“I told you I would meet you here.” The same thing I say every time he mumbles about the exhaustiveness of women or anything about us. And by us women, I mean me. Since Mom died, I’m it for Dad. He can talk to another woman, but he doesn’t do more than that. Never even flirts. Vamps know to stay away, not only because he isn’t interested, but I might have made a few bold moves when I first started coming along to the clubhouse. I made it very clear I wasn’t looking for a new mommy, and any hoochie-coochie who got within spitting distance was getting a knife to the throat. It helped that I punched the bitch I was threatening in front of a lot of them when all she did was say my dad’s name. I was only in high school back then, but I still knocked the shit out of her.
And not a single brother punished me for it. That’s probably what sealed the deal on the whole thing. If the club ain’t willing to step in and correct my actions, that means there’s nothing to correct and they stand by it. The Hounds don’t force vamps to sleep with members of the club. And since they don’t force it, they expect the same courtesy. If a guy ain’t interested, move on. If they approach, it’s free game. Hell, a vamp can even approach unless they get the shake off. All fair. Even if I’m not a fan of the few who get with vamps when they’ve got a “townie” on the side. The brothers who like to have a girlfriend but also want someone freaky in bed are not my type. Not sure if I have a true type, but I know what I don’t like. And I don’t like to share.
Thankfully, none of the brothers who’ve taken old ladies fall into this category. If they did, I’d cut off more dicks. I like the girls. Everyone who’s wrangled a Hound is worththeir weight in gold. I can get along with a vamp if forced, but, sorry to say, a girl who spreads her legs for half of the people I see as older stepbrothers isn’t someone I want to be friends with and tell my secrets to. Not that I tell anyone my secrets.
They’re secret for a reason. If you voice them, that defeats the purpose.
We order the usual, and they’re quick to bring out the coffees and pastries: bear claw for Dad and cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting for me. Oh, and a side of bacon. Because we need protein, and breakfast is the best meal of the day. That, and they add honey and brown sugar to it, so it’s just damn amazing. Thankfully, Dad ordered two servings, so we don’t have to share. We tried that once with the bacon. Big mistake. It almost split up the family.
Kidding.
Sort of.
Bacon is life in our household, so it’s not hard to believe that it could have gone that far.
“What’s the plan today?”
I shrug. “Figured I’d stop by the club for a bit and vet the new girl.”
Dad just shakes his head. “Not needed. Boys and I already checked her out. She has some mafia ties, but from what we can determine, she’s good. Got Bass watching over her.”
“That’s the point. I need to make sure she’s good enough to be old lady material.”
“Old lady? To who?”
“Seriously?” The guy looks at me like I’m the one who’s lost my mind. But I’m not about to tell him who it is. Let it be a surprise. Even though I think he already knows and just likes playing dumb. “Whatever. If the girl is going to be sticking around, I need to do my part.”
“And what part is that?”
“Making sure she can fit in.”Duh.I do this with every girl who comes in who isn’t looking for a quick fuck. They all get vetted by me. Sure, the boys can say they decide on who becomes their old lady or not, but trust me, no one makes it to that stage without getting the green light from me first. If I like them, I do nothing. Let the boys mess it up on their own if they’re going to. But if I see them as a problem? I’ll make the girl run faster than a gazelle being chased by a lion.
Dad gives me his typical look. The one you see on dads who look at their kids like they just said the moon is made of cheese and one day they’re going to eat it.
“Sweetheart, that ain’t your part. Your part is to go to school and live a life out of the club.”
I snort. “Out of the club? Seriously? I was made from the club. I bleed the club life.”
“But you ain’t club.”
He smiles as he says it. A kind smile. One that reaches his eyes and is paired with a gentle tone. And it makes my blood boil with rage.
I take a bite of my food instead of lashing out and chew it slowly. Even counting to twenty before I give up trying to hold myself back. “You know… you’re the president.” He looks up from his food but doesn’t interrupt asI keep going. “You run the mother chapter. Other chapters turn to you for advice.”
He raises one eyebrow, letting me know he’s waiting for me to get on with it.
I shrug as I grab my coffee. “Might go over better than you think if you changed a few bylaws.” I take a sip and watch his entire body take a deep breath before he pushes back a bit from the table and folds his arms.
“This again?”
“Not really again. You shut me down before you even let me finish last time.”
He shakes his head. “You already said your piece a long time before that. I told you then, and I’ll tell you now, and again if I need to. Hounds of the Reaper will not let a woman prospect. No change I make will ever let that happen.”
“But if you could make the change… would you?”
The silence stretches between us while the rest of the bakery goes about its business. Customers coming in and out, the bell above the door ringing with each passing of the door. Employees cleaning and chatting with everyone, calling out orders to the back when items run out.
But my world starts and ends with this man across from me. I’ve got a career. A plan in place. But I will always have one dream. A dream that started as a child and never went away.
