Ha! Iโm always baffled by this one. Riding is amazing. In four decades of life in which Iโve
been on bikes, Iโve only ridden Harleys or Triumphs, so my answer is specific to those, not the
other sort! The scenes where my characters are on a bike (which are in not only
UNDAUNTED and
UNRULY, but also in
GRAVEMIDNER and in my
self-published book
UNFILTERED & UNLAWFUL) are based on my own feelings.
Thereโs a freedom, an adrenaline rush, and a sliver of danger at being on a machine with that
sort of speed and no real protection if you crash. Thereโs a connection between riders and
machine that is greater than in a car (even a stick shift, which is what I prefer in cars).
Thereโs a connection between driver and passenger on a bike. Itโs like an intricate dance at
times, but you are partnering with a man, a machine, and a road which hides threats. Itโs one
of the things I love most. (And, yes, there is a Harley in my garage.)
Ronnie Douglas is the writing name for a multiple New York Times bestselling author.
Drawing on a lifetime love of romance novels and a few years running a biker bar, she decided
to write what she knewโdangerous men with Harleys and tattoos. Her debut โRonnie bookโ was
indie-published as part of a series she created and wrote with friends in 2014.
Website
Following in the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wilde, and Jay Crownover, this first
novel in a sexy, dark New Adult series tells the thrilling story of a young woman who finds
herself drawn to a Southern motorcycle clubโs inner circleโand a dangerously hot biker.
Aubrey Evans needs to get her life back on track after her father is indicted for embezzlement.
Sheโll save college tuition money, hightail it out of small- town Tennessee, and steer clear of
hard-muscled boys on motorcycles. Yet thereโs no ignoring someone like Zion. A knight in black
leather, Zion looks like every bad idea sheโs been told to avoid, but she canโt resist him.
Whenever sheโs in trouble, heโs there. Appealing as his rough exterior may be, itโs the
protective, principled man beneath that tempts her like crazy.
Zion knows Aubrey doesnโt intend to stick around. She claims to want only friendship, but he
senses thereโs a naughty girl hiding on the insideโone whose intense desires match his own. For
now, heโll be patient and play by her rules. Though he knows itโs just a matter of time before
he weakens her resolve.
As they join forces to figure out whoโs behind a local crime spree, itโs clear that the danger
goes deeper than Aubrey guessed. And when she needs someone tall, dark, and undaunted to keep
her safe, Zion intends to be there โnow and always.
Read an Excerpt
When Beau looked her way, she gestured toward a cluster of senior citizens. โTell the girls to
meet me in the kitchen. Might as well have tea if weโre already up.โ
Then my grandmother walked toward the bikers, who were leaning on their motorcycles watching
everything. They gave her the sort of look that made me think that they were watching
approaching royalty. It was a mix between Southern gentlemanliness and the way a fighter
acknowledges an equal.โ
โIf I were the sheriff Iโd be sweating like a hussy in the Good Lordโs house right now,โ Beau
murmured from beside me.
When I looked his way, my confusion mustโve been obvious because Beau added, โMiz Maureen has
influential friends. She doesnโt like to call on them, but sheโs about fed up waiting on the
sheriff. That man couldnโt find his ass with both hands and a map. Those boys thereโโhe nodded
toward the streetโโthey get things done. Maybe not the way the law likes, but they get
results.โ
โSo theyโre not the ones doing this?โ
Beau laughed. โEcho would dip a man in honey and stake him out for the bears to find if any one
of them boys touched Miz Maureen.โ Beau inclined his head toward the bikers who were talking to
her. โYour grandmother has the ear of one of the most powerful men in the state. She doesnโt
call on Echo for anything, so people forget that she could do so.โ
โOh.โ
โNot a bad thing.โ Beau patted my hand. โEddie Echo would steal the stars out from under the
angels themselves if Miz Maureen so much as hinted that her yard wasnโt bright enough.โ
I followed his gaze. I couldnโt make out many details about the two men standing with my
grandmother. They were both, obviously, riding Harleys. I didnโt know enough about bikes to be
more specific than that. One of the guys lifted his gaze and looked my way. Dark hair brushed
the edge of a black leather jacket. Strong jaw, sharp cheekbones, and a mouth that looked made
for sin, he was the sort of contrast in beauty and danger that made me think there had to be a
trick of light. No man looked that good. Even as I argued with my own perception, I could tell
that he was near my age, fit, and held himself with the kind of restrained energy that made
sane girls look away and unhappy girls want to step a bit closer. I told myself that I was
sane, that I was going to look away any moment now, that I didnโt want to find an excuse to go
check on Grandma Maureen.
I was lying.
โAsk your gran about Echo before you go staring at the likes of those boys,โ Beau paused and
then added, โIโm going to head inside.โ
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