She’s busy teaching to get ready for her show tomorrow afternoon. She hasn't invited me to it yet. She’s concerned I’ll reject her after meeting her sister, but that will never happen.
I’ve come to realize this woman is going to be my world. I just don’t know if I can keep her safe from the Chargers. If I want to pursue this with Drew – which I fucking do – then I need to consider if being Pres is the right move for us both.
I was going to hand my cut in for the sake of my unborn child, so why wouldn’t I consider it with a woman I know I will fall madly and deeply in love with?
My phone rings, getting me out of my head, and I huff, already knowing it’s Dad, and I grab my phone before grunting, “Yep?”
“Okay, church is in session,” he answers before a bang echoes, and I hold in my sigh.
Every other week, the brothers hold church and Dad, since I left, has decided it is something I have to take part in so I’m in the loop and ready to take over. I could get away with not being involved, I would, but Trick and Crusher already threatened to track me down and tie me to a chair just so I’m involved whileKnuckles removed his cut with a threat of throwing it on the floor like a dick so I had no choice but to agree.
“Bones, let's start with Carnage Motors before we go over the shifts with Trick and Crusher then get on with Cage and where he is at,” Dad demands, and Bones begins to explain all the financial side of the garage and the shit going on with the receptionist that can’t take no as an answer and seems to want his cock. I zone out a little as Drew comes to mind.
I’ve seen several Charger shitheads ride through town. They are most likely looking for their missing man, but eye me when they see me. I have a lot of fucking thinking to do where I, the club, and my girl are concerned. I just don’t know where to fucking start.
I can’t put her at risk and I’m almost certain I can’t live without her, and it has only been five fucking days.
“Cage, how is the road?” Dad verges off from the club businesses, meaning I’ve missed it all.
Shit.
I clear my throat and admit, “Fine, some Charger fucker had followed me for roughly four months. I know Trick updated you on him last week. I uh, I’m still in Rose Hill. I’ve got a chair at the local tattoo shop for now and my motel room is booked for the foreseeable future.”
“Drew?” my dad confirms, and I clear my throat as everyone else stays deathly quiet.
“Yeah, Drew,” I confirm, and no one says anything.
Two things are most likely going through their minds. One, am I going to hand my cut in for this girl because I’m scared for her safety with the Chargers. And two, have I finally settled my raging ways down.
I don’t have the answers for them, and I tell them just that, and I state, “I don’t know how things are going to go, I just know that she has my sole focus right now. I need to see where it goes. TheChargers are following me, she could be in danger, and I need to get my head around everything.”
No one says anything for a moment before Knuckles rasps, “We’re here, always brother. We’ll help protect her if you want to bring her home. We’ll ensure no patch chasers go near her, and we’ll always have your back over the decisions you make where she is concerned. But brother, we won’t lose you, you’re our family. She’ll be our family too. She’s your forever, you just have to get your head around it, then get your ass back home and in the seat you belong.”
I swallow hard as my dad concurs what Knuckles just said before bringing up ideas on how to keep the Chargers away from Drew, and I zone out again.
I know I’m going to fall for her. I know she’s going to become my everything, I just don’t know if I can keep her safe and keep my brothers happy at the same time.
I failed Angie, so why wouldn’t I fail Drew as well?
Fuck, I don’t think I’d survive if anything were to happen to her.
Chapter 10
Drew
I twist my fingers, nervous as I look at my phone on my nightstand, my heart in my throat.
For years, despite my stage fright, I have excelled at ballet. I've grown as a person and come to enjoy moving the audience every time I dance and I have come to love the proud faces of my parents front and center, but there is one person I am terrified to dance for, one person I’m scared to ask to come to my show this afternoon. We’re raising money for underprivileged kids—a show his club donated to—and even though he has seen me practice, I’m scared to ask him to come.
Bellamy.
I’ve known him for a week, I have this urge to want to hear his voice, heck, to be near him and it's scary, but not as scary ashaving him sitting front and center while I dance my heart out. I mean, he probably won’t even want to come anyhow.
Okay, so maybe that is my real fear.
“Just ask him, sweetheart, I promise he’ll want to be there.”
Mom’s words yesterday echo when I mentioned my worries, and I swallow hard.
