Chapter 12
Chloe
Three days later, the party at the clubhouse was in full force, and I had my hands thrown up in the air, I spun around, swinging my hips in time to the music.
There was just something about a slow rock song that fed the soul.
And I lived for it.
And I was glad that I got to live for it.
Had it not been for that candlestick holder, I stopped that train of thought.
And I was glad I had because just as I lowered my arms, I ran my hands through my hair, my eyes were closed, my hips swaying, when I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
When I opened my eyes and twisted my head, taking those in around me my head, I felt my breath stall in my chest.
Those eyes.
Those mesmerizing gray eyes of his were on me.
And. They. Were. Heated.
Suddenly, all I wanted to do was to dance erotically, just for him.
Pretend that everyone in the room faded away, and it was just the two of us.
Or I wanted to be the big girl that I was and stalk over to him, climb onto his lap, whisper in his ear to clear the clubhouse out, and ride the heck out of him.
Was it getting hot in here?
Or was it just me?
“What are you waiting for?” I jumped when I heard Stella’s voice in my ear.
My head whipped around to look at her, and I asked, “Wha... what are you talking about?”
She smiled that all-knowing smile of hers and then wrapped a hand around the side of my neck, “Chloe, you're my best friend. And if I didn’t think that you were perfect for my dad, I’d ditch you so fast your head would spin.”
What?
Was she saying what I think she’s saying?
At the bewildered look on my face, she snickered, “Go to him. Be with him. All I ask is that you love him. And I already know that you do.”
“Stell...” she brought her hand up, halting my words.
She chuckled, then lowered her hand, “I love you, Co. Go to him.”
I swallowed.
“How are you not mad at me?” I asked.
Her mouth opened and closed, then she asked, “What on earth for?”
I swallowed, “For not telling you sooner. And all the times you asked when something was bothering me?”
She smiled, “If you were anyone else, Co, I would hate you forever. But you're not. You’re my Co. Just know that I come first. You were mine first. Okay?”
I nodded, then reached out and hugged her.
She returned it and then whispered, “You hid it as best you could, but my dad damn sure didn’t.”
I pulled away and looked at her with wide eyes.
She shook her head and smiled, “Come on, Co. You’re one of the smartest people I know. He bites the head off of anyone who interrupts him when he’s busy. He even gives me the finger and tells me to wait. But do you know who he doesn’t do that to?”
“Me,” I whispered.
She nodded, “Yeah. You.”
Then I sighed because she was right.
In every instance.
And then, when my feet didn’t move fast enough for her liking, she chuckled and then gave me a shove.
When she did that, my eyes were on Asher.
And when I stumbled forward, I watched as his hands clenched into tight fists on his lap.
Oh. My.
Taking in a deep breath for courage, I looked back at Stella, only to see her throw me two thumbs up.
My eyes landed back on Asher, and when I saw crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes, I hid a small smile.
The moment I reached him, I said, “So, Stella thinks I’m perfect for you.”
He looked up at me, tilted his head, and nodded, “Because you are.”
With those three words, I took in the man that was Asher.
The man who had never once lied to me.
The man that I trusted above all others.
And when I saw something akin to hunger in those hazel eyes of his with flecks of gold in them, I swallowed.
Heat. Passion. Need. Trust. And love.
Then, like a clumsy newborn giraffe, I climbed onto his lap.
My thighs were on the outsides of his, my hands wrapped around the back of his neck.
And then, he looked at me, his face coming closer to mine, and there, against my lips, he whispered, “Took you long enough.”
I felt my breath catch.
The moment I had been waiting for. For well over a decade, it was finally about to happen.
However, right before his lips could touch mine, the doors to the clubhouse opened.
And when I looked in that direction, as did everyone else, I noticed two things.
Asher’s body stiffened.
And Stella’s face went white. Pale white.
Then her eyes came to me, and I couldn’t read the look on her face.
But it was gone before I could even try, then her eyes glanced at Asher, and then she looked at the woman.
The woman, dressed in a pair of red wide-legged pants and a fluffy white blouse, said, “Hey, sweet pea,” and I saw she was looking at Stella.
Then her gaze moved, and when her eyes landed on me, she looked over slightly and then at Asher, and weirdly, with a small laugh, she said, “Hey, honey, I’m home.”
My head whipped around to look at Asher, and I asked, “Who is she?”
Asher didn’t respond to me. But I did see that familiar tick in his jaw.
The vein in his throat was throbbing.
But then... he turned his head and stared into my eyes, and I watched as the corners softened ever so slowly.
Then he lifted me up and off his lap ever so carefully sat me back down in the seat. His face was barely an inch away from mine, and he whispered, “Be patient with me. Okay?”
I didn’t respond.
I didn’t even move.
Because not even a second later, my gaze moved to the woman, and when she moved her hand and revealed a single gold band on a very important finger, my world felt as though it had tilted on its axis.
Asher moved away from me, tagged the woman around the waist, and pulled her to his office.
Stella moved with them.
Adan then... when I felt a ton of eyes on me, I took them in, and one thing I saw reflected in them... remorse.
Yeah, I definitely didn’t have a good feeling about that woman.
Who the hell was she?
Just then, my phone rang, and when I saw it was my boss, I stood up and answered it.
I had been working for Sheridan Accounting Services since I graduated college, and I loved it.
My boss, Brandon Sheridan, wanted to let me know that one of the oldest accounts we had needed to be gone through with a fine-tooth comb. Something wasn’t looking right.
So, I told him I would do that first thing Monday morning when I got back into the office.
After I finished the call, I headed back inside the clubhouse, but I froze when I heard what I did.
“Damn, that woman always creates a mess. How the fuck has she been able to hide from him for so long?” Stoney asked.
“Not a damn clue,” Priest mumbled out.
“Think she’ll sign while she’s here?” Whit asked.
“She better. Cause I’ll tell you one thing. She doesn’t; Asher won’t ever get Chloe the way he wants her.” I heard Rome mumble.
Sign? Sign what?
Trigger spoke up, then, “Yeah, you know how she is. She’s one of the good ones. I don’t blame Asher a single bit. But he better hope Chloe is patient if that bitch doesn’t sign the divorce paperwork.”
At those words, my legs gave out from beneath me.