Janet had never been the sort of person who did well with a bunch of rules. She didn't care about what other people thought, not like her parents did. But she didn't want to argue. Not tonight. Tonight she was meeting her best friend Kaylie for the first time in six months. Since she'd left for college.

That had gone really well.

College had not been for her, to put it mildly. She hadn't enjoyed her cla.s.ses, or the dorms or anything really. Well, except for one thing...

She rolled her eyes and forced herself to keep still. She was ready to bounce out of her chair with excitement. Not just because she was going to see Kaylie, but because of where they were meeting. They were going there. The SOS clubhouse.

Janet had never been inside the Sp.a.w.n's headquarters. Few outsiders had. And tonight was her chance. Her best friend was dating the President of one of the most notorious MC clubs in all of California! She was bursting with antic.i.p.ation. She wondered if there would be anyone there she might want to date too. Kaylie had warned her that most of the guys were pretty cavalier about women, but you never know. Besides, Janet could be cavalier too.

She'd been feeling particularly reckless since getting kicked out of college for poor grades. She'd spent a semester and a half on academic probation, struggling since almost the first week of school. She didn't really blame her parents for being mad.

But how could they understand what it was like? There was no way to explain it to them. College had changed everything for her. She had finally blossomed into a woman. She'd always been distracted by boys. But finally after all this time, she distracted them too.

How was she supposed to concentrate on school with so many other things to do? She just wanted to dance and have fun. She'd gotten into the habit of hitting the night clubs almost every d.a.m.n night. Of course she was flunking out!

She peeked up at her parents sour expression. It was painfully obvious that they were still disappointed that her ballet career had been cut short. It didn't seem fair. She was the one who'd worked so hard for all those years. And besides, it's not like they had been expecting her to go to med school. But she had been hoping in a vague way to become a physical therapist someday. She'd fallen in love with the profession after the injury that forced her to hang up her toe shoes for good. Her therapist Becky had been amazing and so smart. It was around that point that she'd started to fill in and finally develop- dun dun dun- b.o.o.bs!

G.o.d, she loved her b.o.o.bs. She loved the way they looked, the way they felt, and especially the way they seemed to open doors... get her out of speeding tickets... even get her free drinks. Lots and lots of free drinks.

She tugged her skirt down over the tiny heart tattoo on her outer thigh. It was a good thing they hadn't seen that yet. No reason to send them into the stratosphere. Especially since that wasn't the last tattoo she planned on getting...

After another twenty minutes of lecturing they finally seemed to lose steam. Janet had heard enough about responsibility and becoming a productive member of society for a lifetime. She wasn't sure how she was going to fit into this world just yet, but she was sure it wasn't going to be the way her parents were talking about.

Not even close.

Jack stood with Donnie, who was leaning against the bar, telling the guys a hilarious story about Dev and Kaylie. Making fun of the club President's sudden and utter devotion to a mere slip of a girl was everyone's favorite pastime. The Sp.a.w.n's all adored Kaylie too so it was never mean spirited.

It was just too funny to see Devlin mooning over a woman when he'd had the chance to bed nearly every woman in two counties. Jack knew better though. As his second in command he knew that Dev had been needing something more than that. He had for a long time.

After Dev lost his family, the club was all he had. At 28, Jack was a couple of years older and had taken him under his wing. He'd never told the boy what to do, but he'd shown him by example. The kid had good instincts from the start. He was strong and smart and fearless, sure. But it was his backbone and sense of fair play that Jack had known would make him into an incredible leader one day. And he'd been right.

Donnie was mimicking Kaylie accepting a larger than life bouquet of pink roses, pretending to struggle under the weight as he simpered in a high pitched voice which sounded nothing like Kaylie to Jack. He rolled his eyes.

"And then she squeals 'Oh Dev! For me?'"

Everyone laughed except Jack. He'd been there. The bouquet had been at least twice that size.

"Speak of the Devil!"

Devlin eyed them as he came into the bar. He was wearing a clean and pressed shirt. That meant only one thing. Kaylie was coming to the clubhouse tonight. Jack sipped his ginger ale and scoped the bar out for trouble makers. There were always short fuses around to defuse in the SOS bar room. It was only an urgent matter when Dev's old lady was in the clubhouse though. Usually the Sp.a.w.n let their guys work things out the old fashioned way.

But not when Kaylie was there. Dev was really strict about what was said and done around her. Some saw it as a sign of weakness, but not Jack.

