Moth To A Flame (Reapers MC: Pema Chapter Book 2) Read online

  MOTH TO A FLAME

  BIJOU HUNTER

  Copyright © 2021 Bijou Hunter

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmosphere purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  For more information about this series and author, please visit her website.

  Cover

  Photographer: HayDmitriy

  Source: Depositphotos

  Cover Copyright © 2021 Bijou Hunter

  Dedication

  To SaMiJaMaLu

  My lovely betas—Sarah, Carina, Cynthia, and Debbie

  &

  Judy’s Proofreading

  Book Summary

  Avery Majors embraces her impulsive nature. Usually, her split-second decisions work out. She followed her brother to Pema, took on a hotel remodel, and threw herself at her fake biker boyfriend. That last one hasn’t quite panned out yet.

  Kiefer “Brick” Northam was raised to settle for whatever he could get. He’s never dreamed big. When Avery gets under his skin, he believes she’s out of his league. After all, she’s Reapers royalty, and her brother is his VP.

  A favor changes everything, setting off Avery’s impulsive nature and tempting Kiefer to reach for what he doesn’t think is possible. Though easily drawn to each other, making a life together might prove deadly.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  NOTE TO READERS

  CHARACTER LIST

  THE CHAPTER WHERE THE STORY BEGINS

  AVERY MAJORS, AKA THE TWIN

  KIEFER NORTHAM, AKA THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE CHAPTER WHERE BRICKLY CHARMS

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE CHAPTER WHERE CHOICES MEET CONSEQUENCES

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE CHAPTER WHERE SHE WILL NOT BE THREATENED

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE CHAPTER WHERE OH, HELL NO

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE CHAPTER WHERE HEARTS GET BATTERED

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  A SAVANNAH INTERLUDE

  THE TWIN

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  THE CHAPTER WHERE THE STORY ENDS

  THE ROUGHNECK

  THE TWIN

  OH, BY THE WAY, FROM THE ROUGHNECK

  A FINAL WORD FROM THE TWIN

  A FINAL WORD FROM THE ROUGHNECK

  A BONUS FINAL WORD FROM THE OTHER TWIN

  “SEE YOU SMILE” SNEAK PEEK

  BIJOU READING ORDER

  ABOUT BIJOU

  NOTE TO READERS

  “Moth To A Flame” is the second book in the Reapers MC: Pema Chapter.

  The Road to Pema

  There was once a great man who founded a motorcycle club, the Reapers, and built up a town, Ellsberg, for his young bride (Sunday Morning).

  One of the club members was an enforcer named Vaughn Majors (Damaged and the Outlaw).

  His twin daughters follow their brother, Maverick (Gentle On My Mind), to the town of Pema to strengthen the local Reapers chapter. Avery leads the way with her young daughter, Io. Savannah chases her sister and moves with her husband, Bjorn, and toddler son, Pollux. Now, the twins hope to create a safe life in a town not yet tamed.

  This is Avery’s story.

  CHARACTER LIST

  TO AVOID SPOILERS, THIS LIST ONLY INCLUDES CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS BOOKS

  (Beast) Cooper Johansson – Reapers club president, oldest son of Kirk Johansson (Reapers MC founder), wife: Farah, children: Lily, Miranda, Colton, Audrey

  (Outlaw) Vaughn Majors –Ellsberg chapter enforcer, wife: Raven, children: River, Savannah, Avery, Maverick, Nevaeh, Cavalry, Denver, Sylvie

  (Sentinel) Maverick Majors – Pema chapter VP, wife: Violet

  (Brick) Kiefer Northam — Pema chapter enforcer, former member of Silver Swords Motorcycle Club

  Avery Majors – daughter: Io (pronounced eye-oh), twin sister: Savannah, father/mother: Vaughn/Raven, brother: Maverick

  Savannah Majors – son: Pollux, twin sister: Avery, husband: Bjorn, father/mother: Vaughn/Raven

