Chance’s eyebrows shoot up as I walk back into the bedroom and he fights back a smirk. “You look hot as hell, Princess.”
“Thanks,” I reply, glancing down at my simple outfit and grinning. He stands up from the bed and stalks toward me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Wanna take my bike today?”
My heart rate spikes and I stare at him for a moment before nodding. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, but the thought thrills me as much as it scares me. He leans in, claiming my lips in a quick but passionate kiss, before leading me out of the bedroom. In the kitchen, he grabs his keys off the island where he tossed them last night when he came over with movies to watch and I grab my bag off the entry table. I hand him my keys as he closes the door behind us in the hallway and he locks up as I glance down at the elevator and I bite my lip.
I have no idea what Streak is going to tell us about Julian Henshaw, so I have no way to know if I’m prepared for it at all. I think I am. I hope I am but there’s just so much, so many awful things that he could be doing to my sister and I know I’m not prepared to deal with it. In the darkest corners of my mind, I’ve wondered if she’s going through the same thing I did but I can only handle a few seconds of that before I’m on the verge of sobbing. It’s a miracle I haven’t fallen apart yet and the only reason for that is the man standing next to me.
The elevator doors open, snapping me out of my thoughts and I suck in a breath as we step on. Chance squeezes my hand and I look up at him.
“It’s gonna be okay, baby.”
I shake my head. “You don’t know that, Chance, but I appreciate you saying it.”
He doesn’t say anything else and I know that he’s just as worried about how I’m going to handle all this as I am about Ivy, but neither can be helped. Until my sister is safe, out of harm’s way, I won’t be able to relax. When the elevator doors slide open on the first floor, we step out and he leads me outside to his bike.
“You ever ride before?” he asks and I shake my head. “It’s pretty simple. Just lean with the bike when I turn, don’t put your feet down if we stop, and hang on to my waist, okay?”
My gaze roams over the bike before I nod and sling the strap of my bag across my body. “Okay.”
Chance hands me a helmet and puts his on before climbing on and holding out his hand to help me climb on behind him. Once I’m comfortable, I wrap my arms around his waist and grip his shirt, my heart pounding in my ears. He fires it up and the deep rumble of the bike seems to reach right into my chest. As he slowly pulls out of the parking spot, I bury my head in his back and close my eyes, not brave enough to glance up yet.
Oh, God, what the hell was I thinking?
Chance makes a couple of turns before speeding up and I guess that we must be on the interstate now. He rubs one of my hands with the death grip on his shirt and I glance up, my eyes widening. We’re flying down the road, weaving in and out of the few other cars on the road this early on a Saturday morning and I feel free. It takes my breath away and a wide smile stretches across my face.
The rest of the drive to the clubhouse goes way too quickly and I pout a little as he pulls into the lot and parks the bike. He pushes the kickstand down and climbs off before helping me down and I grin up at him as I take my helmet off.
“We’re definitely doing that again.”
He flashes me a grin that makes him look more boy than man and warmth hits me in the chest. “Anytime you want, Princess.”
Turning away from him, I stop and stare up at the clubhouse, my nerves returning full force. He steps up next to me and takes my hand.
“Ready to do this?” he asks.
“Yes… and no.”
He squeezes my hand. “I’ve got you.”
No truer words have ever been spoken. I don’t doubt for one minute that Chance has my back and always will. The man would walk through fire for me. It was one of the main things that settled my fear and made it possible for me to trust him, even when I didn’t want to.
“Let’s do this,” I whisper with a nod and we walk through the door. At first glance, it seems like everyone is here, milling around and eating breakfast or just bullshitting with each other. They all glance up when we walk in, some nodding in our direction, others offering me sympathetic looks.
“There’s breakfast in the kitchen if you’re hungry,” Storm tells Chance and he glances behind us to the steel door.
“Who made it?”
“Red’s old lady.”
Chance’s stomach growls and I can’t fight back my smile. “Aw, hell yeah. You want some food, baby?”
I know Chance wants me to eat something so I nod. Besides, it kind of seems like we won’t be starting until everyone gets some food anyway. He instructs me to sit down at one of the tables while he grabs me a plate and I walk over to the table in the corner, away from everyone else before sitting down. As soon as my butt hits the chair, Smith walks up and sits down next to me.
“Hey, how are you doing?”
I shrug. “I’m all right.”
“Listen, we’re gonna do everything we can to help your sister,” he says, his face full of compassion. I know this is what the club does but I’m still so touched they would step up to help me save Ivy.
“Thank you for doing this. I really don’t know what I’d do if y’all weren’t here to help me.”
He smiles, shaking his head. “No worries, Darlin’. You’re Chance’s girl which makes you family and there ain’t nothing we won’t do for family.”
“Smith!” Kodiak yells from the door. “Your little brother is here and he looks like he’s high as fuck.”
“Shit,” Smith hisses, jumping up. “I’ll see you around.”
He rushes off before I can reply and I watch him jog outside, wondering what the deal is with his brother. A plate full of biscuits and gravy lands on the table in front of me and I glance up as Chance sits down in the seat Smith just vacated.
“Red’s old lady makes the best biscuits and gravy I’ve ever had. You’re going to love ‘em,” he says, cutting one biscuit in half and shoving the whole thing in his mouth. Some gravy runs down his chin and I giggle as I wipe it away, shaking my head at him.
“You’re a mess.”
“Try the food,” he insists, pointing to my plate. “Then, you’ll understand.”
Pursing my lips to hide my smile, I cut into the biscuit and take a small bite before moaning. “Oh my God, that’s so good.”
“That’s what I’m sayin’, Princess.”
We eat in silence for a little while and when he shoves his plate away, he sighs and I turn to him.
“Why did Smith say I was family?” I ask. We’ve been together for a little while, but Chance and I just started officially dating so it seems a little early to be throwing words like family around.
“Because you are. No one in this room is going to let anything bad happen to me or someone I love if they can do anything to stop it. By loving me, you also get all these guys. You ever need anything, all you gotta do is pick up a phone and they’d all be willing to help,” he says, gesturing to the men around the room and I sit back in my chair, watching them. It feels weird to think I have seven quasi brothers I can call if I ever need anything but it’s also nice. It’s more family than I’ve ever had in my life and something I desperately need in this moment.