Courtney nodded. “Yeah, you don’t need to worry about any of the guys.”
Cadell and Arlen were sprawled on a couch a few down from where we sat, and King was playing pool with Flint.
Linden sat next to Stella. I wasn’t sure where Tomcat was, just that he wasn’t around tonight.
“Except maybe falling for one of them,” she joked, shaking her head. “But then you might need to worry about the opposite—never leaving the clubhouse.”
“Yeah, things have a habit of going sideways in all the wrong ways when one of the guys meets his old lady.” Stella pointed at Linden, then at me. “You two are just the most recent examples of that.”
Clara bounced on the couch cushion. “Ooh, it sounds like there are some good stories there.”
King’s massive Cane Corso, who looked like he ate motorcycles for breakfast, lifted his head to look over at us. Cerberus was sprawled on the floor beside the couch where Cadell and Arlen were sleeping. One heavy paw was draped protectively over Cadell’s blanket, where it draped off the side.
“That’s the scariest dog I’ve ever seen,” Clara whispered, staring at him. “But also kind of sweet.”
“Yup, he’s both,” Stella agreed. “Won’t let anyone near Cadell he doesn’t trust. Which means he already likes you.”
Clara blinked. “I feel honored. And mildly terrified.”
“He really is a big sweetie once you get to know him better.” I laughed. “Just like the rest of the Hounds.”
“I’m sure they are to you,” Clara muttered.
“Ace wouldn’t have it any other way,” Stella pointed out. “And all the guys know it.”
I quirked a brow. “Like the guys are any different when it comes to y’all.”
Stella, Courtney, and Linden didn’t bother arguing. Instead, they shared the stories of how they met their guys. Then we debated about which situation was the scariest. All I knew was that I was glad mine wasn’t in the running since it was mild in comparison.
They kept me distracted just long enough for Colter, Blaze, Cross, Rebel, and Fallon to return.
I jumped to my feet when the door swung open. I only had eyes for Colter, and his gaze found me instantly. Before I even registered moving, I was halfway across the room.
He caught me mid-stride, his arms banding around my waist so he could lift me off the floor. I wrapped my legs around his hips, my hands fisting his cut, and I kissed him like I hadn’t breathed since he left.
When he finally set me down, I whispered, “You’re okay.”
“Always, baby.” His thumb brushed my cheek. “I have even more reason to stay safe now that I have you and the baby. You don’t need to worry.”
“I might not need to, but I’m still gonna do it,” I insisted.
“You gotta do what you gotta do,” he quipped, his palm sliding down to cover my stomach. “Just don’t make yourself sick over it.”
I shook my head with a sigh. “I’ll try my best, but your baby has already proven to have a mind of its own when it comes to that.”
“Good thing Ace asked me to get this taken care of.” King handed something dark to Colter. “If you’re gonna be puking because of him, you should at least be able to do it with his patch on your back.”
Colter shook out the smaller version of his leather vest, turning it around so I could see where it said Property of Ace.
My hands shook as I took it from him to slide my arms through the sleeves. The leather settled over my shoulders, a perfect fit. I twirled around so he could see the back. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught him staring like it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
“Does this make me your old lady?” I asked.
He shook his head, and my heart dropped until he explained, “You were already my old lady, baby. This just makes it clear to everyone in the world.”
The room erupted in sound—whistles, fists thumping on tables, and low cheers.
Clara appeared at my side, her eyes shining. “Holy crap, Poppy. You’re a biker babe now.”