He knew Dev was a lucky son of a b.i.t.c.h to have found somebody who deserved that level of care and protection. Someone who loved him back. If anything, Jack was jealous. Not that he'd ever expected or even wished for anything like that for himself.

Dogs like him didn't deserve love. He deserved dignity and brotherhood from the other Sp.a.w.n's only through the dint of his unwavering loyalty. Other than that, he considered himself to be worthless. Well, except in a fight.

Jack stood well over six feet tall and was built light a freight train. With broad shoulders and a ma.s.sive heavily muscled chest over narrow waist and hips, he was in peak physical condition. He'd lost the last of his padding in the last few years when he'd finally stopped drinking himself into oblivion every night. With his tattoos, muscular physique and streaming long dark hair, he'd earned himself a slew of embarra.s.sing nicknames over the years. Unfortunately there was one that stuck.

The Viking.

He never responded to the joking around with more than a level stare. The joking usually stopped immediately. He didn't like to be teased, or taken less than seriously. But he put up with it, because he liked being in the thick of it with his fellow Sp.a.w.n. His life had been so desolate before he'd been initiated. He'd ridden alone for years, hitting the road when he was just 15 on the back on a stolen bike. He was still isolated in a lot of ways, but at least he wasn't alone.

For the first time in his life, he knew there'd be someone to cry at his funeral.

2.

Janet forced herself to relax as she followed Kaylie into the clubhouse. Years of dance training had given her a rail straight spine. Sometimes people thought she was stuck up because of it. She wasn't a snot, though she certainly wasn't a shrinking violet. She relaxed her body, letting it sway naturally, sinking into her hips when she walked.

Do not walk like a dancer!

She stared around the clubhouse as Kaylie led her to the bar room. The place was bigger than she'd thought. It was literally as if the most bad a.s.s, honky tonk bar had been plopped down in the middle of the huge building, far from prying eyes. There was a long dark wood bar with a bra.s.s railing, fully stocked, two stripper poles on either end of the room, and chairs and tables everywhere.

And men. Lots and lots of men. They all turned to look at them when they walked in. Janet looked around and saw a few severely underdressed women here and there. She smiled to herself. Her mini skirt and tank top were practically modest. Not as modest as Kaylie's outfit, but close.

Devlin made a beeline for them, kissing Kaylie quickly before holding out his hand in greeting. G.o.d, he was cute. Janet couldn't help but be a little envious of the adoring way he was staring at her friend. There was no doubt in her mind that he loved Kaylie.

Some girls have all the luck.

He led them over to the bar and asked a few guys to vacate stools for them. She and Kaylie hopped onto the stools as a handsome guy with spiky black hair and bright blue eyes came over to take their orders.

"You must be Janet. I've heard a lot about you. I'm Donahue."

Janet blushed a little bit. What had Kaylie said about her to these guys? And why would a tough as nails biker give a s.h.i.t?

It's because they cared about her, Janet realized. Kaylie was one of them now. Janet had never belonged to any group. Even as a dancer it had been a mostly solitary occupation. Her abilities had set her so far above the rest of the local talent that no one had really talked to her. Except her teacher Mrs. Lewis, who adored her. Until the accident. Now she was just plain old Janet Mahoney.

"Thanks. It's... nice to meet you too."

"What can I get you lovely ladies this evening?"

She glanced at Kaylie who smiled conspiratorially and leaned forward.

"Two sea breezes please."

Donnie rolled his eyes at the girly order, making them giggle. There were two other guys behind the bar running around and doing the grunt work but Donnie made their drinks, even adding fresh fruit. They turned around on their bar stools to include Devlin. He waved to a man across the room and he started over.

Janet's heart did a little flip flop at the sight of him. Now there was a biker. Tall and lean and mean looking. He had long dark hair and was dressed in leather pants and a club jacket, with a torn black t-shirt underneath. He didn't look to the left or the right as he walked toward them.

"This is Jack, my second in command. Jack, this is Janet."

Her mouth felt dry as the giant turned his attention toward her. His eyes flicked over her as if she were inconsequential. But then- there was a glimmer of something- warm in his gaze. He nodded at her, and then at Kaylie. And then he turned around and stalked back to the spot he'd been occupying across the room.

Janet's mouth must have been open as she stared at him. He was - Jesus - he was a little bit scary! Kaylie giggled and sipped the drink that Donnie had just placed in front of her.

"Don't mind Jack. He's not as mean as he looks."

"He isn't?"

Devlin grinned and grabbed the beer Donnie served him without asking.

"Jack's one of the best people I know. He just doesn't like to brag about it."

