by Harley Wylde & Jessica Coulter Smith
(Devoted Guardians MC 3)
A Dixie Reapers Shifter MC Romance
Paranormal / MC Romance
Date Published:
March 24, 2023
Publisher: Changeling Press LLC
Jolene – My life wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t have any
real complaints — until something went horribly wrong and one of my potions
blew up, killing my husband. Raising our son on my own hasn’t been
easy. Grief and guilt keep getting in my way. But a certain biker keeps
stopping by to lend a helping hand. Is it wrong I wish he’d do more
than fix my porch steps?
Alan – I knew Jolene was mine, even when she belonged to someone
else. Now that she’s single, I might have a chance. I can’t rush
this, though. Not after what she’s been through. Not till I’m
sure she’s ready. I’ll take my time, build a friendship with her, then
lay all my cards on the table. Only one problem. I didn’t count on
traffickers hitting our little town. Everything’s gone sideways.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my new family safe, even if I have
to get my hands dirty.
WARNING: This is a Dixie Reapers Shifter MC story and contains bad
language, violence, and adult situations. Recommended for adult readers
18+.
EXCERPT
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2023 Harley Wylde & Jessica Coulter Smith
I clutched Rhett’s hand and stared at Alan. “Are you sure about
this? I don’t really know anyone there. What if they don’t want
us around?”
“I asked the Pres, and he said it was fine.” Alan shoved his
hands into his pockets. I’d noticed he did it a lot, and wondered if
it was a nervous habit or something else. “But if you don’t want
to go…”
“No! We want to,” I assured him. “I didn’t want
them thinking we were trying to intrude. We aren’t part of the club,
and it seems like it’s just the Devoted Guardians and their
families.”
“It’s fine, Jolene. Come on. I brought the truck.”
We followed him out to the driveway, and I stood back and watched as he
buckled Rhett into his car seat. Alan came around so much these days,
he’d bought one for his truck. I didn’t know many men who would
do something like that. Not when it wasn’t their own child. All the
little things he did for us made me like him even more.
I still remembered when I’d thought he was a decade older than me.
Knowing he was over one hundred still blew my mind. Then again, shifters
lived a long time, like witches. Compared to him, I was still a baby at only
twenty-six. My little Rhett was only six. As far as I knew, Alan
didn’t have children, and hadn’t ever had a mate. Of course,
none of it mattered. Our relationship wasn’t the romantic sort —
something I reminded myself of every single day. It didn’t stop my
heart from racing every time he came near, or wishing there could be more
between us.
Alan helped me into the truck, then reached over for the seatbelt and
buckled me in. He’s just being nice. If I said it enough times, maybe
I could make myself believe it. Not even Robby had done such a thing for me.
I’d never met anyone like Alan before. Sure, I’d interacted with
shifters, but none had taken care of us the way he did. He made me feel
special, and I knew Rhett adored him. He constantly asked when we’d
see Alan.
With Wolf Creek being so small, it didn’t take long to reach the
park. I noticed the motorcycles right away, and Alan pulled into a spot
nearby. He helped us from the truck, and Rhett took off. He might not have
played with the other kids before, but it didn’t make him hesitate
even a little. My hands trembled as I smoothed my clothes. Had I made the
right decision? What if the women didn’t want me here? Just because
Axe said it was okay didn’t mean I was actually welcome.
“Come on,” Alan said, holding out his hand. I took it and let
him lead me over to the group. He released my hand near the women and went
to join the other men in his club. He always referred to them as his
brothers, even though he wasn’t related to any of them. I’d
asked a few questions the last couple of months, wanting to know more about
him and the Devoted Guardians, but I still didn’t understand
everything.
I glanced at the women and gave them a smile. “Hi! I’m
Jolene.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Emma,” one of them
said, holding out her hand. I shook it and retreated, still not feeling
comfortable.
“I’m Raya,” the other said.
“I’m so glad Alan invited us. Rhett can always use more
friends,” I said. “Since Cody and Tanner are older, they
aren’t in the same class at school. I know they’ve seen each
other around town, but this is the first time they’ve been able to
play.”
“How do you know Alan?” Emma asked.
“He helped us not too long ago. Actually, he’s been really
great. Things have been hard the last few years. Alan seems to know what we
need even before I do. He’s fixed my porch steps, replaced an outlet
that no longer worked, and done so much more.” I smiled softly as I
looked at the man in question. “And he’s so sweet to
Rhett.”
“Has he asked you out on a date?” Emma asked.
“Oh, it’s not like that. I’m so much younger than
him.”
“Axe is over one hundred fifty years old, and I’m only
twenty-six,” Emma said. “It can’t be worse than that, can
it?”
“No, it’s not,” I said. “Maybe it would work.
I’m a little scared to find out. What if I’m wrong? Rhett
already loves Alan so much. If we dated, then everything went wrong, it
would devastate my little boy.”
Part of me wanted to hold back and not open up to these women so much. They
were strangers, yet I started to feel at ease around them. Alan had told me
about Axe and Emma, and I knew their relationship was still new. He
hadn’t said much about Raya, other than Henry had recently found her.
At least they hadn’t been with their men for years. We were all rather
new when it came to the Devoted Guardians. Of course, they were actually
with someone in the club. Alan and I were only friends.
“Henry hated me on sight,” Raya said. “He thought I was a
dark mage. Then we had a chance to talk. He listened to what I’d been
through, and when he bit me later that night, it felt… right. Sounds
crazy, right?”
Emma shook her head. “Part of you sensed it. The same happened with
me and Axe. Although, he was sweet from the beginning. From the moment we
met, I felt drawn to him. It was unlike anything I’d experienced
before, and quite honestly, I found it a little scary. Not Axe but my
reaction to him.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s how it feels when Alan
is around. I want to get closer to him, and when I catch his scent, my body
lights up and I want to crawl into his lap. Instead, I end up putting more
space between us.”
“Maybe you’re his mate,” Emma said. “Axe said I was
destined to be his. I heard it was the same with Henry. Once he got past the
smell of black magick, he realized Raya was his.”
Raya nodded.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” I said. “I’m
not sure he really feels like that about me though. He’s never flirted
with me or asked me out. I think he just feels sorry for us and is such a
sweet man he can’t help but try and ease our burden a
little.”
Emma snorted. “Keep telling yourself that. I have a feeling
you’ll be eating those words soon enough.”
About the Author
Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers
MC, Devil’s Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series. When Harley’s writing,
her motto is the hotter the better — off-the-charts sex, commanding men,
and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy
as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She
doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those
realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a
happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.
Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the
written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon.
Today she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and
novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes
that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally
out of this world.
Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter: @changelingpress
Harley Wylde on Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok: @harleywylde
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❧Defining Ways❧ 