Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
BELLA
It’s Friday night, and instead of being at Perdition with Jax, I’m curled up in Brooke’s living room with my sisters, a half-empty bottle of Barefoot Pink Moscato between us and a mess of snacks spread out on the coffee table. I needed this—a break, a night to just breathe.
We’re all dressed in leggings, oversized t-shirts, and our hair piled up in messy buns. No makeup, no expectations, just wine, laughter, and the kind of easy company that only sisters can give.
Bri throws her cards down with dramatic flair, nearly knocking over her wine glass. “I swear to God, you two are cheating.”
Brooke smirks, reaching for the last bottle of wine. “Or maybe you just suck at this game.”
Bri huffs, crossing her arms. “Whatever. We all know the real reason we’re here.”
I glance up, already dreading whatever’s about to come out of her mouth.
Brooke tilts her head, wine glass in hand, and smirks. “Yeah, Bella, let’s talk about Jax .”
I groan, dragging my hands down my face. “Can we not?”
“Oh, we absolutely can,” Bri says, leaning forward like she’s about to hear the juiciest gossip of her life. “You’ve been all distracted lately, and it’s definitely not because of work.”
Brooke gives me a knowing look. “You like him.”
I grab a handful of popcorn and pop a piece into my mouth, buying time. “Obviously, I like him.”
Bri grins. “But?”
I sigh, looking anywhere but at them. “He’s great when he’s around,” I admit. “But then he has to leave. No warning, no explanation—just ‘sorry gotta go babe, club business.’”
Brooke’s smirk fades, her brows pulling together. “That’s happened more than once?”
I nod. “A few times now.”
Bri frowns. “And he never tells you what’s going on?”
“Nope,” I say, tossing another piece of popcorn into my mouth. “Just that it’s club business and he’ll see me later.”
Brooke leans back against the couch, swirling her wine. “And how do you feel about that?”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Like shit, honestly.”
Bri tilts her head. “You’re not the type who needs a guy to check in every five minutes.”
“I’m not ,” I say quickly. “I don’t need constant attention, and I knew what I was getting into when I started seeing him. I knew the club came first. But…”
Brooke raises an eyebrow. “But?”
I exhale slowly. “I don’t like how it feels when he leaves.”
Bri stays quiet, waiting for me to continue.
“My mind goes to places it probably shouldn’t,” I admit. “And that just makes me feel worse.”
Brooke watches me for a second before asking, “Has he ever done anything to make you question if he’s messing around with another girl?”
I shake my head. “No. Never.”
Brooke exhales, nodding like that’s what she expected.
“But that doesn’t mean anything,” I say after a beat, my voice quieter. “You know what kind of world he’s in. What kind of women hang around the club. I’m not like them. They’re Cherry Garcia and I’m vanilla.”
Bri leans in, frowning. “What do you mean?”
I sigh, rubbing my temple. “You’ve seen them, Bri. They’re confident, bold, and comfortable in that world. I don’t know if I am or if I’ll ever be.”
Brooke sets her glass down. “Not being like them doesn’t mean you don’t belong with him.”
I don’t answer right away because, for the first time, I really don’t know.
Bri shifts, suddenly interested. “Actually, funny you mention that. I work with Jenny, you know, Piston’s wife.”
I blink, surprised. “I didn’t know that.”
“She’s really nice and hella funny,” Bri says, picking at a piece of popcorn. “I like her.”
I nod. “Yeah, I met her once at that dinner for the club officers. She seemed cool.”
Bri grins. “She is cool. And she had nothing but nice things to say about you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really?”
Bri smirks. “Oh yeah. She also said she’s never seen Jax like this with anyone before.”
My stomach twists—not in a bad way, but in that what-the-hell-do-I-do-with-this-information kind of way.
Brooke tilts her head. “And how exactly is Jax like this ?”
Bri shrugs, but there’s something knowing in her eyes. “She just said he’s different with Bella. Like, softer. More… invested.”
I shift uncomfortably. “She's probably just being nice because I don’t know about all the club stuff.”
Bri gives me a look . “Mmmhmm. Keep telling yourself that.”
Brooke isn’t smiling anymore. “Look, Bella,” she says, voice softer now. “I’m not saying he isn’t a great guy. We’ve met him, and from everything I know, he seems genuine. That doesn’t mean his life is for you.”
I stiffen, irritation creeping up my spine. “You think I haven’t already thought about that?”
“I know you have,” Brooke says. “But I also know you, and when you fall for someone, you fall hard . And this? This isn’t some guy with a nine-to-five who’s going to be home for dinner every night.”
I shake my head. “I’m not expecting that.”
Brooke studies me. “Aren’t you?”
The question lands like a punch to the gut. I swallow, looking away. “I know his life is different. I know the club comes first.”
Brooke nods. “And how do you feel about that?”
I don’t answer right away because I don’t know .
Brooke sighs. “Bella, I’m not trying to talk you out of this. I just want you to be honest with yourself. Can you really handle the late-night calls? The secrecy? The way he has to drop everything at a moment’s notice? Because that’s not going to change.”
I rub my temples, the weight of her words pressing down on me. “I don’t know, okay? I want to say yes, but when he leaves like that, when I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing… it sucks .”
Brooke nods like she expected that answer. “That’s why I’m asking. You don’t just have to like who he is. You have to like what he is.”
I bite my lip, frustration curling in my chest. Because I don’t know if I do. I don’t know if I can . And that scares me more than anything.