Sarah's pov
I spent Sunday in my apartment trying to process everything that had happened the night before. Marcus was corrupt. Ryder had caught me watching him torture someone. And I'd been turned on by violence in ways that made me question everything I thought I knew about myself.But underneath all that personal chaos, I still had a mission. Tommy was dead and someone in the Steel Vultures was responsible. The photo of him and Jax as children proved their connection went back years, which meant his murder was personal rather than random club violence.I needed to gather evidence. Real evidence that could be used to build a case once I figured out who I could trust with the information. Marcus was out as an option, which left me working alone until I could find another cop who wasn't on the club's payroll.Monday morning I went to an electronics store across town where nobody would recognize me. Bought three small cameras with motion sensors aCain's pov I watched Sarah close her door before I turned and headed back down the hallway toward my office. My mind was still processing the conversation we had just had on the patio and the way she had looked when I told her about Marcus wanting to see her. There had been pain in her eyes mixed with anger and confusion and it made my chest tight knowing she was dealing with all of this.The mate bond was pulling at me constantly now and every instinct I had was screaming at me to protect her and keep her safe. But I also knew that she needed space to process everything and make her own decisions without us hovering over her constantly. It was a balance I was still trying to figure out.When I reached my office I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Jax asking him to come see me. I needed to talk to him about Sarah and get his perspective on everything that had happened today. Jax had always been the most suspicious of our mate when she first showed up at the bar and I wa
Sarah's pov When we pulled up to the pack house Ryder helped me carry all the shopping bags inside and we were heading toward the stairs when I saw Cain walking down the main hallway. He looked like he had been waiting for us to get back and when his eyes landed on me his expression became serious."Sarah," he said as he approached. "I need to talk to you about something. Can you come outside with me for a few minutes?"I glanced at Ryder who just gave me an encouraging nod before taking the bags from my hands. "I'll bring these up to your room. Go ahead.""Okay," I said and turned back to Cain. "What's this about?""I'll explain outside," Cain said and gestured toward a side door that led to one of the patios. "It's private out there."I followed him through the door and out onto a stone patio that overlooked part of the grounds. There were a few chairs and a table set up but Cain didn't sit down. Instead he walked over to the railing and looked out at the trees in the distance. I c
Sarah's pov I was still thinking about the kiss with Jax when Ryder came bounding back into the garage with his usual energy and a huge grin on his face. He had a set of car keys dangling from his fingers and he looked like he was up to something."Alright Sarah," he announced. "You and I are going on a little adventure."I had just climbed off the motorcycle after my last practice run and I looked at him in confusion. "What kind of adventure?""Shopping," Ryder said like it was the most exciting thing in the world. "You need clothes and toiletries and all that stuff women need. Plus we're going to swing by your apartment to grab anything else you want to bring back here."I glanced at Jax who just shrugged. "Cain's orders. He thinks you need to get some of your own things so you feel more comfortable here."The thought of going back to my apartment made my stomach twist with anxiety. I hadn't been there since the night Tommy showed up wounded and begging me to follow him. Everything
Sarah's pov I stared at Jax as his words sank in and felt my hands tighten on the handlebars. The engine was still rumbling beneath me and I could feel the power of the bike waiting to be unleashed. Part of me wanted to twist that throttle and feel what it was like to move forward on my own but another part of me was terrified of messing up."I don't know if I'm ready for this," I said and my voice barely carried over the sound of the engine.Jax reached over and placed his hand on top of mine where it rested on the right handlebar. His touch was warm and steady and somehow it made me feel calmer."You are ready," he said firmly. "I wouldn't let you try if I didn't think you could handle it. Trust yourself Sarah."I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but confidence there. He believed I could do this even if I wasn't sure I believed it myself. That faith he had in me meant more than I could put into words."Okay," I said. "What do I do first?""First you're going to let out the clut
Sarah's pov The three brothers looked at each other after I said I needed to learn how to ride and I could tell they were having one of those silent conversations through their pack bond that I still wasn't part of. It was strange watching them communicate without words and I wondered what it would feel like to be connected to them that way."One of us should teach her," Ryder said breaking the silence. "We can't just throw her on a bike and hope for the best.""Obviously," Cain said. "The question is who.""Well it can't be you," Jax said to Ryder. "You're too reckless. You'd have her doing wheelies on her first day.""I am not reckless," Ryder protested but even I could hear that he didn't really believe his own words."You drove your bike off a ramp last month just to see if you could clear the gap," Jax said flatly. "That's the definition of reckless."Ryder opened his mouth to argue but then closed it again because apparently he couldn't dispute that fact. I tried not to smile a
Sarah's pov I stood there surrounded by the three brothers and their motorcycles and for the first time since I had arrived at the pack house I felt like I could breathe properly. The tension from the conversation in Cain's office was still there in the back of my mind but being down here in the garage with all these bikes around me made everything feel less overwhelming."So what do you think?" Ryder asked from behind me and I could hear the smile in his voice."I think this is amazing," I said honestly. "I never expected something like this to be underneath the mansion.""We like to keep our toys close," Jax said and he ran his hand along the seat of his Ducati with obvious affection. "These bikes are more than just transportation. They're part of who we are."I understood that more than they probably realized. Growing up with Tommy I had seen how much his bike meant to him and how it represented his freedom and independence. Looking at all these motorcycles lined up and cared for