Mistakes trojans mc book.., p.1
Mistakes (Trojans MC Book 11), page 1
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2022 Sam Crescent
ISBN: 978-0-3695-0706-8
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Audrey Bobak
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
MISTAKES
Trojans MC, 11
Sam Crescent
Copyright © 2022
Chapter One
She was an idiot.
A big, fucking, stupid, idiotic idiot.
There was no other explanation for it. Luna Daniels couldn’t believe she had left the life she was creating in the city for Vale Valley. The town she had vowed to never step into again. The town she wanted nothing to do with because of its resident MC, or more specifically, one particular member, Matthew Bana.
The Prez’s son. The guy who was currently prospecting for the Trojans MC. The same guy who tore out her heart and crushed it when she was younger.
A lot had happened since then. Now at twenty-four years old, she had a college degree, some life experience, and a boat full of dreams—none of them involving Matthew freaking Bana.
She didn’t have a clue why she was back in town. Or why she was wearing the brand-new diner uniform Mac had given to her. She had her old job back and was currently living with her parents. At least her parents weren’t around right now. They had decided to take a nice long summer cruise, one they’d spent a lifetime saving for a lifetime. It was one of their dreams. Luna hated the water and had offered to stay and house-sit for them. It wasn’t hard. All she had to do was live there, like she had done most of her life.
Why had she come back here?
There was no way it was for … Matthew Bana.
Nope. Totally not.
It didn’t matter that he had said he loved her, he kind of stalked her, and didn’t seem content to leave her alone. That had nothing to do with it. She was not going to fall for Matthew. Not again. She already had that badge, and it hadn’t ended well.
Nothing quite like a bit of pregnancy humiliation to remind her exactly how bad it was for her and Matthew. Not to mention the fact that he screwed everything he could. He’d never promised her anything. No exclusivity when they were younger, but it had still broken her heart because she had thought they had something special. More fool her.
Matthew had fooled her back then, but she wasn’t going to allow that to happen anymore. Even if he did seem so sincere with her.
It wasn’t going to happen. Not ever.
Arriving at Mac’s dinner, she blew out a breath and stared up at the building. Everything had changed in the last few years. There was a time when Mary would have a great deal more to do with the diner, but she had faded.
Luna didn’t exactly know what the setup was like anymore. In the years since she’d been away, the town had changed, and the Trojans MC seemed to have changed a little more. She had even tried to follow Holly and Mary’s food blog to understand what was truly going on, but again, there was nothing.
Everything was just … weird.
Stepping into the diner, she smiled at a few of the customers and made her way to the back. Her locker was there with her name written on the metal. After placing her bag inside, she grabbed her apron and pencil and prepared herself to step outside into the main throng of people.
Here she was to start her ten-hour shift before she headed home. Of course, nothing was complete without a couple of bikers sitting in the back of the room. As it was, she was the only waitress on for the day.
Mac was running low on workers, another unusual occurrence. The diner was always busy with plenty of people ready to work. When she arrived at the diner a week and a half ago, Mac hadn’t even asked her to beg for the job. Nope, he’d shoved the uniform at her and told her to get started. So far, he’d interviewed a couple of women, no men, and she was the only waitress. It wouldn’t be long before she wouldn’t be able to cope with the workload.
She got stuck in it, starting at the front and working her way into the back. Of course, the first MC guy she had to see was Duke, Matthew’s father. She didn’t recognize the guy he was with, but it didn’t matter.
“Hello, Mr. Bana,” she said. “What can I get you?”
“Luna, it is good to see you. I didn’t realize you were working here,” he said.
She forced a smile to her lips. No, she didn’t either.
“Luna?” the guy opposite Duke asked.
She turned toward him, and Duke chuckled. “Luna, I’d like you to meet Preach.”
“Hi, Preach.”
Matthew had told her all about the road names, so nothing really surprised her about them. She held her hand out to Preach and shook his hand.
“Do you guys know what to order, or would you like me to come back?” she asked.
Please say come back. Don’t make me wait.
“We’re ready,” Duke said. “So, you’ve been in town long?”
“Er, not really. I’m house-sitting for my parents, and well, I’m not working at the diner again.”
“Are you back for good?” Duke asked.
“I don’t know. Nothing is really set in stone.” This was even worse than she could have imagined.
This was Matthew’s dad, and yeah, he was as terrifying as she remembered.
Was it the leather cut? The ink? The muscles? Or the if-you-hurt-my-son-I’ll-kill-you look? It was probably the former in this situation.
Not that Duke should have a problem with her. The heartbreaking was done to her, not by her. Matthew had done a number on her. A bad number, and she had tried to get over it. She’d dated a couple of times, but other than a few kisses, it never went anywhere. Never. Not to the bedroom.
Her only sexual experience had been that one time in the back of Matthew’s truck. This was horrible. She was thinking about that awful sex while serving the guy’s dad. This was what her life had turned into.
