Tread: Biker Romance (Ronin MC Series Book 1) by Justin Morrow, Brandace Morrow Page A

I had to start out strong. At least, that’s what Kit’s text message this morning said to do. I tried not to choke as I swallowed. “Kit said I could take her room upstairs.”
    “And her job, from the looks of it. She tell you where she went?”
    I looked down and shrugged, wiping the clean counter again. Tatum brought her arm down, the bangles on her arm clanging loudly in the empty room. “Spill it. Right now, Grace,” she ordered.
    “She didn’t tell you?” I was trying to stall.
    “Nah.” Her face hardened, and her chocolate eyes lowered to a glare. “And I’ve known that girl since I was born. Fuckin’ diapers and shit. Now you better spill it all before you have a whole biker club in here ready to split you open for the information.”
    I swallowed again, though my mouth seemed to have suddenly gone as dry as the desert outside. “She said she had a job opening and I could work here until I had enough for a new car. She gave me the keys.” I dug them out of my pocket as proof. “That’s all I know, I swear.”
    Tatum ran her hand through her hair, only getting halfway through since the thick mass was up in a messy bun. “Was she pissed off? Upset or something?”
    “Not mad.” I shook my head and took a breath. “More resigned, kind of sad, I guess.”
    “Did anything else happen that I should know about?”
    I shifted from one foot to the other, licking my lips as I looked around the room.
    “Grace.” I jumped a mile high then spun around. Shoot . Veesa knew my name. She was staring down her nose at me, commanding my soul to spill all over the floor or she would do it for me. My eyes traveled to her hands on her hips. Was that a knife? Oh, holy God.
    “Kit asked me to count the deposit while she took the trash out, but she didn’t come back. I went to the kitchen to make sure she was okay. She was making out with Royal. He left and she told me I could have the job. That’s all I know, I swear.” Please don’t kill me.
    Veesa yelled, throwing her arms up. I tracked the movement and scrambled back. Not a knife, but a lethal looking spatula, the stainless steel glinting in the morning light. She turned and pushed the swinging door to the kitchen so hard it echoed, yelling in Spanish the whole time.
    “Jesus fucking Christ!”
    I spun to make sure Tatum couldn’t get me either, backing into the rows of bottles on the wall. My nerves were going to be shot before lunch.
    “You’re fucking kidding me. Royal? You’re sure?” she demanded, leaning over the counter towards me.
    I nodded. “Long blond hair, blue eyes? That’s Royal, right?”
    “The VP? And she left right after? Oh, we’re all screwed. All of us. Oh my God, I gotta call Marley.” She grabbed her phone, muttering more “Oh my Gods.”
    Not knowing what else to do, I made a cup of coffee for her and set it down gently with shaking fingers as she ranted.
    Marley came in minutes later, looking wild. “What’s going on?”
    Tatum threw her arms up. “Kit took off! Hooked up with Royal and left.”
    Marley’s eyes grew wider than they were before. “She fucked him?”
    Tatum swung to me and now I had both of them bearing down on me. “No. No . . . sex.”
    Marley’s mouth tightened. “How do you know?”
    “Well, her shirt was up.” I gestured to my neck. “But both of their pants were on. I may be sheltered, but I know that’s not how it’s done.”
    Marley took a seat and seemed to deflate. “All right. All right.” She dug in her purse, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “So she finally does it and chickens out. It’ll be okay. They’ll get her back.”
    I looked from one woman to the other. “I don’t think she wants to come back. She tried to talk to her dad, then him. She said I could have anything in her room.”
    Tatum pinned me with her angry eyes. “No one leaves, Grace. We all know that. We’re a goddamned family.” She blinked rapidly and I suddenly realized how hurt they must be that she