Forever Zara: (novella 9.5) by V. Theia (ebook reader txt) 📕

“Goddamn. I didn’t…I didn’t mean it like that.” Knox was tall like their dad, towering over her in all his 6’4 stature. He stepped in and cupped the back of her skull.

“You dare call me a whore? How many chicks have you had in your bed this month? Double standards, little brother.”

“I wasn’t calling you a whore. You know what you’re doing is fucked up. He’s too old for you for one. An untrustworthy crooked asshole, not to mention who he is. How do you think mom will react when she knows this? It will kill her, Harps.”

Pain sliced right through her, and she knocked his hand to pace a few steps away, inhaling slowly.

She knew that already.

And she wouldn’t hurt her mom for anything. They’d had their issues over the years like any mother and daughter relationship. But she loved her mom more than anyone, loved her dad the same.

Harper didn’t need Knox to tell her what was fucked up. She had a personal front-row view of the whole situation; she was far from dumb.

Some things were unavoidable.

Especially where a man was concerned.

Only when she could speak around the boulder of feeling in her throat did Harper turn to face her brother.

Watchful as ever, he had his chin dipped in the same way their dad used when he was about to let them know how disappointed he was.

It rarely happened because the three of the Marinos kids hated to mess up.

Overachievers.

Stubborn.

Hellraisers.

Armado Springs talked about Harper, Knox, and Zane for varying reasons. She knew what some thought about their club and how they lived. Harper didn’t care about people’s opinions she wouldn’t spit on if they were on fire. She loved her family with all her heart, including uncles, aunts, and all her cousins, by blood and not.

With a good set of friends, she earned her own money and rented an apartment.

Coincidentally, the last argument she had with a Marinos man was when she moved out of their family home. Rider thought she wasn’t ready for that.

He wasn’t wrong in anything he was saying, but she’d bite her tongue off before she told big-headed Knox that. He was already too alpha to cope with without handing him that ammo. Everyone had called him Alpha since he was twelve.

He was right. And she hated he was right.

But what was she to do when her heart was in this fight?

Her stupid heart.

If only she’d had the facts, she would have stayed away from the man with hot, brooding eyes.

Thinking about him put a gallop in her chest.

Swallowing, she set up her chin.

“Let me remind you, Knox, seeing as you easily forget. I am Rider Marinos’ daughter. Better yet, I am Zara Marinos’ daughter, that means you do not tell me what to do, or I’ll rip your fucking head off.”

It was a bomb going off around them because Knox’s corner lip curled as he bared his teeth, his eyes narrowing. “Is that so? Guess I have to fucking kill him myself then. I give a shit about this family, even if you don’t.”

And didn’t the little turd-bag stride off after announcing that?

Winded.

Panicked.

Pausing for a second, she could only stare after the long frame of her brother as he stalked further away.

“Knox!” she yelled. “You’ll stay out of it, Knox! I will burn your goddamn bike to ashes if you try anything. I will tell your current piece of ass you have crabs.”

Behind her, she heard a rough chuckle.

“Just love seeing my kids getting along.” Her dad said, putting an arm around her shoulder in the way he always did, pulling her close to kiss her temple. She instantly felt comforted and guilty. He wouldn’t be so quick to give her affection if he knew.

“What’s brewing between you two?”

“Nothing, Dad. Knox being his usual bossy self. Wish you’d tell him to butt out of my life.”

“He loves you, doodle-bug. He has it in him to take care of you and Zane.”

“Even if I’m the oldest? Even if I don’t want him to take care of me?”

“Even then.” Rider Marinos smiled. “Does he have a reason to be bossy now?”

She didn’t want to lie to him, so all she gave as a reply was a non-committal grumble of noise.

Knox had learned from the man himself how important family was.

She agreed wholeheartedly.

Loving them all, she would always fight anyone who had shit to say about them.

There was no simple way out of this without someone being hurt.

Harper, most of all.

Sometimes there were no whys or reasons. Just feelings that couldn’t be explained.

With her mom’s dramatics, she sighed into his side and felt him chuckling.

“Cheer up, doodle, shit ain’t as bad as it seems.”

Oh, but it was. If only he knew.

There was still the taste of a man so wrong in her mouth, aching for more. She craved the temptation of him when she was smart enough to know she should not only walk away but run in the opposite direction. Far from dumb, she’d been brought up in a biker world. They taught ABC’s and how to survive, cheat and con, lie and protect, fight, and rely on each other because the club never hurt each other.

How could she forget the taste in her mouth when it already stained her soul? It was heady and intoxicating. Hot and male. He kissed like a man, an alpha, someone who wouldn’t let her get her way. The kind of man she’d craved and not known it until he was there.

A weak man would never have turned her head, never caught her attention.

She’d never been a woman to latch onto anything for long.

But this man? Oh, she