Cap put a hand at the small of my back as he pulled the ice chest behind him. When we approached his club, I saw a bunch of curious eyes observing me, and I wanted to hide behind Cap. Instead, I just shuffled a bit closer to him. My elbow grazed against his left side and he looked down at me curiously.
My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins. I ignored the electricity that radiated from where my elbow had brushed against his body. It was an awkward silence that settled over the group, and I wished like hell I hadn’t decided to come.
“Ruby!” The pretty brunette from the grocery store said my name with a genuine smile on her face as she came up to me and pulled me into a hug. I just barely got the cookies out of the way before she folded me into her arms.
At first, I stiffened in her embrace before returning it. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember your name.” I felt heat flame my face and thought for sure my face probably matched my hair.
She gave me a big smile. “I’m Tess. Come meet the other girls.” She turned her attention away from me to Cap, giving him a big grin. “I’m stealing her now.”
He gave his nod of approval and I was whisked away toward the tables laden with food. I glanced back over my shoulder at Cap. His eyes were on me but his brows were furrowed like he was confused about something.
“Ruby, this is Bangs, Juliette, Big Sandy, and Liberty.”
Their smiles were nothing but warm and friendly.
“Ladies, this is Ruby.”
They all said hi and welcomed me into the conversation that flowed freely between the group. “Has anyone heard if Scales is coming?”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the woman they called Liberty.
Juliette shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know. He hasn’t been around much since everything came out.” Her gaze flickered towards me and I knew there was something I didn’t know that everyone else was privy to.
Tess sighed and shook her head. “I feel for him. He’s between a rock and a hard place, all because of that vicious bitch he’s married to. He has his reasons for staying married to that snake. Though, Ulrich hasn’t told me why.”
“I heard my name.”
The man in question came forward and wrapped his now free arms around his wife, pulling her against him. She looked up over her shoulder and smiled up at him before he captured her lips in a quick, loving kiss that was full of emotion.
“Get a room, you two,” a gruff voice spoke up behind Juliette before a gorgeous blond guy started nuzzling her neck, causing her to sigh blissfully as she leaned back into his embrace. The group laughed at the contradiction, and his blatant display of affection. A pang of envy speared through my middle.
Chase loved me, but he was also reserved when it came to public displays of affection. He’d hold my hand or put an arm across my shoulder, but every bit of attention he gave me in public was warm and comfortable, lacking the passion these two couples had. These guys showed passion to their women no matter who was looking.
“Ruby,” Tess said, getting my attention and bringing me out of my musings and memories. “This is my husband, Ulrich. The club calls him Zodiac.”
The man behind her gave me a small smile and a nod, which I returned.
“That’s Scorpio, Juliette's man.” Tess nodded to the blond guy who had moved up beside his woman, and draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
As she was introducing Scorpio, a set of identical twins joined us at the table. They immediately grabbed the cookies. “This is Castor and Pollux, otherwise known as the Gemini twins.”
Both of the guys offered me identical grins. “You brought the cookies?”
I nodded and returned their smiles.
“I could kiss you. These are my favorite.” I wasn’t sure which one said the comment, but I know who said the next one.
“You won’t, if you want to keep your lips,” Cap threatened beside me. The smile that had been on his lips before was no longer visible on his handsome face. Instead, his golden-brown eyes had flames of irritation in them. The group was quiet for a moment before Tess brought my attention over towards the barbecue.
“That’s Virg and Pincher,” Juliette said, pointing to the two prospects that had been in my house. “They’re what we call prospects.” Virg and Pincher were currently manning the grill, though neither one of them really looked like they knew what they were doing.
I hid a laugh when the big guy with the bald head moved them out of the way with an eye roll to the sky and took over, showing them how to handle the pit. “That’s Bull.” Tess grinned. “He’s as big as a bull, charges like a bull, and grunts like a bull, but he’s a softy once you get to know him.”
The guys all burst out laughing as did the other women. “Bull would be pissed to hear you say that,” Scorpio stated, grinning at Tess.
“I think I’m going to go tell him.” One of the twins grinned as he popped the last bite of his cookie into his mouth.
“It’s your funeral, Brother,” his twin remarked, but followed behind him anyway to have his back.
