And it’s incredibly distracting.
I can feel Sin’s eyes boring into me from across the room, but I don’t bother looking her way. If she wants a reaction from me, she’s going to be missing out.
I’m not going to fight for a man, not even Briggs. Why would I? If a man wants to be with me then he’s not going to put his time and effort into someone else too. Sure, time and effort isn’t exactly required when it’s a club angel involved, but Tallulah already told me about how unlikely it is for an angel to be claimed and wear a property cut.
And anyway, she’s not the only person looking at me. No, most people are taking me in. I guess I can’t blame them considering I’m the new girl around here. That doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with it.
My eyes dart around the table, but no one is looking at me with hostility. No, only Sin is doing that but she’s not close enough to matter. Not right now. I look around the room and realize there are more club members to meet.
“I’m not going to remember everyone’s name,” I mutter the words, not intending to say my fear out loud. Apparently, the stress of the last few days has fucked with my ability to keep my internal thoughts to myself.
Hopefully, the problem won’t persist.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tonya tells me. “No one is going to hold it against you, and you get a little help since brothers have their names on their cut there for you to read.”
My shoulders slump and I nod while giving her a small smile. “That’s true. I didn’t even think of that,” I admit. My sigh is heavy as I confess, “I really shouldn’t be meeting people before I have my coffee.”
A mug and a plate land on the table in front of me. When I look up, Briggs is looking down at me with soft eyes and a small smile. “I’m not sure that you can call it coffee, but here it is.”
I arch an eyebrow at him, the challenge clear in my expression. I don’t look away from him as I bring the mug up to my lips and take a sip. My eyes close without me meaning to as I moan softly. “It’s perfect.” When I open my eyes, he looks damn proud of himself. I tease him, “If this whole president of a motorcycle club gig doesn’t work out, you should consider becoming a barista.”
Briggs chuckles as he sits down next me, scooting his chair as close to me as he can get. “I have no problem having a side hustle as your barista,” he rumbles, his eyes flashing with lust as he looks me over.
“Personal barista is an unpaid position,” I fire back at him.
He grins and sits back in his chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Maybe he doesn’t. “That’s fine, I think the perks will be enough of a reason to take the job.”
I make a humming sound before glancing around the table. Everyone’s eyes are wide as they look between the two of us like we’re the most entertaining thing since vaudeville. The bacon on my plate is calling to me along with the fluffy eggs.
Clearly these people aren’t used to seeing their president act this way. That sounds like their problem and nothing I need to get involved with. As I tuck into my food, I look around again.
I’m surprised with how clean everything is. I noticed last night, but was a little too high on adrenaline and fear to take it in. I have no doubt that Tonya is behind the cleanliness. The groan I let out when I eat my first bite of egg borders on indecent.
Briggs grumbles something under his breath while shifting in his seat. I shoot him a strange look but then go right back to eating. I hope I don’t lose my appetite again; it was awful. Maybe my body knows I’m safe now. It’s a feeling Briggs gives me effortlessly, but I’m not ready to examine all the reasons why that is.
Not now, maybe not ever.
Between bites I mutter, “I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by this much leather at one time. It’s very distracting.”
Tonya grins and Battle snorts out a laugh while I try not to read more into the situation, seeing as I’ve already met Briggs’s parents, than I should. It would have been strange if he hadn’t introduced me since we’re all sitting around a table together.
Briggs eyes me before looking toward his mom and asking, “Where’s Arch?”
Her lips thin while rolling her eyes. “He’s doing what most almost 18-year-old boys are doing right now—sleeping because he stayed up late playing video games or whatever it was he was doing.” Her face scrunches up and she shakes her head, “I don’t need to know if he was doing anything else, okay?”
I can’t help but chuckle and when our gazes lock, her smile widens and she winks. As the conversation flows around me and I finish up my breakfast, a sense of belonging wraps around me. When Briggs’s hand finds my knee and gives a squeeze, it shouldn’t feel so damn good.
But it does and I never want the feeling to fade.
Fuck. I’m in trouble here.
CHAPTER 9
MAYHEM
There’s no doubt in my mind that the next time I’ll see my mom happier is when she finds out that I’ve gotten Addyson pregnant. Which is a crazy fucking thought for a man who did not believe a woman strong, kind, and soft enough to stand at my side existed. Then she burst through the door and everything I knew to be true was blown out of the water.
As I watch Addyson on the couch as she chats with my mom, she’s relaxed in a way I know is good for her. She’s been nursing a beer since dinner, which she insisted on helping mom with. I wish there were more women around, especially her age, but the women who are family and even some of the Old Ladies to a few old timers don’t spend a lot of time in the clubhouse.