  (Colt 45) Colton Johansson – Pema chapter president, wife: Stella

  (Knight) Judd O’Keefe – Ellsberg chapter enforcer, wife: Tawny, children: Gunnar, Heidi

  (Go-Go) River Majors – Shasta chapter president, wife: Max

  (Ogre) Gunnar O’Keefe – Pema enforcer, wife: Vidalia

  Heidi O’Keefe – Civilian manager of Pema chapter, husband: Jox

  THE CHAPTER WHERE THE STORY BEGINS

  AVERY MAJORS, AKA THE TWIN

  Despite the word on the street, I’m not the bad twin. Savannah isn’t the good one, either. Though she’s great at faking out morons with her hoity-toity Southern belle bullshit. In reality, we’re more alike than different.

  This is probably why we drive each other bonkers. Not that we don’t also bug the crap out of other people with our twin stuff. Like the Shabooh Shoobah thing we started calling each other after seeing the INXS album title. Or how we used to refer to each other as Savvy and Avy because our slightly longer names were too difficult. Then, in high school, Savvy decided she preferred Savannah, so we all needed to change what we called her. For twin solidarity, I went along with her request, but I’ll always think of her as Savvy.

  One of my earliest memories is standing in front of the mirror and looking to my right at Savvy. That was the moment when I realized we had the same face. No one else in my family had my face. Why did Savvy? I got scared and cried. My mom, Raven Majors, tried to explain. I don’t remember the specifics, something about eggs. While I get it now, Mom was speaking gibberish to my younger self.

  Through Raven’s entire overly long explanation, Savvy nodded as if she understood each word. Even as a young child, she was full of shit.

  Life is rather reassuring when your best friend is also your twin. Someone always has my back. She understands how I feel since she’s essentially me, just more polite and with dumber insults.

  At times, Savvy and I fight like crazy. Two alpha girls trying to force the other to play the beta. Yet, we were solid until Florida.

  Leaving our safe space of Ellsberg brought Savvy to the love of her life. After ditching Kentucky for beach fun, we met a pair of Finnish surfer twins. They were blond, rich, loved the ocean, and fell hard for us. From day one, the smitten Bjorn Wagner drooled all over Savvy. Though Bran played his
interest for me cooler, we were fucking like rabbits within hours of meeting. Two sets of twins, all the stars aligning, perfection achieved.

  Savvy and I devised a plan to make babies with our foreign hotties. They were on board, loving the idea of our kids being the same age as if we were making our own twins.

  I don’t know what changed Bran’s mind. Until I had our little girl in the oven, he never mentioned any misgivings. Then, when I was five months pregnant with his kid, my surfer twin bailed. Bran claimed to miss the ocean, and Kentucky couldn’t compete. I guess I couldn’t, either.

  But Bjorn never bailed. The mild-mannered, well-educated catch hunkered down in redneck paradise and nested with his faux Southern belle and their still-baking son.

  Whenever anyone asks where Io’s baby daddy went, I tell them I had the misfortune of picking the shitty twin. Many sets have a turd in the mix, and Bran was an especially stinky one.

  Except deep inside, I know those people assume I’m the crap twin who wasn’t good enough to keep her hot surfer.

  “I hadn’t really loved him,” I told my mom more than once after he left.

  And that wasn’t a lie. Savvy swooned for Bjorn while I only felt wet in the panty-region for Bran. Early on, I claimed those feelings were love. Mainly because I liked the whole twins-loves-twins thing. Or was I only copying Savvy?

  What-the-fuck-ever!

  What was done was done, and my baby needed me to toughen up. Living in my childhood home with my parents, pregnant sister, her husband, and my three younger siblings, I had enough problems. No point in worrying about Bran or the past.

  Once Io was born, my parents’ farmhouse got crowded. My adult siblings already made a racket on a normal day. Add two babies—Io coming only a month after Pollux—and my nerves were quickly frayed.

