Page 53 of Jude

‘Hi, Jude.’

Her quiet voice hit my chest like a shot of straight bourbon.

I skipped the pleasantries. ‘The jig is up. My brothers know about you, and they want an introduction.’

Her breath hitched over the line. ‘They do? When?’

‘Now, babe.’

Levi and Angel exchanged dirty grins, making kissy faces across the room at me.

I tapped mute, pinning them with a look that could strip paint off steel.

‘Are you bastards twelve?’

I unmuted the call. ‘I’m sending a driver for you. You ready?’

‘Sure, maybe, perhaps not.’

I chuckled at the bewilderment in her voice.

‘They don’t bite, well perhaps after midnight when they turn into freakin’ vampires. Even right now they’re in my face, sucking my energy. In truth though, they’re teddy bears. See you soon, babe.’

Angel waggled his brows at the endearment as I rang off.

Shaking my head at my brothers, I arranged a private car service to collect Sofia from The Sanctuary so she wouldn’t have to navigate the evening transit.

When she walked through the front door a half-hour later, my heart jolted.

She was a vision of elegance in her simple skirt and tailored shirt, her dark hair in an elegant chignon.

My five companions sat in various chairs and stools around my kitchen dining table, and they whirled around to stare at her.

Bishop let out a wolf whistle, and Sofia’s eyes found mine as she moved to my side.

I eased an arm over her shoulder on instinct, hit with a strong sense of protectiveness.

‘Hi,’ Sofia said, her voice steady despite the crowd of inked and muscled men staring at her. ‘You must be the rest of the band.’

‘We’re the bastards who make his life a living hell every chance we get, sweetheart,’ Deacon rasped, stepping into her space and taking her hand with a rare, crooked grin. ‘I’m Deacon. That’s Angel, Levi, Bishop, and Reign.’

‘Where the hell did Jude find a girl like you?’ Levi growled, his eyes trailing down her body with zero shame.

‘Back off, Levi,’ I warned, stepping between them, my chest tightening with a blend of possessive heat and unexpected pride as my brothers took her in.

The second her footsteps faded up the staircase, the room turned into an interrogation unit.

‘Holy fuck, man,’ Levi rasped, pouring a double shot of whiskey. ‘She’s money.’

‘You hit the jackpot, brother,’ Bishop added, reclining into the leather armchair.

A barrage of questions hit me from every angle.

I shut them down one by one; however, inside, my ego was riding high.

When she returned minutes later in oversized gray sweatpants and a plain white tee, her hair piled into a loose bun, my heart lurched.

The hell?