Chapter 7 Willa #2
“Yeah, or not,” I agree. After all, that’s technically what happened, even if it was much more complicated than that. “It’s a long story.”
“Then start at the beginning,” Luna nudges.
All four girls watch me, curious. Maybe I should keep my mouth shut. I don’t know these girls, and they’ll probably just report everything I say back to Dean’s friends. But I’ve been locked in his room alone so long, and I’m tired of keeping everything bottled up.
I take a sip of my drink, finding courage. “Dean and I met when we were teenagers. I moved to Lanceleaf my first year of high school, and our families owned neighboring ranches. His stepdad became friends with my father. Between that and school, I saw a lot of Dean and his brother.”
“It’s like one of those Christmas movies,” Reagan says.
“Or a Wild West show,” Luna adds.
“Minus the garland or happy endings.” I shrug. “But I guess it wasn’t all bad. At least, not on the outside.”
“But on the inside?” Aimee meets my gaze, and I sense something in her eyes that feels familiar. Like she understands.
“Things are complicated in that world. It’s not uncommon for families to marry over land or to protect each other at all costs.
Kincaid was supposed to take over his family ranch someday, and I was supposed to take over mine.
Everyone assumed we would merge them eventually, and the simplest way to do that was through me and him. ”
“Why not Dean? He was the oldest,” Tempe asks.
“My father wasn’t Dean’s biggest fan. He was a bit of a troublemaker.”
“So not much has changed?” Aimee laughs.
“Exactly. He was always up to something. He loved his grandfather and the ranch, but he was too restless for a town that small. When it came down to it, we all knew Dean was never going to stick around Lanceleaf after high school. Especially after his mom…” I trail off, not able to finish that sentence.
My throat tightens just thinking about the mess from that time in our lives.
“Dean was always destined for bigger things than Lanceleaf or the ranch. It was for the best that he left. He asked me to go with him, but my family needed me there. He could run from his problems. I couldn’t. ”
“So you chose his brother?”
“Yeah.” My gaze falls to my drink.
“Do you regret it?” Luna asks, and I meet her gaze.
There’s a slight breeze, but it’s not chilly. The sky is lit with stars, casting a glow over the desert.
“No, I don’t regret it,” I say. “And not because I loved Kincaid but because I did what was right for both of us. Dean needed to get out, but more than that, he needed to cut ties from the memories he had back in Texas. I gave him the reason to do it, and now he has everything he ever wanted.”
A club he cares about.
Friends.
Endless attention from women.
Dean’s life might be rough around the edges, but I can’t picture anything different for him. He always wanted it all, and now he has it.
“Sounds like you two have quite a history,” Tempe says with a tight smile. “Maybe now you can clear the air. Start over.”
I nod, wishing it were that simple.
Tempe smiles, likely sensing my doubt. “Either way, I’m glad it brought you to Vegas. To our wild little family.”
My gaze follows hers to the window that looks into the club, where the party is getting wilder by the moment. The bar is packed with people. Clothes are coming off. One biker has a girl bent over the couch as he fucks her. The people standing around him barely notice.
“This must be quite an adjustment for you.” Reagan laughs, seeing what I’m staring at. “Club life isn’t really like anything else out there.”
I shrug. “The club’s not that different from the ranch in a lot of ways.
People coming from all over. Living together.
Tending to the land and the animals together.
Letting loose when shit gets stressful. Forming their own kind of family that people on the outside never really understand.
I get it. They look different, but it’s the same idea. ”
“Guess you’re right.” A smile ghosts Tempe’s cheeks. “Well, you’re welcome here anytime you like, Willa. Either as Chaos’s friend or mine.”
“Same,” Luna says, holding her glass up.
I tap mine against it, and the girls all cheers—Tempe and Reagan with their waters.
For the first time since arriving in Vegas, I feel welcome. Whether Dean wants me here or not, this group of girls doesn’t seem to mind my presence.
I take a sip of my drink, slowly letting the stress melt from my shoulders.
The conversation turns to other things, and I’m grateful. The girls talk about all sorts of things. Decorating baby rooms, painting the clubhouse, Soul’s most recent pranks. After a couple more drinks, I can’t stop laughing. My cheeks burn from smiling.
It feels good to laugh.
To think about something other than me and Dean.
Tempe and Reagan go home around one in the morning, but Luna and Aimee stay with me. They tell stories about the club—the members. It’s exciting and intimidating. They don’t talk about Dean directly, but what they say gives insight into the life he lives in Vegas.
By the time I spot Dean through the windows, I’ve had a few too many margaritas, and it’s close to three in the morning.
Dean stops beside Havoc, catching gazes with me through the window while Havoc says something to him.
“That’s the look,” Aimee says, and I look up to find her watching Dean.
Luna nods. “Yep, that’s the look.”
“What look?”
Aimee smiles. “The one that says you’re not just friends.”
My gaze finds Dean again, and he starts walking through the room, slowly heading to the door that leads to the patio. I almost tell them they’re wrong. That he isn’t looking at me in any kind of way. But the intensity of his attention makes my heart race.
Dean circles behind me when he steps outside. I sip my drink, pretending not to notice the warmth of his nearness. The comforting scent of leather and tobacco that is uniquely him.
My skin prickles as he wraps his hand around my braid, tugging my head back so I’m forced to look up at him. God, he’s even more beautiful with age. I can hardly stand looking into his eyes.
“Ready for bed?” His voice is deep and gravelly.
“Yes.” My throat is suddenly dry. “Are you?”
I don’t know why I’m on edge waiting for his answer. But for once, I care where he’s going right now. The margaritas are making a mess of my thoughts.
He hates me, but I wish he wouldn’t.
“Yeah, princess. Let’s go to bed.” Dean releases my braid, holding out a hand to help me up.
“It was nice meeting you, Willa.” Luna grins, with her straw between her teeth. “Have a good night.”
“Mm-hmm.” I glare at them with Dean leading me away. “You too.”
Troublemakers.
No wonder we got along.