They ordered some breakfast and a couple of coffees.
Luna was more than happy to run away at that moment. She didn’t want to hear any more than she needed to. When it came to club business, Matthew had always told her to stay the hell away from it.
She went to the main desk and slid the order across the counter. Mac walked over, picked it up, and read it. He grunted, scrunching it up, and then headed back into the kitchen.
Mac had also changed. There was a time he seemed a little dirty. Grease, tomato stains, and pretty much whatever he cooked was on his apron. Now, his hair was neatly cut, the apron was constantly clean, and he was different. Like he cared about his appearance. He actually looked cute. In an older-man-cute kind of way.
She picked up the coffee pot and walked across the diner, going to Duke and Preach once again. Filling up their drinks, she was aware they had stopped talking.
Did Duke even realize that she knew a few details about the club? Had known them for a long time now? They were not her secrets to spill.
Matthew had talked about the club all the time. How he wanted to be a prospect for them. The kind of shit they would have to do. It was all so very intense.
After she filled their coffee, more people began to enter, and Luna didn’t have time to even think, let alone worry about Duke being in the diner.
They needed to find some help and fast. She didn’t know why Mac was being so difficult, but she was going to have to remind him that she could only do so much.
Fortunately, no one tried to cause a scene, and she was able to create a nice orderly system that meant everyone got their food and there were no complaints. Throughout working, she had a feeling someone was watching her though.
Each time she glanced at Duke, he wasn’t looking her way. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and something twisted in her stomach to suggest something was happening.
Was this what coming home got her? Suspicious? Thinking someone wanted to see her dead?
This was crazy talk and crazy thinking. Insane. Stupid.
All she was doing was house-sitting and working over the summer while trying to make a decision on what to do with the rest of her life. That wasn’t so complicated. It had nothing to do with Matthew. Nothing to do with him at all.
She had promised herself years ago she’d never be the doormat ex pining for him to take even a glimpse at her. That wasn’t her. It would never be her.
Then why did she feel like it was?
****
Matthew was washing bikes, again.
He was pretty sure his dad was doing this on purpose. While Kid and Rick got to do something exciting like shadowing a couple of the club brothers, or even running errands they couldn’t talk about, he was cleaning bikes.
This had to be the fourth time this week. He didn’t get it. He wasn’t asking for favors from his dad. What he wanted was the same kind of chances the other prospects got, and it kind of felt like he was being given the lamest fucking tasks.
When was he going to get his chance to shine?
“Hey.”
Matthew looked up from his crouched position to see Landon biti
“What are you doing here?” Matthew asked.
“Waiting to go and pick up Anna and my son.” The moment Landon said my son, there was a massive smile on his lips.
“And until then, you’re watching me clean bikes?” Matthew asked.
“Yep, it’s kind of fun, seeing Duke’s kid having to go through all the crap to earn his patch.” Landon took another bite of an apple.
He rolled his eyes. “Seriously, did you have to do all of this shit?”
Landon laughed. “Of course, dude. We all have to go through shit. It takes time. We’ve all got to learn to count on each other, and if we can’t stick around cleaning each other’s shit, and you know, filth and stuff, then how can you rely on someone to have your back?”
He got it and completely understood why this was happening. Most of his life, Duke had been the Prez of Trojans MC, and all of his life, Duke had been part of the MC. Matthew knew the reasons for prospecting, and why it was so important, but even still, all he’d done for the past month was clean bikes. Clean bikes, clean bedrooms, do laundry, wash toilets. That was it. Nothing else.
Even though he knew something was going down. He didn’t exactly know what it was, or the full extent of it, but something was going down. Something big.
Yet his dad wouldn’t tell him about it. At home, they didn’t discuss club stuff. Not anymore. Duke had put a limit on it. Matthew didn’t even know if he discussed club stuff with Holly. Either way, it didn’t matter, because he had no intention of complaining.
Landon had gotten through all of this shit. He would as well.
Rick and Kid could have their important errands and shadowing. He was going to clean the bikes. They were going to be so squeaky clean, the fuckers would skid right off them.
Just as he was about to clean Pie’s bike, he heard the rumble of engines, and sure enough, his dad and Preach arrived at the clubhouse. They looked pissed off.
Matthew grabbed his cloth and was about to touch Pie’s bike when his dad called him. “Matthew, my office, now.”
Landon gave a low whistle, but Matthew didn’t have a clue what he’d done. Unlike when he was a kid, he was actually keeping his nose clean these days. He wasn’t a fucking idiot. Being a prick when he was younger had taught him a big lesson. He’d lost the only good thing in his life, or potentially one of the best things in his life. Not that Luna was a thing. When it came to her, he always had a way of fucking up. Now, he didn’t have a clue about how to win her back. He was clueless.
Leaving his cleaning stuff near Pie’s bike, he got to his feet and headed inside. A couple of women were hanging around several of the men. It was a slow day. Not a whole lot of shit was happening.
