Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
A stunning woman with a warm smile approached. “Sorry about him. I swear, he’s an escape artist.”
Colter handed the boy over to her with a grin. “Makes sense, considering who his dad and grandpa are.”
“You must be Poppy. I’m Stella.” She juggled the squirming toddler in her arms to pull me in for a quick hug. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“Really?” My voice came out higher than intended.
Stella laughed. “Oh yeah. The guys are terrible gossips when one of them finds their woman.”
Colter didn’t get the chance to deny the accusation before more people drifted over to introduce themselves. Blaze clapped Colter on the shoulder while his wife, Courtney, balanced nine-month-old Arlen on her hip.
Echo was next, along with Violet, who cradled six-month-old Brian against her chest. Then Wizard and Thea with tiny Skye. Ash and Nora with a three-month-old they lovingly called Jelly Bean. Ink and Annika were the last of the couples with kids, and one-month-old Lorenzo slept through the entire introduction strapped to his daddy’s chest in a black sling.
They were followed by Onyx, who hovered protectively near Elena, six months pregnant and glowing. Kevlar kept a hand on Maren’s lower back—she was three months along and already looked radiant. Tomcat and Linden couldn’t stop touching each other.
I tried to keep names and faces straight, but my brain was spinning. Every single one of them greeted me like I belonged.
When a couple of guys without women accompanying them wandered over, Colter tugged me against his side.
One of them gave me a chin lift. “Rebel. Nice to meet the woman who finally tamed Ace.”
The other guy snorted. “Tamed? Nah. She just made him less of an asshole.”
Colter shot them a look. “Watch it, Cross.”
Stella looped her arm through mine. “Come on. Let’s get you a drink and leave the boys to grill.”
The women pulled me toward a long table loaded with food and drink.
Violet sat down and bounced Brian gently on her lap. “How are you holding up? The first visit to the clubhouse can be a lot, and yours is during a barbecue with all of us here, so that’s even more.”
I poured myself a cup of sweet tea, then blurted, “I’m terrified I’m going to say something stupid, then everyone will realize I talk way too much, and Colter will finally get tired of me.”
The words hung there for half a second. Then Courtney burst out laughing.
Stella squeezed my arm. “You’re adorable.”
Nora leaned in, her eyes sparkling. “He’s not going to get tired of you.”
Annika nodded. “None of them do when they get that look in their eyes.”
Violet grinned. “And he’s watching you right now like he’s never going to let you out of his sight.”
“We’ve all been there before,” Thea agreed with a soft laugh.
I glanced over my shoulder. Colter was across the yard talking to King, but his eyes were on me.
“We’ve only known each other a couple of weeks,” I whispered. “What if—”
Maren cut me off gently. “What if he’s the one? Because from where we’re standing, it looks like it is.”
“Even if we’re doing it sitting down because we’re too tired to actually stand.” Elena rubbed her baby bump.
“These guys don’t do halfway.” Linden leaned closer. “When they decide you’re theirs, that’s it. Forever.”
Happy tears pricked my eyes again. “I just… I’ve spent so long feeling like I’m too much. Loud. Chatty. Too everything.”
Stella wrapped her arm around me. “You’re exactly enough. And you’re good for him. We can all see it.”
Courtney nodded. “Definitely”
I swallowed hard. “You really think so?”
Stella smiled. “We know so.”
I wanted to trust they knew what they were talking about, but just because their relationships turned out so well didn’t mean mine would. I set those fears aside and focused on having fun at my first MC barbecue.
The rest of the day blurred into the best kind of chaos.
I held babies and chased Cadell around the grass. Laughed until my sides hurt at stories about Ace’s younger, stupider days, gleefully told by his club brothers. And when Colter wrapped his arms around me from behind toward the end of the barbecue, the doubts about being accepted that I had lived with for years had grown quieter.
My hope that I really was exactly who he wanted was starting to outweigh the fear that I wasn’t.
12
ACE
The sun had dipped low, streaking the evening sky with shades of purple and deep orange as the barbecue began to wind down. Brothers were scattered around, chatting and laughing as they helped their old ladies gather the kids and clean up, preparing to head home.
I’d watched Poppy all afternoon with fierce pride while she charmed everyone around her. Although my obsession and possessiveness reared their heads from time to time when she charmed one of my brothers a little too much—single or not.
Her bright laughter and excited chatter as she bounced from one conversation to another made warmth spread through my chest, a feeling I was already used to. She was radiant and genuine, effortlessly drawing in even the most hardened of my brothers.