“Good.” Not a lie, the truth. Fights with Jace and Mia aside, it had been a great week. Still, she hoped Ty didn’t sense how much she omitted.
“Trig was here all week?”
“Yep.” The entire week there’d been traces of him everywhere. His boots and clothes in her room, his cut draped across her couch, his wallet and keys on the counter. He was messy, but she loved it. Every piece of Jace scattered around her apartment served as a reminder he was there. Now all gone. The only thing left was his faint scent and the memories. Everywhere they’d been, made love, kissed, and caressed.
“How’d it go?”
Oh, God. Really? “Good.”
“I know he can be moody, just wondering.”
He was always angry or so she’d thought before the last week. Now, she knew better. He was more temperamental than anything else. He got in nasty moods, but not as much as he smiled and laughed.
She shrugged, praying her brother would stop talking about Jace before she started flushing, thinking about all the places they had sex. “I guess, sometimes.”
“So he was nice?”
Sighing heavily, she rolled her eyes. “If you were so worried about Jace being moody, then why’d you make him watch me for a week?”
“’Cause he’s moody, and I knew he wouldn’t fuckin’ hit on you.”
He had a point. Jace hadn’t hit on her. She hit on him. That’s how it started. “None of the other guys would hit on me either.”
“They’d flirt though. Tellin’ you how good you cook, offer you rides, and shit like that. Didn’t want you to start getting ideas.”
Ideas, ugh? Damn, her brother could be way off sometimes. She wasn’t interested in any of them, never had been, except Jace. Not that she was complaining; she was glad he’d been wrong this time. Even if she and Jace didn’t end up working out, she’d enjoyed a week of pure bliss.
“Why don’t you want me dating any of the men in the club?” Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked, but she needed to know. It would be useful when she told him the truth.
He quirked a brow. “Allie, don’t start getting any ideas.”
“Ty, I’m asking because it doesn’t make sense for someone who’s joined this club for life, who’s always talking about the club being a family, being so against me dating any of them. It doesn’t add up. If they’re such good people, why aren’t they good enough for me?”
He held her gaze then finally said, “Told you this, Allie. Outta thirty guys in the club, two got steady women. What does that tell you?
“Besides, you went to an Ivy League school, got a master’s. You made six figures not too long ago. You’re class. Not many of the guys went to college. Some of them didn’t even graduate from high school. They aren’t good enough for you. Not one of them.”
She understood. But to her brother’s standards, no one would ever be good enough for her. And she didn’t think Ty, despite having the best intentions, fully understood sometimes those who didn’t appear to have accomplished much at all had accomplished the most.
To most, she’d accomplished a lot, but in truth, she accomplished none of the things that really mattered. She went to an Ivy League school because she’d busted her butt studying and had the monetary means, but she’d studied what her father chose. It’s the way her life had been. Until recently, she’d never stood up for herself, never stood up for what she wanted, what really mattered. She wasn’t married and didn’t have kids. Those were the things she wanted, that mattered to her—to find someone who truly loved her and build a family and a life with him. If she died tomorrow, no one but Ty and, maybe, Jace would miss her.
Besides, her heart wanted Jace. She didn’t care if he graduated from high school or if he had a college degree. Obviously, she didn’t care he partook in questionable activities. The thought barely crossed her mind. All she knew was how she felt about him and how he made her feel. With him, she wasn’t an object. She was a person, a woman who deserved to be loved. He accomplished this in the simplest of ways, the way he was with her, caring, attentive, and affectionate. No other man had ever been that for her.
“I get it, Ty,” she whispered. “But I’m starting over. I don’t earn six figures anymore because I don’t want to. I want to work with kids, and it’s what I’m doing. I don’t get paid much, and I’m not complaining because I finally like what I do. I don’t need a man with a degree or a man who makes six figures. I want what I’ve always wanted—someone who loves me.”
He smiled then shook his head. “Don’t want this life for you, Allie. It can be rough, and you don’t deserve rough. You deserve easy.”
She looked away from him. “Who’s watching me tonight?”
“Me. Don’t know if you realized, but it’s Friday, means the guys are at the compound, partying and getting laid.”
“And you’re missing out because of me?”
“Yeah, didn’t think you’d want to go.”
