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Chapter Seventeen
Tatum
“You nervous?” Lincoln asks, grabbing my hand as he pulls the Camaro into the clubhouse parking lot. Classic rock blares through two large speakers set up by the door and people mill around the grill, drinking beers and laughing. I suck in a breath and nod.
“A little. I want them to like me.”
He flashes me an easy grin and grabs my hand, lacing our fingers before he brings it to his lips. “They’re going to love you, baby.”
“If you say so.” Butterflies flap around in my belly as I look out over the parking lot.
“Hey,” he says, nudging my chin with his finger. “I do say so. Don’t stress it. You’ve already won Ali and Carly over and that’s probably the hardest part. Oh, and if you get a chance, ask the guys to tell you how they got their names.”
I smile and nod, feeling a little bit better but I don’t know why I’m surprised. That’s just what Lincoln does for me. He makes everything better. My mind drifts to last night and the unsettled feeling that haunted me into the early hours of the morning while Lincoln slept peacefully in my bed. After Mia and I went to the second store, I didn’t get any more texts but that didn’t make the feeling of being watched go away. If anything, it made it worse because I didn’t know if he was there or not. I’m also beginning to wonder if this is really Reed’s doing.
“Did you handle that Reed thing?” I ask as we climb out of the Camaro and he nods.
“Yeah. Storm, Chance, Smith, and I took care of it last night.”
I nod. “How did it go?”
He chuckles, meeting me at the back of the car and wrapping his arm around my waist. “Uh, let’s just say he won’t be bothering you again.”
“What time did you go over there?”
He stops, scowling down at me. “Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Did you get another call?”
I shake my head. “Just a text but it was earlier in the day.”
“It was probably before we went over there, then. Have you heard anything from him since I got to your house last night?” he asks, his brow furrowed and I shake my head.
“No.”
“Okay. You let me know the second something else happens, okay? It’s my job to take care of you.”
I scoff, shoving him as I roll my eyes. “I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m terrifying as you like to point out.”
“Don’t fight me on this,” he grumbles through a smile as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a kiss. A moan builds in my throat and I grab the back of his neck as I reach up on my tippy toes, trying to get just a little bit closer to him. Whistles pierce the air around us and we pull apart as Lincoln holds up both middle fingers.
“Go up to your room!” Chance yells from his seat by the fire. Carly smiles from his lap, flashing me a subtle wave.
“Tate!” someone yells and I glance up as Ali runs over to me.
“Alison!”
She stops mid-step and we both turn to see a very pissed Storm stomping over to her.
“No running.”
“Logan James Chambers, if you don’t ease up, I’m going to go live at the cabin until this baby is born. Do you hear me?”
He growls at her. “Keep pushing me, Kitten. I’ll haul your ass inside and spank it raw, pregnant or not.”
“Oh, whatever,” she mumbles, rolling her eyes but I can see the smile teasing her lips as she turns back to me and gives me a hug.
