“He did,” she confirms. “I moved to town not long ago because I realized there wasn’t as much room for me on the stage in New York anymore. I was tired of always competing with younger dancers who had the fire in their bellies that felt like a distant memory to me at that point.”
“I can understand that feeling,” I keep my voice low, the words feeling like a confession I’m not ready to make.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ready.
Brielle looks at me like she understands the restlessness and doubt which has been haunting me. Maybe she does.
She’s been on stage. She’s dealt with the expectations of others when it comes to making a production successful. She’s put herself on the line with auditions.
“Is that why you’re in Las Vegas?” She tilts her head as she asks like she already knows the answer to her question.
“Yeah,” I breathe out, “I’ve been realizing lately that I’m not able to find the point in it all anymore. I started out in the industry because I was in the right place at the right time, but then it was an opportunity that seemed like fun and I didn’t want to waste it because it was so serendipitous.”
“The spotlight isn’t kind to the people in it,” Brielle says with a sage nod.
“No,” I shake my head, “it’s not. I never know who to trust, and I never know if I’m just being used for someone else to get ahead. I don’t believe that the people around me care about anything other than themselves.”
“So, you live in a constant state of readiness?” Her eyes soften as she looks at me. “Can you ever relax?”
My shoulders slump slightly after I shrug. “No, I don’t think I’ve relaxed in a long time, not mentally at least.”
The words feel fragile and delicate. Brielle simply nods, giving me space to feel the truth I just shared.
“What I told Rian is true,” the words tumble out of me, “I don’t have many friends. One of my closest and oldest friends, which is hard to keep ahold of in LA, left it all behind years ago. She’s blissfully happy with a man who worships every breath she takes. She has a family. I love that for her, but I’m a little jealous. She suggested I get out of town and try something new which is why I agreed to the tournament.”
“You’ve been kicking ass at the table,” Brielle teases me, her eyebrows wiggling and causing me to laugh. She straightens slightly, her words turning serious, “It takes a lot of courage to try something new.” She pauses and glances at our bikers with a sly grin before pointing out, “I think you’ve found a man who worships you like that too.”
My cheeks heat slightly as I look at Hawkins. His intense blue eyes are already locked on me, even though I know he’s still having a conversation with his brother.
“Are all the bikers around here as intense as him?” I ask the question out of the side of my mouth.
Brielle tips her head back and laughs, the sound filling the room and drawing the curious attention of another man in leather who just walked in. When he looks at me, his eyes widen slightly, but he doesn’t approach. I appreciate it more than I can say.
“Oh yeah,” she responds without hesitation. “These men fall hard and they don’t let anything stand in their way when they claim their woman. It’s kind of amazing to watch.”
I can’t help but wince. “He’s a lot younger than I am,” I keep the words low because I don’t need anyone else knowing about my fears.
“Girl,” she looks me over, “you better consider that a bonus and just go with it. The way he looks at you?” She fans herself and I can’t helpbut laugh. A smile stays on her face, but her tone turns serious, “He’s a good guy and he’ll devote his entire being to you, but he’s still a man who will do stupid things from time to time, age isn’t a factor when it comes to that. One thing you’ll never have to worry about is loyalty. These men ride on the edge of danger where their life literally relies on their brothers. They understand trust and their loyalty pumps through their bodies right along with their blood.”
My mouth twists to the side and I nod slowly. “I want to trust it. It feels like I can.”
“What do you really have to lose? The worst that can happen is that you leave here with the memories of some damn good orgasms and maybe a better understanding of what could happen next for you,” she offers the words like she didn’t just become my personal fucking life coach.
And I’ve never been the kind of celebrity to put credence into that kind of shit.
“Give him a chance to surprise you,” she whispers, her eyes darting over my shoulder.
Then I’m fucking airborne before I’m dangling over Hawkins’ shoulder. I slap his ass and laugh. “What are you doing?”
But he doesn’t stop moving until a door slams behind us and I’m being lowered onto an exceptionally soft bed. I glance around the very masculine room. It smells like Hawkins, so it doesn’t take a genius to figure out this is his space.
It’s minimal, which isn’t a surprise, but it’s also clean. My eyebrows pull together and my biker scoffs, “Were you expecting a frat boy’s room?”
When I meet his blue eyes, he arches an eyebrow, the challenge clear on his face.
“Sorry,” I squeak with a grimace.
Oneside of his mouth tips up as his hands start to glide over my body. He takes fabric with him and I shift without thinking, helping him with his endeavor.
