CLAIMED BY THE BIKER KING

THE DARE

VAL'S POV

My phone buzzed on the nightstand just as I was tying my hair back into a bun.

I picked it up and tapped the screen. A text from an unknown number popped up: Picking you up in 30min, your Majesty.

I scoffed out loud, throwing the phone onto the bed. "Hell no, you're not," I muttered.

Then I froze. I looked back at the phone, picked it up, and opened my banking app.

There it was. $70,000.00 sitting pretty in my savings account.

I flopped onto my back on the bed, kicking my legs up in the air like a little kid with a huge grin on my face. Seventy grand. That was real.

Then my fingers brushed my forehead, and the memory of Jax’s kiss from yesterday flashed through my brain. The smile faded.

I sat up and squeezed my eyes shut. "I just have to endure his bullshit till after the race," I told myself out loud, giving my own face a slap to snap out of it. "I can do that. It’s just business."

I pulled on a gray pair of joggers, a black tank top, and slipped my feet into my comfortable Uggs. I headed downstairs, locked the garage front door, and waited on the curb outside.

Ten minutes later, the loud, distinct rumble of an engine turned the corner.

Jax pulled up to the curb, and my eyes instantly went to the machine beneath him. It was a pristine, limited-edition 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR Cafe Racer. A rare, all-black beauty with a cast-iron engine and a custom dual-exhaust setup.

Damn, I thought. The guy actually has good taste in bikes.

Jax cut the engine, kicked down the kickstand, and looked at me with a helmet in his hand. He stepped off, lifting the helmet like he was about to gently place it on my head.

I snatched the helmet out of his hands before he could touch me, glaring at him as I pulled it over my hair and strapped it tight.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice muffled slightly by the visor.

"You'll see when we get there," Jax said, slinging his leg back over the seat. "Hop on, Queen."

I climbed onto the back of the bike. "If you're trying to kidnap me, you definitely picked the wrong girl," I grumbled.

Jax chuckled, his shoulders shaking. "Hold on tight."

I leaned against his broad back, wrapping my arms around his waist for support so I wouldn't fly off the back.

Jax looked over his shoulder. "Oh... I knew you couldn't wait to get your hands on me."

"Oh, please," I snapped, digging my fingers into his jacket. "Don't flatter yourself. Just drive before I change my mind."

Jax laughed, revved the engine, and tore

down the street at a terrifying speed. I held on tighter, the wind rushing past us as we wove through traffic.

A few minutes later, we pulled up outside a massive, two-story brick building surrounded by a high chain-link fence. Loud music and heavy laughter were echoing from inside.

"Where are we?" I asked, stepping off the bike and unclipping the helmet.

"The clubhouse," Jax said, taking the helmet from me.

I frowned. "What are we doing here?"

"You're part of my team now, Valentina," Jax said, leaning against his bike with a smirk. "It's only right you get used to the crew."

I opened my mouth to tell him I didn't care about his crew, but then the image of that $70,000 balance popped into my head. I closed my mouth, let out a breath, and followed him toward the heavy metal front door.

The second Jax pushed the door open, the loud noise inside died down. About a dozen people stopped what they were doing and looked over at us.

"Relax, boys," Jax called out, his voice echoing in the room. "She's with me."

The noise picked right back up. Jax led me toward a large leather sectional sofa in the center of the room where six guys were sitting around a coffee table littered with cards, empty beer bottles, and snacks.

Jax sat down on the edge of the couch and gestured for me to sit next to him. I hesitated for a second before sitting down on the opposite armrest, keeping my distance.

"Alright, Valentina," Jax said, pointing at the guys. "You already met Rex yesterday. Time to meet the rest of the guys who'll be running the line with us."

Rex gave me a quick nod from his seat.

A guy with long brown hair tied in a low ponytail leaned forward first. "I'm Leo. Chief scout."

"Nico," a guy with heavy tattoos crawling up his neck said, giving me a grin. "I handle electronics and comms."

Next to him was a shorter, stocky guy with wire-rimmed glasses who was holding a deck of cards. "I'm Mason. Strategy."

A tall guy with a scar across his chin gave me a lazy wave. "Cole. Pit crew chief."

Finally, a quiet guy sitting at the far end with a baseball cap pulled low spoke up.

"Toby. Logistics."

"Nice to meet you all," I said, keeping my tone polite but cautious.

"We were just starting a game of Truth or Dare," Nico said, leaning across the table with an evil grin. "You two are joining."

"No thanks," I said instantly. "I'm not really a games person."

"Come on, Valentina," Jax teased, nudging my knee with his foot. "Don't be the stuck-up new member. It's just a game."

I looked at the six guys watching me, waiting to see if I was going to back out. I sighed. "Fine. What are the rules?"

Mason shuffled the cards. "Simple. Take a card to pick your turn. But if two people in a row choose Truth, the third person *has* to pick Dare. Keeps things moving."

I nodded. "Fine. Let's play."

The game started off easy enough. They asked Leo who his first crush was, and he gave a ridiculously embarrassing answer that had everyone roaring with laughter.

Nico got dared to chug a whole warm beer in five seconds and failed miserably, spilling half of it on his shirt.

By the time the turn started coming around to me, both Leo and Mason right before me had picked Truth.

"Alright, Valentina," Nico grinned, leaning over the table. "Two Truths in a row. Rules are rules. You're up for a Dare."

My heart did a little nervous drop, but I squared my shoulders. I wasn't going to let these guys think I was a coward.

"Fine," I said, crossing my arms. "Give me a dare."

Nico looked at Mason, then at Rex, and a collective, devious smirk spread across the table.

"Alright," Nico said, leaning back. "Here's your dare. You either kiss Jax right here in front of everyone... or you transfer the seventy thousand dollars back to him right now and walk out."

My jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me right now?"

All six guys collectively shook their heads with synchronized, wicked grins.

I looked at Jax. He was sitting back on the sofa, his blue eyes gleaming with absolute amusement, waiting to see what I would do.

I let out a long, heavy sigh.

I stood up from the armrest, took two steps over to Jax, and grabbed him firmly by the leather lapels of his vest.

Before he could even open his mouth to tease me, I yanked him up and pulled his lips down into mine.