“I don’t know what to expect.” She shrugged. “I’ve heard stories about the clubhouse and your brothers, but I’ve never been there. I’ve never seen it for myself.”
I let out a low chuckle, shifting gears as we hit the highway. “It’s just a clubhouse, Dev. It’s a place where the guys can come together and hang out. We ride and have each other’s backs. So, just think of it as going to see my family.”
“Okay.”
She looked out the window and toyed with her bracelet like she used to do when she was nervous. I reached over and rested my hand on her thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll be fine. They’re gonna love you.”
“I hope so.”
She glanced at me, her lips tugging into that shy smile that always hit me like a punch to the chest. A few minutes later, we were pulling through the front gate of the clubhouse and parking at the back entrance.
As usual, the place was lit up. Brothers were coming and going, and laughter spilled out every time the back door opened.Eager to get inside, I climbed out to open her door. As she got out, I could tell she was feeling uneasy, so I asked, “You good?”
She made this little noise in the back of her throat, then muttered, “Just a little nervous.”
“About being with me or meeting the guys?”
She tried to play it off with a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “A little of both.”
Before she could second-guess herself, I slid my hands around her waist and pulled her against me. She let out a soft gasp as I lowered my mouth to hers and kissed her, soft and tender. And like always, she melted right into me, and it was like something clicked back into place.
I wasn’t some fairytale bullshit kind of man, and she knew that. She knew there would never be any white horse or castle on the hill. She also knew I wasn’t the kind of man who made promises I couldn’t keep, and tonight, I had a lot to live up to.
I didn’t want to let her go, but it had to be done. I forced myself to ease back and broke the kiss. She let out a small sigh, and I knew the kiss had done the trick. “Better?”
The look she gave me told me exactly what I needed to know, so I reached down and took her hand in mine, leading her up to the back door. “Let’s do this.”
14
DEVIN
Ididn’t know what I’d been expecting of the clubhouse, but it wasn’tthis. I’d never seen anything like it, and I couldn’t stop the words that slipped out. “Holy cow. This place is massive.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it massive.”
“Maybe not, but it’s definitely bigger than I thought it’d be.”
I was in complete awe as I looked around at the vaulted ceilings and exposed wooden beams. The walls were lined with black-and-white pictures framed in clusters that told stories I couldn’t begin to know, along with old biker memorabilia.
The place smelled like leather, cigar smoke, and bourbon. Music played low in the background, and a steady hum of laughter and voices filled the bar.
Bikes were parked outside like a row of silent sentinels, but inside, it felt alive. There was a buzz of energy that was both intimidating and strangely comforting.
We hadn’t gotten far when a man with dark hair and a thick beard stepped in front of us with a big grin on his face. He looked to Jameson as he said, “Wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. Wasn’t expecting to see her, either. How you doing, pretty lady?”
“She’s fine,” Jameson answered before I could, and added, “This is Blade.”
I cleared my throat, offering a small smile. “Hi, Blade. I’m Devin.”
“Nice to meet ya.” His eyes flickered over me with a smile that made it clear he was used to getting away with saying just about anything. “Real nice.”
“Blade, behave,” Jameson warned.
“Not a chance.”
Jameson shook his head, and a small smirk played at his lips as he said, “He’s the club’s doc.”
“That’s right.” A mischievous grin crossed his face. “You got a fever, a cold, or a stab wound, come find me. Hell, come find me even if you don’t.”