  I needed more privacy. Plus, Savvy and Bjorn wanted their own place, and I knew she wouldn’t move out until I did. I expected to find a small house in Ellsberg, close to my parents and where I enjoyed the protection of the local Reapers Motorcycle Club.

  My plan ended up in the toilet after I heard a rancid twat trash-talking my empathetic baby girl. Oh, Io is so moody. Why can’t she be like her chill cousin? Pollux is such a charmer. Look at how much the little guy smiles. But that Io, well, she’s a handful, you know?

  First, I had to slap the bitch talking trash my baby. But making a cunt’s face sting didn’t change how my daughter would grow up with judgmental fucks comparing her to Pollux just like I always was contrasted with Savvy. Except my sister and I were often even-steven. She was nicer while I was tougher. One never outshined the other.

  But my precious little girl would grow up thinking her shit stunk worse than her lovable cousin’s crap. They’d hit every milestone together. As a boy, he already gets handed cred she can’t earn. People are always pointing out how he’s handsome like Bjorn or a little badass in training like his grampa Vaughn.

  As for Io, she’s beautiful, sure. But also, you know, bitchy like her mom and grandmother. Fuck that shit!

  I refuse to let people put the squeeze on my baby girl. When one of my three younger brothers—Maverick—decided to move to Pema to help run the local Reapers chapter, I saw my chance to start over in a new town. No more gossiping about why my baby daddy ran, and Savvy’s hadn’t. Or comparing Io to her more carefree cousin.

  Maverick and his damaged young girlfriend, Violet, would be enough family in Pema. While my sister could build a sweet life in Ellsberg without me.

  Yeah, sure, as if that was ever going to happen.

  “My heart beats best when yours beats nearby,” Savvy said when she showed up in Pema after I ditched her sexy ass in Ellsberg.

  I wanted to send my twin packing and let her build a life in our hometown. We’d only be a few hours apart. Our hearts didn’t need to beat in the same damn town!

  But my baby girl instantly glued herself to Pollux once they shared a room. She missed her gramma, the family farm, and Savvy. But mostly, she needed Pollux. They’ve been together since they were newborns. They might as well be twins. Even a week away from Pollux left Io lost and afraid.

  “I’m not leaving Pema,” Savvy insisted that night months ago. “Kick Maverick out of his side of the firehouse duplex he’s remodeling. We can live next door to each other.”

  I stared into her eyes and struggled against the urge to slap her beautiful face. “I want to hit you so badly right now.”

  “I’m not particularly surprised. We’re due for our periods soon.”

  Ignoring her calm retort, I growled, “Maverick fell in love with the firehouse, and his inner child is working its ass off to keep the place’s charm. You will not ruin that for our little brother. Now, get the fuck out of Pema.”

  “No,” she said and walked away. “But you’re right about Mav. He deserves his place. You should give up the other side and move to a house with Bjorn and me.”

  Few things irritate me more than when Savvy walks away while still talking. I’m always forced to follow her to finish our conversation. After all, as proven by other people who refuse to chase her mid-conversation, Savvy will not return. So you’re either done talking at that point, or you fucking follow her. I truly respect my sister’s unwillingness to bend, yet I also want to punch her for the same habit.

  I followed her that night to make clear how I wouldn’t leave my duplex. She told me it was too small and urban. I reminded her of how I didn’t need a big place with a large yard like our parents.

  “I’m not having more kids.”

  “But I am,” she said, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking with great vigor. “You have to imitate me, or people will ask why, and I’m sick of answering questions. Wasn’t the point of skipping college to avoid unnecessary work?”

  “I’m done with men. It’ll be just Io and me.”

  “And me, Pollux, and Bjorn,” she said and started shaking me again. “And Maverick and Violet. Some other people might come along, too.”

  “Stop shaking me.”

