Unknown:
Beware the man you think you know.
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.
“I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Me, too.”
She hooks her arm through mine and pulls me away from the boys. Lincoln lets out a small noise of protest but I peek over my shoulder and flash him a smile.
“Are you hungry?” Ali asks. “We’ve got hot dogs and hamburgers.”
“Yeah, I’ll grab some food here in a minute.”
She nods. “Oh, let me go around and introduce you to the guys. First up, we have Blaze; he’s in charge of all these toddlers.”
I laugh and extend my hand. “Hi, it’s really nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” he mumbles, shaking my hand as his gaze bores into me like he’s just seen a ghost but Ali either doesn’t notice or chooses not to acknowledge it.
“And this here is Smith.”
Smith stands and grabs my hand before kissing it, making me giggle. “My lady.”
“Dude,” Storm groans from his chair and all the other guys laugh.
“Keep your lips off my woman!” Lincoln yells and I beam at him as my cheeks heat. It’s the first time he’s ever said something like that and it does crazy things to my hammering heart.
“This is Moose,” Ali says, pointing to another handsome man with a beard. Jesus, are all these guys ridiculously good looking? Is that a requirement for this club?
“Nice to meet you,” Moose says from his seat with a kind smile and I nod.
“And that is Fuzz and Streak,” she says, pointing to two men sitting on top of a picnic table.
“Hey,” one calls while the other nods in my direction and I hold up a hand to wave.
“Uh, hey, y’all. Thanks for inviting me.”
Lincoln grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap before handing me a beer.
“Tate, you’ve got to settle a bet for us,” Smith says and I nod as I take a sip of my drink.
“Okay, what is it?”
Lincoln starts laughing and I flash him a confused expression before turning back to Smith.
“Last night, Kodiak bet us that you would have no less than three weapons on you when you came tonight. I said one, at the most.”
Beer shoots through my nose as I laugh and start to cough as Lincoln rubs my back.
“Uh,” I hum, wiping at my nose. “Going anywhere with only one weapon is as bad as going with none.”
“Aw, shit,” he whines. “Did I just lose fifty bucks?”
“Wait,” Moose interjects. “We’ve got to see proof.”
Lincoln’s body shakes underneath me as he loses it and I fight back a smile as I set my beer down on the arm of the chair and open my purse. First, I pull out the Taser and show it to them before digging out the can of pepper spray. Smith lets out a low whistle when the knife comes out next.
“That’s only three,” Storm points out and I nod, lifting up my pants leg to show them the pistol in my ankle holster.
“Jesus,” someone whispers and I laugh.
“You just made me a whole lot of money, baby,” Lincoln whispers in my ear and I grin at him.
“Glad I could help.”
I glance around the circle as half the guys step forward to toss fifty-dollar bills at Lincoln and I catch Blaze staring at me again. He doesn’t look away when he meets my gaze and I shift in Lincoln’s lap.
“Wait, there’s one more bet,” Lincoln points out and Smith groans, tapping his beer bottle against his head.
“I don’t even doubt the second one now and I don’t want to lose any more money.”
I arch a brow. “What was the second one?”