Evelyn's dream of securing a scholarship to America's top ballet school shattered when her mother was brutally murdered during her teenage years. Determined to make a difference, she became a detective, ready to take on the world. Assigned to invest...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
--<3--
As the sun edged toward its final rays, spilling amber light across the MC's territory, the inner circle gathered in the temple. Shadows stretched across the worn wooden floor, and the air carried the faint tang of old leather and motor oil. Tension clung to the room like smoke from a slowly dying fire. Evelyn had surprised them all.
"What do we do now? Do we trust her?" Gunner asked, his voice rough like gravel, drawing a sharp glance from Jeremiah. The biker's gaze seared him with unspoken irritation, but Gunner only rolled his eyes and leaned closer, bridging the space even though Maddox lounged between them like a silent sentinel.
"I didn't mean that I don't trust her. Athena seems to like her," he murmured, voice low, as if confiding a secret to the room itself. Jax cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the thick, tense air. He rose from his imposing chair at the head of the table, the leather creaking under his weight.
"I can't demand your thoughts. I want to hear everyone," Jax said, his tone steady yet threaded with authority. He leaned back, shoulders rigid, eyes dark and calculating, the weight of unspoken consequences pressing down on everyone in the room. Ash broke the silence, stepping forward, the faint clink of his boots against the floor echoing.
"I'll start. Evelyn has been playing fair from the beginning. I can actually see her choosing us. Titus told us how she handled that Wilson guy. She's on our side." His eyes swept the room, catching nods and skeptical frowns alike. Jeremiah's lips curved into a small, appreciative smile at Ash's support, a warmth flickering in the cold shadows.
"But why would she go against everything she believes in for us?" Ash continued, voice softer now, weighted with curiosity.
"From what I've seen in my studio discussions with her, she seems sincere." He paused, letting his gaze linger on Jeremiah. A pulse of understanding passed between them, like a shared secret in the dim light. Jeremiah's own lips lifted, gratitude burning quietly in his chest. Titus stroked his beard, the motion slow, contemplative.
"What if she's playing us? Pretending to be on our side to learn more?" His words slid into the room like a chill wind, and murmurs rose among the bikers, some agreeing, others shaking their heads in defiance.
"I stand with Ash," Ryder said, eyes sharp, voice carrying authority through the tense air.
"She's been honest around us, even about that day with her dad. She's put herself in a dangerous position. If her lie gets caught, we all go down. She's covering us." His gaze flicked to Ash, who nodded, a silent shield of solidarity. Titus's eyes lingered on the two, skepticism etched into every line of his face.
"But what if the police told her to fake it all? Then none of it matters. We can't trust her," Titus countered, his voice hard, the words slicing the warmth of the room into pieces. Ice stepped forward, tension radiating from him like heat from a forge.