  Savvy smirked, begging me to shove her to the ground and make her beg. Instead, I ignored my sister and wondered if I was wrong to move to Pema. After all, I came here to protect Io from living in her cousin’s shadow, but she frigging adores him.

  Soon, Savvy and Bjorn bought a house in the nearby Idyllwild. Pema’s sister city shares our mayor and police department. Idyllwild also offers a whole bunch of available housing options for future club expansion. The president of the local Reapers chapter, Colton Johansson, and Maverick plan to wipe out the town’s leadership. They’ll install club-friendly people in the power positions and make a better tomorrow for everyone who matters.

  But currently, Idyllwild is enemy territory, and where my sister will live when her house is finished with renovations.

  My choice to move to Pema has inadvertently put Savvy in danger. On some level, I knew always she would follow. Her current situation is a result of my impulsive choices.

  My spur-of-the-moment nature is also why I’ve taken on the redesign of a weird romance-themed hotel called The Love Cave, located in Pema’s center. I’ve never been a project manager on a job like this one. And I’m currently living in the boutique hotel with my daughter and sister’s family plus Maverick and Violet.

  As if these other stresses weren’t enough, I’ve agreed to play occasional girlfriend to Kiefer Northam. The ill-tempered biker rides with the Reapers and works on my duplex. Every few Sundays, the entire Pema chapter attends a sermon at the Idyllwild Church of Hope. Basically, just to piss off the people in charge like the Cosgrove family and the Community Outreach Committee—or COC, as I prefer to call them. His ex-girlfriend is a member and tight with the top Idyllwild assholes.

  The entire routine is a distraction while Maverick and his club get organized behind the scenes.

  Kiefer is a roughneck with long dark lashes, a gruff Sam Elliott-esque voice, and a sexy scowl that sends my lady boner humming. Even after months of our fake relationsh
ip crap, he remains a stranger. That doesn’t mean I don’t use the handsome grump as brain candy when I need to rub one out.

  But touching him for real seems out of reach. Mostly because I can’t even tell if he wants to rub one out together. His face is stuck on a frown, and I don’t know if I’m woman enough to knock the chip off his muscled shoulder.

  Though my life in Pema is a mess of my own making, running home to Ellsberg is no longer an option. I’ll just have to find a way to fix everything I’ve broken.

  KIEFER NORTHAM, AKA THE ROUGHNECK

  My former club president’s road name was Garbage. He was the only president the Silver Swords ever had, meaning he gave himself that fucking name. One time, a club brother asked him why not choose something better. Garbage punched the curious asshole so hard no one ever asked again.

  I got my road name from Handsome Sam, one of the Silver Swords’ founders. I’d shown up at the clubhouse, pissed at the bikers for taking advantage of my drunken older sister. Jensen couldn’t hold her liquor, and booze made her horny. Like five-guys-in-a-train level of horn-dogging.

  One night, I found her crying in the bathroom, covered in spunk, and talking about how no good man would ever want her. My mom told me to let it go.

  “Not everything must be a battle, Kiefer. The sooner you learn to accept your lot in life, the happier you’ll be,” she said after tucking my still-wasted-but-no-longer-dripping-with-jizz sister into bed.

  Despite my well-meaning mom’s warning, I remained pissed. Not just about Jensen. I was always angry. My dad ditched us for another family. The fucker even sent us a Christmas card with his new smiling wife on it.

  Then, years later, he returned to Pema, and Mom let him stay at the home he abandoned.

  When he left again, he sent us postcards from his fun life in California. He was back in Pema a year later. The next time he left, I swore I’d beat him to death with a bat if he ever returned. This time he stayed gone. To this day, my mom still misses the fucker.

  Unable to put my father in his place, I decided to stand up for Jensen’s honor. That’s why I hurled the brick through the window of the club’s haunt, Stained Kidney. I was primed to knock over a line of Harleys when those tattooed assholes with their beards and muscles came pouring out the front door. Reaching for their weapons, they were ready to kill whoever messed with their clubhouse.