He couldn’t be more wrong. She wanted to go. She wanted to see Jace. It would be hard to stand in the same room and pretend nothing changed, but it was better than nothing at all. Even thinking of seeing him, her heart began racing, but she couldn’t let on. She schooled her voice before she spoke. “I don’t mind going, Ty. Wouldn’t mind hanging out with Mia and Lynn.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he smiled. “You sure?”
“Yep, let me get dressed.”
They rode to the compound in Ty’s SUV. He parked. She hopped out and took a deep breath, forcing her nerves to settle. As soon as they strode in, blaring music greeted them. She folded her hands into each other, walking along the hallway beside Ty. When she stood under the threshold leading into the living room, she smiled. Her eyes scanned the room until she found him.
Her heart fluttering, the pounding so loud now she thought it might pop right out of her chest. Damn, he looked good, sitting on the couch, beer in hand, wearing his usual: jeans, black shirt tight around his chest, and his cut. He stared at her, as if he’d been waiting for her, as if he knew she’d arrived, but his eyes hardened, jaw clenched, and brows furrowed.
She couldn’t help the doubts crossing her mind. Maybe he didn’t want her there. Maybe he had a change of heart. Maybe she’d done something to upset him.
Trying to silence her rambling brain, she forced herself to look away and spotted Lynn rushing toward her.
“Hey,” Lynn said, brightly.
She closed the distance between them. “Hey.”
“Miracle.” Cuss strode up to her, smiling.
She smiled at Cuss. “Hi, Cuss.”
Lynn grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the kitchen. “Come, let’s get you a drink.”
The kitchen was empty except for Mia, who sat on the counter, a sad, apologetic look on her face. Not the fun-loving, quick-to-blab Mia. Allie bit the side of her lip, knowing she should’ve called Mia. She shouldn’t have waited so long.
Closing the distance, she said, “I’m sorry.”
Mia’s eyes watered. “No, Allie, I’m sorry. I should’ve never said what I said. I didn’t mean to imply—”
“I care about him, Mia, a lot, so I can’t blame you for looking out for him because it’s what I want for him.” She hugged her tight.
“Thank you, Allie. You’re a good person.”
Pulling away from her, she smiled. “He’ll come around.”
Mia shook her head. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, Allie. I can’t blame him if he doesn’t, and I don’t expect him to.”
“You were only—”
She shook her head. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but I forced you to doubt this life and in doing so, I forced you to doubt him, too. From what you’ve told me, and from knowing him, he’s falling for you. I could’ve ruined it because of what I said.”
She paled, then swallowed. Could he be falling for her? Was he playing angry as a ruse or had he been pretending that morning?
“Relationships are hard and take a lot of work. I added to an already complicated situation.” Mia reached out, placing her hand over hers softly. “Just so you know…I’m rooting for you.”
She smiled, shakily. “Thanks.”
“Enough of this.” Lynn jumped in, handing each of them cosmopolitans in martini glasses. “Drinks are ready.”
“We’re being fancy tonight,” Mia quipped.
Lynn winked. “In your honor, of course.”
Allie forced another smile and sipped her drink.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Trig hadn’t laid eyes on her yet, but she was there. He felt it inside him. Sitting on the couch, nursing a beer, he forced his muscles to relax. His gaze gravitated to the threshold, knowing with every breath in his body she would appear.
Allie, so fucking beautiful, wearing a pair of tight jeans and a black blouse. One look and his heart started pounding so loud he swore it could be heard over the blaring music. His fist tightened around his beer, fighting the urge to close the distance between them, wrap his arms around her, and kiss her until she was weak in the knees.
That morning, he’d made love to her and came staring into her beautiful eyes. She made him pancakes. They ate together, and then he kissed her before she left for work. But it didn’t feel like hours ago, it felt like days. Right then, seeing her, and not being able to do everything he wanted to do, stung.
For him, nothing ever came easy. This was more of the same. He’d finally found a woman he wanted for keeps, and she was his brother’s sister, off limits. For the time being, they had to keep quiet.
He’d be a fool not to be worried. He’d admitted too much, too soon. She hadn’t run, but no doubt it was too much for her. She’d recently gotten out of a nasty relationship. She needed time, time he wished would drift by in the blink of an eye. He wasn’t sure if he could go a single day without her, not after he’d had her to himself for seven full days.