Janet glanced over her shoulder. She could have sworn Jack was scowling at her. But he turned his gaze so sharply that she couldn't be sure.

"What's he doing over there?"

Three drinks later, and Janet could not get the guy out of her mind. He'd been standing alone all night, surveying the room.

"He's protecting us."

"What?"

Kaylie leaned in.

"It can get kind of crazy in here. Jack's making sure nothing gets started while we are here."

"Oh."

A funny feeling was settling in the pit of her stomach. He was protecting them. She felt safe suddenly. Safer than she had in a long time.

Maybe ever.

Kaylie was giggling. She didn't drink too often. Janet was feeling a bit giddy herself.

"They call him the Viking. But don't do it! He hates it."

"Does he ever talk?"

"No. To Devlin sometimes. But I've barely heard more than three words out of him at a time."

"Is something- wrong with him?"

"No. And don't let anyone hear you say that. Devlin told me he owes Jack his life. He's done more for Devlin than anyone. Me too. He's a good guy. You don't have to be scared of him, I promise."

She was feeling something. But it wasn't fear.

The hairs rose on the back of her neck. She turned and caught him staring at her. No, not staring. His eyes were boring into her. She could feel his eyes as if he were touching her.

Intimately.

The Viking. It suited him.

She swallowed nervously and turned back toward the bar. She glanced over her shoulder and he was still watching her with a faint, superior smile. Her spine stiffed and she turned her back on him deliberately.

There was something about him that made her nervous. He was so... male. She'd never seen anyone that masculine in her life. He looked cold and hard, no matter how handsome or chiseled his face was. And that body... Jesus he did look like a Viking! Strong and lean and ruthless.

He made her nervous. Very, very nervous.

Kaylie was chatting about some of the people they'd gone to high school with as Janet struggled vainly to get her emotions in check. The drinks weren't helping.

Yes, she was nervous. But she was also aroused. She crossed her legs and pulled her top up in the front. When she snuck a look behind her, Jack was openly leering at her.

No, not at her. At her legs.

She felt overly warm in the bar suddenly. As if they'd turned up the heat like the sauna at the dance studio where she practiced sometimes. She licked her lips and nodded when Donnie offered her another drink. He was lording it up all night, bossing the prospects around. His merry blue eyes made her feel comfortable. Jack's black gaze did not.

Devlin slid his arm around Kaylie.

"You about ready to go?"

She nodded, a light blush tinting her cheeks. Janet looked away, not wanting to interrupt their intimate moment.

"Come on Janet, I'll drive you home."

She waved goodbye to Donnie as Dev threw a couple of twenties on the bar. She couldn't resist one more glance across the room while Kaylie pulled her jacket on and gathered her purse.

Jack was just where he'd been all night. He was staring toward them again. He could have been looking at any of them. Kaylie, Dev, even Donnie behind the bar. But she knew he wasn't.

He was looking at her.

Jack watched as Dev led Kaylie and her friend out of the bar. He could relax once they were out of the room. But he didn't feel like relaxing. He felt like breaking something.

He never resented anything Dev asked him to do. For some reason he'd felt jealous that he had to keep watch tonight. He would have rather been by the bar. With her.

Janet. Such an ordinary name for such a fiery little creature. The girl was stunning. Red hair, pale blue green eyes and a body that- well, it had his attention. That much was obvious.

Hot girls came and went in the club on a daily basis. But Janet wasn't just hot. She was f.u.c.king beautiful. There was something regal in her bearing too. She'd looked like a queen, perched with her long legs dangling off the bar stool. A queen who was up to no good. Slumming maybe.

He frowned. He didn't mess around with women too often. Once every couple of months he'd screw one of the hanger ons to keep his head straight. But never the same one twice. That was dangerous. He didn't want them to get attached to him. He didn't want to answer questions. He didn't want to talk or hold hands. He wanted to get laid and that was it.

Most of the girls around here understood that and were more than happy to oblige him, or any of the other Sp.a.w.ns. He had a feeling that a rich girl like Janet would expect more from him. And since she was friends with Dev's old lady, he'd certainly have to give more than he was used to.

He shook it off and left the bar room, climbing the stairs to his favorite perch on the roof. He could see at least two miles from up there, the distance making the industrial district where he lived look almost pretty. n.o.body ever bothered him up here either. That was the best part.

He pulled a cigarette out and lit it. He rarely indulged anymore but he was feeling strange tonight. He was restless. That was all. It didn't have anything to do with that girl. And even if it did, she was way out of his reach.