Love Affairs with my Biker Stepbrothers

Joyce

I knew I was going to hate this place before I even stepped out of the car.

The Cross estate looked less like a home and more like somewhere a very rich criminal would hide bodies.

Tall iron gates surrounded the property. Security cameras were fixed at almost every corner. Beyond the gates stood a massive dark-gray mansion with wide windows, stone pillars, and enough land around it to build a second house.

There were also motorcycles.

A lot of motorcycles.

They were parked near a separate building beside the mansion. Black, silver, red. Some looked expensive enough to cost more than my car.

I stared through the window.

“Joyce.”

My mother’s voice pulled my attention away.

I turned toward her.

She was smiling.

Of course she was smiling.

Today was her wedding day.

She looked beautiful in her simple white dress, her hair pinned behind her shoulders and her makeup softer than usual. I wanted to be happy for her.

I really did.

But everything about this felt too fast.

Three months.

That was how long she had known Dominic Cross before deciding she wanted to marry him.

Three months.

I had owned shoes longer than that.

“You’re making that face again,” Mom said.

“What face?”

“The one that says you’re judging every decision I’ve made in the last six months.”

“I’m not judging.”

Her eyebrow rose.

I sighed.

“Okay. Maybe a little.”

“Joyce.”

“Mom, you met him three months ago.”

“Four.”

“That really changes everything.”

She gave me a look.

I immediately felt guilty.

This was her wedding day. I shouldn’t be doing this now.

I reached across the seat and squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry.”

Her expression softened.

“I know this is strange for you.”

“Strange?” I looked toward the mansion again. “I’m about to gain four stepbrothers I have met exactly once.”

“You’ll get to know them.”

“That is supposed to make me feel better?”

She laughed softly.

“Dominic loves his sons.”

“I’m sure he does.”

“And he loves me.”

That stopped me.

There was something different in her voice when she said it.

Something peaceful.

Mom had not looked this happy in years.

Not since Dad died.

The thought came with the familiar ache in my chest.

Even after all these years, thinking about my father could still do that to me.

I forced a smile.

“Then I’ll try.”

Mom squeezed my hand.

“That’s all I’m asking. Give them a chance.”

The car stopped near the entrance.

A man in a black suit opened the door.

I stepped out and immediately felt several eyes on me.

Some guests were already outside. A few men wore suits. Others wore leather vests over dark shirts.

Most of them looked like they belonged nowhere near a wedding.

Motorcycle club.

I knew Dominic had been involved with one for years.

What I hadn’t realized was that his sons were apparently involved too.

Then I saw them.

Four men stood near the wide stone steps.

I remembered them from the awkward family dinner two weeks ago, but we had barely spoken.

Today, I got a much better look.

Knox stood slightly ahead of the others.

The eldest.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. Black suit with no tie.

His face looked like smiling physically hurt him.

His eyes landed on me, and I instantly felt like I was being inspected.

Not admired.

Inspected.

Beside him was Ryder.

Ryder was smiling enough for both of them.

His hair was slightly longer, his suit jacket open, and there was something dangerous about the lazy way he leaned against the stone pillar.

His gaze moved over me.

Slowly.

I frowned.

His smile widened.

Silas stood behind them.

He wore black.

Just black.

His sleeves were rolled up, showing tattoos running from his wrists beneath the fabric.

He didn’t smile.

Didn’t nod.

Didn’t even blink much.

He just looked at me.

I looked away first.

And then there was Jace.

The youngest.

His hair looked like he had run his hands through it five seconds earlier, and unlike the others, there was actual warmth in his expression.

He stepped forward.

“Joyce, right?”

I stared at him.

“You remember.”

“I remember most things.”

Ryder laughed.

“No, he doesn’t.”

Jace glanced back. “Nobody asked you.”

Mom touched my arm.

“Joyce, you remember Dominic’s sons.”

“How could she forget?” Ryder asked. “We’re unforgettable.”

I looked at him.

“You’re definitely something.”

Jace coughed to hide a laugh.

Ryder placed one hand against his chest.

“That hurt, stepsis.”

I cringed.

“Please don’t call me that.”

“What? Stepsis?”

“Yes.”

“Noted, stepsis.”

I narrowed my eyes.

He grinned.

I already knew he was going to be a problem.

A shadow fell across us.

Knox had stepped closer.

His gaze moved from Ryder to me.

“You made it.”

Not hello.

Not welcome.

You made it.

“Clearly.”

Something changed in his eyes.

Annoyance maybe.

Good.

At least the feeling was mutual.

“Knox,” Mom said gently.

Before he could reply, Dominic appeared behind him.

Unlike his sons, Dominic actually looked happy to see me.

He opened his arms.

“Joyce.”

I allowed him to hug me because refusing him on his wedding day would make me look terrible.

“It’s good to have you here.”

