“Son,” Rusty says, slapping his back multiple times. “I told ya to trust the process.”
Harlen snorts. “Fuck the process, old man.” He steps back when Rusty shoves his head playfully, and they both chuckle.
Rusty flicks his bright blue eyes back to mine and pushes his hair behind both of his ears. “He’s always been an impatient little asshole.”
A light chuckle slides up my throat when Rusty pinches my chin and winks at me. “You doing good?”
I nod when Manic, The President of the club, steps up behind Rusty and shakes hands with Harlen.
Harlen is standing beside him when Manic jerks his chin toward me and asks, “Who’s this, Goldie?” He shoves his large hands into the pockets of his black jeans and spreads his legs a little wider.
Harlen slips behind me and wraps his arms around my chest gently, holding me back against him. My fingers tighten around his forearms when he says, “This is my girl, Cherry.”
My girl.
It’s all I hear, and I can’t help but smile like crazy.
Manic extends his hand toward mine, and I hesitate taking it.I don’t shake just anyone’s hand anymore.So, I choose to hold on to Harlen a little tighter and just nod my head at him, still smiling.
He sucks on his front teeth, having no choice but to take the rejection with the slight shake of his head. “It’s nice to meet you, Cherry.”
I don’t really like that he uses my nickname,my mother’s name, but I try to shove it aside. “You too.”
“What are you guys doing here?” Harlen asks over the top of my head, and I start to feel a little uncomfortable when I notice that Manic’s attention hasn’t fallen away from me like the rest of theirs has.
It’s only sharpened.
A frisson of fear envelops me, and I find myself stepping away and moving toward Cameryn, who is still sitting at the table, finishing up the last of her bowl.
I slip down right next to her, and before I can say a word, she flicks her matte black fork toward Manic and states, “I don’t like him.”
I place my feet on the cushion of the couch and hug my knees to my chest tightly. “He’s a bit weird, isn’t he?”
“Mmhmm.” She nods, speaking around a mouthful of chicken. “He didn’t take his eyes off you that whole time.”
I drop my cheek to my knees to look at her, but to also shield my face from any wandering eyes. “I’m a bit uncomfortable,” I whisper.
She places her bowl down and wipes her mouth with a napkin, then she curls her hand with mine and pulls me to my feet. “Come on, let's go.”
Tilting her chin toward Harmony, she says, “You too, up.” Harmony looks a little confused, but she follows suit.
I walk behind Cameryn when we pass by the boys having a drink in the sun. Cam holds herself with strength, a complete‘try and fuck with me and see what happens’attitude.
I wish I was as brave as her.
Harlen wraps his arm around my waist and quickly snatches me into him. I stumble a little before he pushes a kiss to my lips.
“You good?” he asks, guiding a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
I nod, placing another kiss to his lips, then I step back and spin around. My eyes snag on Manic, his arms above his head as he shrugs off the hoodie that was sitting beneath his leather cut. His black t-shirt rises slightly, and that's when I feel the hopeful blood in my veins freeze over.
My knees tremble, my spine rigid, as my heart drops to my stomach, my pulse thundering in my ears.
The triangle.
My eyes snap to the man with the bat, and I watch him pull the metal out of me before ripping his hoodie over his head. The fabric pulls the cotton t-shirt up his stomach, making me notice a triangle tattooed right at his hip.
No.
