“Zip.” Joni’s tone was a warning but it sounded tired.
“I won’t say anything,” I said. It was Joni who I addressed yet I didn’t take my eyes off Zip. His gaze searched my face and finally he whispered, “Thank you.”
Zip didn’t look at Joni as he headed down the stairs.
When I was sure he was gone, I said to Joni, “You’re certainly playing a dangerous game. Out in the open like that.”
“Do you want to come in?” she asked, turning the knob on her door.
“Hell yeah I want to come in,” I said, still trying to wrap my brain around what I’d just seen. “When did he—how did you—and he—”
“Last night. Well, actually, early this morning.” She smiled slightly. “He saw me on stage and came to my hotel room. And then he—ah—”
“I didn’t interrupt you guys just now, did I?”
She shook her head. “We were saying goodbye.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Didn’t look like goodbye from where I was standing. You guys are playing with fire. Sneaking around in the clubhouse? Just be glad it was me who saw you guys and not someone else. Like Boxer.”
Joni sobered.
I nodded. “Yeah. Boxer is totally aware that there’s something between you and Zip. It’s obvious to anyone with two eyes. You have to tell Colt.”
“I can’t,” she pleaded. “Not yet.”
“Is this Zip talking, or you? Is this because he doesn’t want a relationship?”
She shook her head. “Listen to what you just said. You’re already calling it a relationship. I need time—we need time—to figure out what all this is without the pressure of telling my brother.”
“I’m in the middle now,” I said softly.
Her eyes were contrite. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
“No. Don’t be. We’re friends, and I’ll keep your secret. Even if—when—all this blows up.”
“I just have to make sure this is real, you know? Before I go messing with everyone’s lives.”
“What does Zip want?”
“To tell Colt.”
“That’s surprising. If he wanted you only for a one night stand, would he even bother wanting to tell Colt?”
“I don’t know.” Her brow furrowed. “They have weird rules about getting involved with sisters. Like a code of honor or something. So Zip might want to tell Colt for the sake of brotherhood and respect, regardless if he has real feelings for me or not.”
“This is a clusterfuck,” I muttered.
“And I hate that I even have to say this, but please don’t tell Darcy or the others.”
“I won’t. If you divulge one thing.”
“What?”
I grinned. “How hot was the sex?”
Joni and I came down the stairs and grabbed ourselves plates of food to take outside. The boys had lit a bonfire and torches to keep the bugs away. The cool beer went down far too easily.
After the sun set, Darcy ushered the kids inside and plopped them in front of the TV in the entertainment room down in the basement. Little ears had a tendency to hear things they weren’t supposed to hear, so it was club policy to keep them on another floor entirely.
Colt spent most of the night with his arm around my shoulder and every time I tried to leave, he’d ask where I was going. Clearly he didn’t feel comfortable leaving me alone because of what I’d said about Knight.
But Knight wasn’t even paying attention to me, or if he was, I was somehow not seeing it.
“Sorry we couldn’t offer you a rowdier party,” Boxer said to Bishop, Knight’s VP.
“Plenty of time for pussy later,” Bishop said. “Anyone need another beer? I’m headed to the cooler.”
We shook our heads and then Bishop wandered off in search of another brew.
I let out a laugh. “You guys sure are fond of that word.”
“It might be my favorite word,” Boxer said with a wry grin. “I wouldn’t mind seeing your friend Shelly’s pretty pink—”
“That’s enough. You’re done. She’s engaged, dude.”
“I can take her fiancé.”
“He’s trained in Krav Maga and carries a pistol.”
“No shit!”
I nodded.
“Then I guess I need to woo her with the promise of my huge—”
I flicked his forehead, lightly, but just enough to get him to stop talking.
“Ow.”
“That didn’t hurt.” I rolled my eyes.
“It could’ve hurt,” Boxer protested.
“You’re a weenie.”
“You just called me a—Prez, your woman just called me a weenie.”
“She’s not wrong.” An easy smile slid across Colt’s lips. It transformed the planes and angles of his face. If it weren’t for the bonfire’s flames, he would’ve looked downright boyish, which wasn’t a word I’d ever thought to call Colt. But all men had the ability to look young and carefree, impish and up to no good when they were happy.
It was one of those moments where my breath caught and I thought about a time when Colt would have a son of his own and the same expression would be stamped across his face.
Colt stared down at me and I could see the flames from the fire flickering in his eyes. I wanted to tell him what I’d just felt, about the emotions tearing through me with such promise I could almost taste the sweetness of joy on my tongue. But we weren’t alone and now wasn’t the time.
“Prez,” Zip said, sliding out from the shadows and coming to stand next to Colt, pulling his attention. “It’s time.”
Colt nodded to his VP. He leaned down to my ear. “I’m about to talk to Sanchez. I’d feel better if you went to our room.”
“I’ll be okay,” I assured him. “I’ll hang with the girls. Safety in numbers.”
He kissed me quickly and then with a nod at Zip, the two of them left the bonfire, heading for the shed that was built just off the clubhouse where the boys held church.
“Another beer?” Boxer asked me.
“Hmm?” I was only listening with half an ear; my gaze caught Knight’s, who was still sitting on a picnic table top, not appearing as though he’d moved. Not even to get another beer. He looked lost in thought. Looked lost in general.
His eyes pinged to mine.
I suddenly didn’t want to talk to the girls.
“What’s Knight drinking?” I asked Boxer.
He shot me a look. “Why?”
“Because he needs a refill.”
“You gonna take it to him?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Stop asking me why,” I snapped. “But if you want to know, I think I owe it to Colt to get to know Knight. I’m the president’s Old Lady, right? It’s my job to make outsiders feel welcome.”
“Knight’s not an outsider. He’s a Blue Angel.”
“Semantics. And you know what I meant.”
“Look at you, fitting in with your new family.” Boxer wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me to his chest so he could plop a kiss on top of my head. “Proud of ya, Mia.”