“Congratulations.”

He stepped back.

“Thank you. It means a lot to your mother that you came.”

I looked at Mom.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

That part was true.

No matter how strange this whole thing was, she was still my mother.

The ceremony happened in the garden behind the house.

It was small but beautiful.

Flowers covered a wooden arch. Soft music played. Mom cried before she even finished her vows.

I cried too.

I hated that I did.

For a few minutes, I forgot about the motorcycles. The Cross brothers. The uncomfortable looks.

I just watched my mother look happy.

Maybe that was enough.

Maybe I could learn to accept this.

Then the reception started.

And Ryder sat beside me.

“So,” he said.

I took a sip of champagne.

“No.”

He blinked. “I haven’t asked anything yet.”

“I’m practicing.”

He laughed.

Across the table, Jace shook his head.

“You should probably ignore him.”

“I was planning to.”

Ryder leaned closer.

“You wound me.”

Silas sat quietly beside Jace.

He had barely spoken all evening.

Every now and then, I caught him looking at me.

Not in the same way Ryder did.

Silas looked like he was trying to understand something.

It made me uneasy.

Knox was worse.

He barely looked at me at all.

But when he did, his expression was cold.

Like I had done something wrong simply by arriving.

I eventually left the table to get some air.

The music was louder now. People were drinking. Several men from the club were laughing near the garage.

I walked toward the side garden.

“Joyce.”

I stopped.

Of course.

Knox.

I turned.

“Yes?”

He walked closer.

For someone dressed for a wedding, he still somehow looked threatening.

“I want to make something clear.”

I folded my arms.

“This should be interesting.”

His jaw tightened.

“My father married your mother. That makes you part of this family.”

“How touching.”

“But there are things here that don’t concern you.”

I stared at him.

“What things?”

“Club business.”

I almost laughed.

“You pulled me away from the reception to warn me not to interfere with your motorcycle club?”

“It’s not just a motorcycle club.”

“That sounds even less like my problem.”

His expression hardened.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

I stepped closer.

“I don’t know what kind of women usually come around here, but I am not interested in your club.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I didn’t say—”

“I’m not interested in your business either.”

I pointed toward the mansion.

“And just to make sure we understand each other, I’m not interested in you or your brothers.”

For the first time, something almost like amusement moved across his face.

“Good.”

“Great.”

“Then we won’t have a problem.”

“We already have one.”

His eyebrow lifted.

“You’re annoying.”

I walked away before he could answer.

My heart was beating too fast.

Not because I was scared.

At least, that was what I told myself.

Hours later, the reception finally began to slow down.

Mom and Dominic had disappeared upstairs.

Some guests had left.

Others were still drinking near the clubhouse.

I had been given a room for the night because Mom insisted I stay.

I was walking through the hallway when voices stopped me.

Dominic.

And Knox.

They were inside a study.

The door was slightly open.

“You should have told us more,” Knox said.

“I told you what you needed to know.”

“That’s not enough.”

“It is for tonight.”

“This isn’t about tonight.”

I stopped walking.

I knew I shouldn’t listen.

I listened anyway.

“You married her without properly investigating her family,” Knox continued.

“Watch yourself.”

“I’m trying to protect this family.”

“So am I.”

“Then stop acting like the past doesn’t matter.”

A pause.

Then Dominic’s voice dropped.

“Leave the past alone, Knox.”

Something about his tone made my skin prickle.

Knox laughed without humor.

“You really think we can?”

“Enough.”

“No. You brought them into this house.”

Them.

My stomach tightened.

My mother and me.

“Joyce doesn’t know anything,” Dominic said.

My breath caught.

Why were they talking about me?

Knox answered immediately.

“That doesn’t change who she is.”

I stepped closer to the door.

My heart was pounding now.

Dominic said something too quietly for me to hear.

Then Knox’s voice came clearly through the opening.

“You know exactly who her father used to ride with.”

I froze.

My father?

Every bit of air disappeared from my lungs.

My hand slowly closed around the wall beside me.

My father had been dead for years.

And as far as I knew, Patrick Joffrey had never belonged to any motorcycle club.

So why the hell did Knox Cross know his name?

Joyce

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Knox’s voice again.

You know exactly who her father used to ride with.

By morning, I had convinced myself there had to be an explanation.

Maybe he meant motorcycles in general.

Maybe Dad had some wild phase Mom never told me about.

Maybe Dominic knew him casually.

Maybe.

I hated that word.

Maybe usually meant somebody was hiding something.

I found Mom in the kitchen just after eight.

She was sitting at the large marble island with a cup of coffee in front of her. She looked tired but happy.

Too happy for someone whose daughter had spent half the night wondering whether her dead father had a secret life.

“Morning,” she said.

I didn’t answer immediately.

I poured myself coffee, added too much sugar, then turned to face her