Midnight Desire: A Midnight Riders Motorcycle Club Romance Part 1 (10 page)

“You okay with scrambled?” he called out.

“Sure,” I answered, and walked over to his wall of photographs.

There were dozens of pictures. Almost all were of him and other Midnight Riders throughout the years. Some of them were from years ago; in a couple he looked like a kid (albeit a totally buff, well-muscled kid) with clean-shaven good looks. Others were more recent. Lots of shots on bikes or at parties. I recognized some of the older guys I’d seen in the Seven Veils over the last two nights, but most of the rest were unfamiliar. Kade the blond mechanic was the exception. He was in at least half a dozen – though he never smiled in any of them.

I noticed that Lou was only in one photograph: a group shot of a number of members. That was the only photo where Jack looked serious instead of happy and fun-loving.

There was what I assumed was a wedding photo, too – Jack looking incredibly hot in a tux, and two groomsmen on either side, all smiling.

He’d mentioned he’d been divorced, but he didn’t say how long ago. I scanned the photos quickly, looking for a bride. There wasn’t one. There were a number of women, biker-chick eye candy – one here, a different one there – but no repeats. Nobody that would qualify for ‘wife’ status.

My private investigator mind churned into overdrive. The house showed no signs of a female presence; the décor was all very masculine. All the clothes in the closet were his.

It had probably been awhile.

But I was curious.

“You were married?” I called out.

“Where’d
that
come from?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“This picture of you in a tux.”

He laughed in the other room. “Looking at my wall o’ memories, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“I told you I was divorced.”

“I know – but you didn’t say when.”

“Two years ago.”

“Oh,” I said, relieved – and, to my surprise, a little bit jealous. The women in the photos were all good-looking. Some were surgically enhanced. I was going through the photos, mentally ticking them off –
She looks a little like me – she looks NOTHING like me –
when I stopped dead.

There was a very familiar photo at the end of the row.

It was of a dive bar with a jukebox in the background. Red neon lights cast a pink glow on everything. In the photo, Jack had his arm around a smiling blonde in a white tube top and low-slung jeans. There was a butterfly tattoo visible above her right hipbone.

The one she’d gotten for her 18th birthday.

Ali.

In the heat and frenzy of last night, I had totally forgotten her. Had totally forgotten why I was here in this town.

The shame of that realization crushed me.

Like a ghost or an accusing angel, she’d appeared to remind me of my purpose, and how far I had strayed.

It’s hard to describe the mix of emotions I felt.

Sorrow – to see my dead cousin.

Guilt – that I had betrayed her.

Repulsion – that maybe I had unknowingly slept with a man she had, too.

And terror…

…that I might be standing fifty feet away from the man who had killed her.

Hello, everyone! Olivia Thorne here.

If this is the first book of mine you’ve ever read, thank you for giving it a chance, and welcome! I hope you enjoyed it.

Hopefully you’ve already gone on to read
Part 2, MIDNIGHT LUST
, which is on sale now. Part 3, MIDNIGHT DECEIT, should be available in June 2015.

If you like my writing, check my previous series out. I think you’ll like them.

ALL THAT HE WANTS – Part 1 of the Billionaire’s Seduction – Free!

Temp worker Lily meets hot billionaire Connor, and many naughty scenes ensue – not to mention blackmail plots by Connor’s assholish family and his sociopathic ex-fiancée.

ALL THAT HE WANTS (Volume 1)
Contains Parts 1-4.

ALL THAT HE LOVES (Volume 2)
Contains Parts 5-7.

ROCK ME HARD – Part 1 of the Rock Star’s Seduction – Free!
Four years ago, Kaitlyn had a brief college fling with a wannabe rocker – and walked away. Now Derek Kane is the lead singer of the hottest band on the planet, and the only journalist he’ll talk to is Kaitlyn. But there’s a price.

ROCK ALL NIGHT – Part 2 of the Rock Star’s Seduction

HARD AS ROCK – Part 3 of the Rock Star’s Seduction

I have other books, but start with those – especially the free books. You’ll know if you want more!

Thanks again for reading MIDNIGHT DESIRE and MIDNIGHT LUST, and be sure to sign up for my email list at
www.OliviaThorneBooks.com
to find out about upcoming releases!

Also, a big thanks to Patricia Schoon for naming the Midnight series and for all her great help in whipping my books into shape! Also thanks to Maria, Danelle, and Michelle!

Olivia Thorne