Her gaze met his, and she quickly looked away.
Like they hadn’t spent the last week living and breathing together, making love, and playing house.
Like she didn’t fucking know him.
It killed. His chest tightened. An ache took hold; he fought to keep it at bay.
She looked at Lynn, smiled, and greeted her. Her voice, another reminder of how much he wanted her, sitting on his lap with her tongue in his mouth.
Cuss strode up to her, smiling. “Miracle.”
Trig clenched his jaw hard, battling the urge to punch Cuss in the face. He didn’t like Cuss calling her “Miracle,” and he wanted to know why. Not that he didn’t agree, she was a miracle. She changed him, made him want shit he didn’t deserve, made him laugh and smile, forget the past, and live for the moment, but she was
his
miracle, no one else’s.
She smiled at Cuss. “Hi, Cuss.”
All he wanted from her, a simple fucking greeting, and he never got it. It boiled his blood Cuss got it though he hadn’t spent the week with her.
Pulse racing, ears pounding, he missed what Lynn said to her. Before he could do something he would regret, Lynn dragged her out of sight. He was left staring at the threshold leading into the kitchen, feeling nothing but a searing ache in his chest.
He didn’t know what he expected, but it hadn’t been to be completely ignored. They agreed to keep quiet about them, but he thought she’d at least fucking say hi. He’d been hopeful she’d find a way to sit by him or, damn, find a way to be alone together.
Tilting his head down, he glared at his beer contemplating whether he should take out his frustration on it and pitch it across to room. He chugged it instead.
Army took a seat beside him. “Brother, what up?”
He shrugged. “Nothin’ much.”
“Tina and Della okay?”
“Yeah, talked to Tina three times this week. Haven’t seen them though.”
“Sorry about that, Trig. I owe you.”
Army was wrong. If anyone owed anyone, he owed Army for bringing Allie into his life, even if she’d since had a change of heart, even if she got wise and dumped his ass. The pain of losing her would kill. He knew this because it stung when she’d looked right through him, but it would be worth it. He’d gotten a glimpse of happiness even if it’d been for a fleeting week.
He met his stare, fighting the guilt rising. “Naw, you don’t. You would’ve done the same for me.”
Army shrugged. “Yeah, but still…Know you missed out here last Friday and seeing Della and Tina. Know Tina needs all the help she can get though she won’t admit that shit and know you love seeing them and checking on them, so thanks.”
He nodded.
“All you’re having is beer tonight?”
“Yeah, gotta get Della in the morning, not so much fun when I’m hung over.”
“You never were much of a drinker. Though as of late, seems you’ve slowed down on everything.”
He looked away from his empty bottle and met Army’s stare, unsure what he implied.
Army smiled, lifting a brow. “Haven’t seen you with a tap for months, Trig. Looks like it’s affecting your temper. We all need a little release some time.”
He’d gotten plenty as of late, and he wanted more, but from only one woman.
“I’m good.”
“You sure?” He nodded in the direction of the bar. “Tap’s been lookin’ at you since I got here.”
He spared a glance and realized the tap Army referred to was the same tap he’d used to try to get his mind off Allie. She wore a denim skirt so short if she bent over a tad, he could see her ass. She also had a crop top, exposing her stomach, and six-inch stripper heels. He didn’t even know her name, and he didn’t fucking care to know.
“Not interested.”
“She’s good, Trig.”
He had no plans to find out. He did know she’d fucked her way around the club at least thirty times already, except for Stone, Wild, and him. Probably the reason why she was giving him the look. She wanted to get fucked by the only biker she hadn’t fucked yet. She was better suited for him than Allie with all her class, but he’d had Allie for a week, and there was no one like her. Even being as pissed as he was because Allie ignored him, he wasn’t tempted.
“Don’t fuckin’ care.”
Army shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He took a deep drink of whiskey.
He’d been sitting there for close to two hours, talking senseless shit with Army and Blaze when he felt it. The pang in his chest deepened, and he knew Allie was back in the room. He heard her laugh and nearly doubled over with yearning. Fighting the urge to look her way, he glared at the empty beer bottle in his hand, wrapping his fist around it until his knuckles were white.