Mum.’
    ‘Lexi! You think this conversation is over?’
    Lexi turned around and smiled at her mother. She’d forgotten how much fun it was to fuck with her head. ‘Oh, I know it’s not over. Not yet. Believe me, Mum, this hasn’t even started.’
    She turned back to head off down the corridor that led to the apartment, bumping into Jesse on her way. ‘You’d gone before I was awake,’ he said, backing up against the wall.
    She turned to face him, folding her arms against herself. ‘Look, Jesse, this – whatever it is – it really isn’t fair on you. Or me.’ She looked right at him, searching his face, hoping he understood all of this. She really hoped he was able to do that. Because this needed to end, before she hurt him all over again. Something she really didn’t want to repeat. ‘It’s got to stop, sleeping together for the hell of it.’
    He reached out to touch her, but she backed away, his expression immediately turning to confusion. ‘It’s not as if we’re hurting anyone, is it?’
    ‘It’s stopping, Jesse. Right now. It has to. For both our sakes.’
    ‘I’m not seeing a problem here, Lexi.’
    She turned her head, locking eyes with Coby for a few, brief seconds as he talked to Tay over by the bar.
    ‘Deena’s out of the picture now,’ Jesse continued. ‘You’re not with anybody. We’re just having some fun, no strings attached. Isn’t that what you wanted?’
    ‘I don’t think I know what I want,’ she said quietly, her eyes still on Coby, although he’d looked away now. ‘And that isn’t fair on you.’
    ‘Come on, baby. It’ll be good for us. Maybe we both need something like this, you know? No commitment, no ties… I know the score here, Lex.’
    She looked at him, reaching out to touch his cheek, his hand instantly covering hers, holding it tight. ‘I wish I did.’ She leant forward, resting her forehead against his. ‘I don’t want to keep going round in circles, Jesse. We can’t do that, it’s not good for either of us.’ She closed her eyes for a second, her heart starting to beat faster as he kissed her gently, and she responded, snaking a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down.
    ‘I really don’t see a problem,’ he whispered.
    She closed her eyes again, clinging on to his hand, remembering how happy she’d once been with this man. But also how terrified she’d felt every time something kicked off, when that very real fear that she could lose him would take over. Yet now, if she wanted