Entering his father’s office, he saw his dad as he gathered up a few pieces of paperwork and shoved them in his desk before taking a seat.
Matthew sat opposite him. And waited.
Duke stared at him.
He’d done nothing wrong. No parties. No knocking girls up. He’d been clean for a while. He wasn’t even chasing any of the free pussy at the club.
The only woman he wanted was Luna. The one that got away. The one he couldn’t have.
“Are you my dad right now or my Prez?” Matthew asked.
“Did you know Luna’s in town?”
Matthew frowned. “She was here a while back, but I haven’t seen her. Why?”
“She’s working at the diner for Mac again. She’s house-sitting,” Duke said.
“Oh.”
She had returned to Vale Valley and she hadn’t said anything.
“What if it’s beyond repair?”
“I’ll fix it, because this between us can never truly be broken.”
That was the last thing he said to her, or something like that. The next day, Luna was gone, and he figured he had in some way messed up again. It was a habit he’d gotten into with her. One he needed to fix.
“I had no idea.”
“I can see that.”
Matthew ran a hand down his face. “How, er, how did she, is she, okay?”
Duke sat back and stared at him. “I don’t know. I think she was a little afraid to be serving me, but that’s to be expected. Do I need to know anything about what’s going on between the two of you?”
“Nah, it’s nothing.” Matthew snorted. “It can’t be anything, can it? She didn’t even tell me she was back here.”
“Is this going to be an issue for you?”
“What issue could I have?” Matthew asked.
The truth was, he was angry, but he gritted his teeth because he didn’t have a right to be. Luna had never promised him anything. Not a damn thing. Not even when he got her in the back of his truck. Why had he fucked that up? He’d been such a fucking dick.
Even he hated the stupid memories.
He’d seen her in the hallway. The pain and betrayal in her eyes, but rather than claim her and own up to wanting her, he’d ignored her. Screwed around. Played the ultimate bad boy, and in the end, he was the one left begging.
“Son, you haven’t made it a secret that you are obsessed with this girl.”
“Dad, come on, it was a little crush.”
“Don’t lie to me. Someone who goes and spends his free time simply watching a woman is not a little crush. It’s bordering on stalking, and I did wonder if you’d be the next person I’d have committed.”
Matthew winced. Duke was talking about the shit that went down with Maya, or Winter, whichever name they were calling her. To the outside world, she was Winter. To him, she was Maya.
“I’m not a stalker. I’m not being anything. So Luna is back.” He shrugged. “So what?”
“Cut the shit, son. I’m not talking to you as your Prez. I’m talking to you as your dad. We both know that this thing with you and Luna hasn’t exactly been easy. I need to know you can handle this.”
Matthew laughed. “If I can handle this? Of course, I can. So she’s back. I don’t care. It doesn’t matter.”
Only, he had an urge for a fucking burger. But he wasn’t going to give in to that urge.
Why was Luna back? Was she back back, or just helping her parents out?
Duke leaned forward, and Matthew rolled his eyes. “Dad, come on, haven’t I proven yet that I grew up?”
“You think I don’t know what it’s like to be a kid? To be like you? To want someone so badly?”
Matthew scrunched up his nose. The only person his dad had wanted was Holly. “Yeah, Dad, I know.”
“You’re different with Luna.”
“I almost had a kid with her.”
“Every girl you have sex with you almost have a kid with, Matthew. Condoms are not hundred percent.”
Matthew groaned. “Dad, please, can’t you go back to being my Prez? We’ve had the sex convo. I don’t need to have it again, okay? Shit is done. Fine.” He rolled his eyes and prayed his dad got the hint.
Duke chuckled. “Fine. After you clean the bikes, you can run into town and grab lunch.”
“How do you know I even want lunch in town?” Matthew asked.
“You’re my son. You can act all blasé with me, but you and I both know that you want to see Luna. You want answers. Go find what you need, but remember, you’re a Trojans MC prospect. Do not fuck that up. Got it?”
“Oh, because I’ve been getting special treatment and all?” Matthew asked, getting to his feet.”
“Everyone is watching you, Matthew. You didn’t exactly have a good start a couple of years ago. That chip off your shoulder is gone, and that’s good, but they’ll still be watching and waiting. Don’t let me down and don’t let yourself down.”
He got it, he did.
Matthew knew more than anyone what a dick he’d been.
Chapter Two
Luna was filling up the sugar pots as Matthew came into the diner. She didn’t even need to look up to know it was him. It was the energy. Something about him that told her he’d finally arrived.
She finished filling her pots even as he approached the counter. She hadn’t told him she had returned. There were a lot of things she hadn’t told Matthew, like the fact she had quit her teaching assistant job and had given back the key to her apartment once the rent was up. Also, the guy she’d been kind of dating, that had ended.
There were many things that had changed in the past couple of weeks.
