Claimed By My Ex's Biker Brother

Chapter 1

Haven’s POV

“Today's the last day of the month. I'm taking the next two days off.” One of my apprentices said to the other while they washed a tray of bolts in a bowl of gasoline.

I glanced at the clock above the workshop entrance; 5:17 p.m.

That moment, I recalled Alden's birthday once again. For the first time since we'd started dating seven months ago, I was spending the night at his place.

The thought still made my heart flutter.

I'd visited him countless times. We'd eaten together, watched movies, gone out, and spent hours talking. He'd also visited my workshop more times than I could count, although he always complained about the smell of oil.

Seven months wasn't long enough to know everything about someone. But it had been long enough for me to start imagining a future with him, making a family and living happily as his wife. Perhaps even a workshop of my own, not attached to my father's property.

I'd been careful with Alden because my previous relationships had taught me not to trust too quickly.

A motorcycle engine rumbled outside, and I looked toward the entrance. A delivery rider pulled up and removed his helmet.

“Miss Haven Lawrence?”

I walked over. “That's me!”

He handed me a small box, and I checked the label before opening it. The watch I'd ordered was inside, along with the other things I'd picked out for Alden.

Everything was there.

“Thank you,” I said with a smile.

He nodded and climbed back onto his motorcycle.

I carried the box inside and placed it carefully on my workbench. I stared at it for a moment and couldn't hide the smiles that spread all over my face.

I had spent more money than I usually would because I wanted to do something special for him. I wanted tonight to be different—to be about us alone.

At six, the apprentices finished their tasks.

“You're really leaving on time?” one of them asked.

I nodded, not sparing her a glance. “Yes.” She was the only female amongst my three apprentices, yet knew how to tease more like the guys.

She crossed her arms. “Should we call a doctor?”

I rolled my eyes. “Get out.”

They laughed as they left.

