Page 4 of March 5

"I work at the coffee shop." Mariah grinned. "It'll be okay if I'm late. I've got an in with the boss. She loves me."

Dania, Mariah's mom, owned Whale's Tail Coffee Shop. Skye had hung out there for as long as she could remember while her aunt worked. It's how she met Mariah when she was eight years old.

"Tell your mom she needs to make an appointment with me and use her Christmas gift certificate before it expires." Skye took a sip of coffee. "She was hesitant last time I talked to her because she thought I was too busy—which is not the case."

"I'll have her call you." Picking up her pack, Mariah walked to the door. "See you later."

Skye waved. "Don't work too hard."

"Bitch." Mariah grinned. "Enjoy your day off."

She walked across the apartment and locked the door. The whole day was ahead of her.

That morning, when she woke, she wanted to roll over and go back to sleep and ignore what had happened last night at the clubhouse with Dio. Then,she got angry and got up, determined to try and relax.

Since it was her day off, she'd head to the pool before Rec Swim started and get some laps in.

She texted Daisy at the pool to make sure there was a lane open as she went to the bathroom and grabbed a band for her hair.

Getting the go-ahead from Daisy, Skye quickly French braided her hair and grabbed a towel to toss in her bag.

Her phone dinged before she left the apartment. Seeing the text from Aunt Brooke, she stopped.

Dinner Wednesday at our house?

She smiled. Her aunt had raised her after her mom died, and her dad went to prison when she was four years old. They were closer than aunt and niece. They were friends. Years ago, her aunt found out she couldn't have children. That never changed Aunt Brooke's relationship with Skye. Her aunt poured all her love into being the best aunt and substitute mother, and that was something Skye would never forget.

Her aunt loved her when raising and caring for her wasn't her job. No matter what she'd done—and she'd tested the boundaries numerous times—Aunt Brooke continued to love her regardless of her shortcomings.

She typed back.Absolutely

Dropping the cell into her bag, she went outside, locked the door behind her, and jogged down the steps to her car. The short drive to the pool onlytook a couple of minutes. Usually, she'd visit the clubhouse next door, but today was all about her mental health. She needed to forget about last night.

Leaving her car parked on the side of the road, she jogged up the steps to the pool house and walked through the double doors.

Daisy waved her in from the office. "The pool is eighty-five degrees."

"Sweet." She veered to the left, going into the women's locker room. Having used the city pool since she was young, she had the routine of getting in her suit and into the water down to a quick minute.

Knowing the water was warm enough, she stepped off the side of the pool at the seven-foot mark and felt her body relax as she pushed off the bottom and surfaced. There were only two other swimmers on the other side swimming laps. She recognized Barbara and Talia and knew they'd be going for at least a half hour.

She moved her head side to side, loosening her neck, and started swimming freestyle. Soon, she'd fallen into a rhythm, calmed her breathing, and skimmed along the water's surface.Three strokes. Breathe. Left-right-left. Breathe.

One. Two. Three. Breathe.

Dio. Was. With. Another. Woman.

She swallowed water and instantly stopped swimming, coughing hard until tears burned her eyes. Turning her back to the others, she slapped the water in frustration.

The lifestyle of the bikers was no secret to her. She'd snuck her way into the parties and listened when no one thought she was paying any attention.Some women who would do anything with the Havlin members showed up at the clubhouse on open nights, ready and willing to screw around.

Her dad stayed home during those times, and if he went, Aunt Brooke was usually with him. While their marriage was stable, many of the men fucked around on their old lady or girlfriend.

Cheating seemed to be the norm. The same thing happened in high school and college. Relationships never lasted.

But Dio wasn't supposed to be like the others.

Last night proved to her that he would never see her for anything more than Maverick's daughter.