I locked the workshop, checked the garage twice, and walked toward my motorcycle. I swung my leg over it and twisted the throttle. The engine roared to life, then I took off back home.

~~~

After showering, I stood in front of my wardrobe staring at the varieties of masculine outfits I had stocked in there.

Jeans, T-shirts, cargo pants.

I sighed. “You're twenty-two, Haven. There's no way I hadn't gotten myself one feminine outfit until now.” I mumbled, searching through the clothes until I found a dress I'd barely worn.

I'd spent most of my life in clothes that allowed me to move, work, fight, and climb onto a motorcycle without worrying about anything. But tonight, I'd put on a dress.

I styled my hair as best I could and applied a little lip gloss. I stared at myself in the mirror. “Good enough.”

A knock sounded, and I shifted my eyes to the door.

Before I could answer, my stepmother called from outside. “Haven? Have you heard from Eve?”

I walked to the door and opened it.

She stood in the hallway with her phone in her hand.

“No,” I answered her.

“She hasn't answered any of my calls.”

“I'll call her,” I said, looking at her, who was glaring at me as though I had ingested her daughter.

She snapped, “You'd better,” and then walked away.

I watched her for a second before closing the door.

Eve.

Even her name could change the atmosphere in the house.

My half-sister and I had never been close. We shared a father, and my father had always preferred her.

He didn't say it out loud, but it was obvious in the little things.

After my mother died shortly after giving birth to me, my uncle Davis became the person who raised me.

He taught me how to fight and tattoo. And eventually, he helped me get an apprenticeship at a motorcycle workshop.

That was where I found the thing I was actually good at—Machines. I loved motorcycles. I loved taking something damaged apart and understanding exactly why it had stopped working.

By nineteen, I'd completed my apprenticeship.

Uncle Davis wanted to help me start my own workshop, but he didn't have enough money. So since my father did, I returned home. He gave me access to one of his vacant workshops and told me I could use it.

That was three years ago.

Since then, I've built the business myself. I bought my own tools with the little money my uncle gave me, and although life with my family seemed like hell, I'd been managing.

I grabbed my handbag and the gift box, then I headed downstairs. “I'll be back tomorrow,” I told my stepmother.

She barely looked at me, yet didn't fail to remind me, “Don't forget to call Eve.”

“I won't,” I responded and stepped outside. I booked a cab because I wasn't taking my motorcycle.

Tonight, if I was being completely honest with myself, I wanted to see what happened when Alden and I were finally alone for an entire night.

We had barely crossed that line in seven months.

I had been cheated on before, and I refused to give myself completely to someone until I was certain I could trust him, and Alden had been patient.

When the cab stopped outside his apartment, I paid the driver and alighted.

I stood in front of the door for a few seconds before entering the code Alden had given me.

The lock clicked, and I pushed the door open. But I met an empty sitting room; he always played games here, so I expected to see him on the sofa.

Instead, I saw a red heel.

I halted, my eyes narrowed.

“A woman's shoe?” I mumbled and looked farther into the apartment. “A handbag.” My grip tightened around the gift box, but I tried to convince myself that someone must have visited.

Not until I saw a bra on the floor did my stomach drop.

I took one slow step forward, then another; Alden's shirt, his pair of trousers, his underwear.

My breath fastened. “No.” I didn't want to believe what I was seeing.

I followed the trail toward the bedroom, and then came the sound from behind the partially closed door.

It was a woman's voice, then Alden's.

My heart began pounding.

I pushed the door open and looked in. My body froze.

Alden was on the bed with a woman.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

His face changed when he saw me. “Haven—”

My eyes moved to the woman beside him, and my stomach twisted. “Eve?” I barely recognised my own voice.

She looked at me, but didn't look ashamed or frightened. Rather, she pulled the sheet around herself, avoiding my eyes.

Alden sat up, the sheet still covering his below, “Haven, listen—”

“No.” I raised my hand. “Don't try to tell me lies.”

Eve sighed. “You're making this dramatic.”

I stared at her and snorted, “Dramatic?”

“You weren't even supposed to be here tonight,” she added, her tone hoarse.

My fingers tightened around the box. “It is his birthday.”

“I know.” She snapped.

“And I'm his girlfriend.” I continued, trying to break down before the b***h.

She shrugged. “So?”

That one word hurt more than I expected.

I looked at Alden. “You knew I was coming.”

He rubbed his face. “Yeah, but I didn't know what time.”

“You knew.” I shrieked at him and bit my lower lip hard.

He didn't answer anymore.

I took another step into the room, already panting from the exhaustion of what I had met. “How long?”

“Haven—”

“How long has this been happening?” My voice rose at him.

He looked away.

“Does it matter?” Eve answered instead, looking me dead in the eyes as though he'd prepared for this moment.

Something hot moved through my chest as I glared at her. “You're my sister.”

“And?”

Alden finally spoke. “Don't make a scene.”

I looked around the room. “I'm the one making a scene?” I jabbed my finger to my chest.

“You came here without telling me,” he added.

I blinked. “You gave me the code.”

“That doesn't mean you can just walk in whenever you want,” he said calmly, as though there was nothing wrong with his words.

For a second, I genuinely couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

“I came to surprise you.” My voice became quieter. “I bought you a birthday gift.”

Then his expression changed.

I looked down at the box in my hands, then back at him. “I thought tonight was going to be special.”

“Haven…”

“You knew cheating was the one thing I wouldn't forgive,” I said with tears gathering in my eyes.

“I know,” he responded, his expression softened.

I shifted forward. “Then why?”

He was silent.

I shook my head. “You don't accidentally sleep with someone's sister.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “It happened.”

I looked at her and chuckled amid the pain striking my chest. “You're unbelievable.”

She shrugged. “Maybe if you paid more attention to him instead of spending every hour in that workshop, this wouldn't have happened.”

My jaw tightened. “So this is my fault?”

“I didn't say that.”

Alden cut in again, “You're always working, Haven.”

I swallowed the lump that rose to my throat.

“You came to my workshop dozens of times. You knew who I was before you started dating me.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you complaining now?” I asked, making a long face.

He looked frustrated. “I'm not a wood, you know.”

There it was. The same excuse every cheating man seemed to have. “I see.”

“Haven, I love you.”

God! I almost laughed. “You love me?”

“Yes.”

“Then you have a strange way of showing it.” I retorted, finally keeping my voice firm.

He looked at me for some time and added, “Don't throw away seven months because of one mistake.”

“One mistake?” My voice rose again before I knew it. Does he take me for a joke or what? I'd never believe that cheating was a mistake, talk about doing so with my sister.

I nodded slowly and turned toward the door.

“Haven, wait! Let's talk about this,” he said behind me.

“There's nothing to talk about.”

“You're being emotional,” he said again, and I finally halted and turned to him.

“Of course I'm emotional.” I looked directly into his eyes. “You cheated on me with my sister.”

He went quiet.

I reached for the necklace around my neck. It was the only gift he'd ever given me that I had truly treasured.

I pulled it off and placed it on the floor.

“We're done.”

His eyes widened.

“You're serious?”

I picked up my handbag and turned toward the door.

“Haven.”

I kept walking.

“Haven, think about what you're doing.”

I didn't stop.

“You're not going to find someone else easily.”

The moment I closed the door behind me, I stood still.

My chest hurt. My eyes burned with tears, but I refused to cry.

I walked outside and called a taxi.

As I waited, my phone buzzed.

Rayna.

I opened the message.

[Are you finally coming to the Salvation Riders party tonight? Free food. Free drinks. And don't give me that boring excuse about having work.]

I stared at it.

Normally, I'd have ignored her.

Even though I preferred alcohol, I didn't drink much, and I didn't go to the club. I'd always avoided bikers because I knew they weren't ordinary social groups.

But tonight? I didn't want to go home, sit in my bedroom and replay what I'd just seen. I didn't want to see Eve's face or explain anything to my father.

And I definitely didn't want to think about Alden.

My phone buzzed again.

[Come on, Haven. One night. You need to have fun for once.]

I stared at the message for some time, and then I responded.

[Fine.]

The taxi arrived.

I climbed into the back seat and placed the gift box beside me.

As the car pulled away, I looked through the window at the town disappearing behind me.

My relationship was over. My plans for marriage were over.

All I needed was to step into the biker party and wind down my sorrows. I hated dwelling in pain, and I wouldn't start it now.