Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
LAURA
I was avoiding the clubhouse.
After the night in my bed, where Killian fucked me three times, then held me all night, the following morning, he was gone.
No explanation as to where he went, although Red said a few of the guys had gone on a ride up north.
It was frustrating because I wanted to text him.
I wanted to ask where he was, and when he’d be back, but he’d told me nothing more than a quick fuck could ever be between us. I’d gotten the message, loud and clear, and wouldn’t be that girl who begged for more.
It was also infuriating because I had no idea where we landed with the apartment.
I wasn’t eager to share the space with him when he’d said nothing more than a physical relationship could ever be between us.
It certainly didn’t seem as though he would want to cuddle every night, as that was something couples did.
Even if he did want that, I wouldn’t give it to him. I deserved more than that.
“What’s with the expression?” Callie asked, pushing my leg with her toe.
We were in her house, both on our laptops working, while taking in the gorgeous view her house offered. Floor-to-ceiling windows in her living room allowed us to see the entire valley.
“Nothing. Just the apartment stuff—Killian is moving in.”
Her dark brows rose. “Why can’t you just stay there with him? I know you guys hate each other and all that whatever, but I watch how he looks at you. There’s no way there isn’t something there.”
I still hadn’t told her what happened three months ago, or anything recent.
I certainly hadn’t shared that we’d had sex a few days ago, and it wasn’t even intentional.
I usually told Callie everything about my dates, all the good ones, bad ones and especially the toxic ones that provided exquisite orgasms. But when it came to Killian, words just died on my tongue.
I was worried she’d be mad that I was getting involved with him.
“Even if there was, I can’t live with him and I doubt he’ll let me.” I knew he would, but for the sake of looking innocent and trying to put this complaint to rest, I added it.
“Wes already told him to let you stay there, so I know he won’t kick you out.”
Wait…what?
I sat up straight. Worry and a flicker of unease began to press in on my chest.
“What do you mean exactly?”
Callie’s expression shifted as though she realized what she’d just said. Her eyes widened, and she reached forward to grab my hand as if she knew I was two seconds from darting away.
“I have no idea if Kil would have done it on his own, but Wes wanted to be sure you had somewhere to go.”
I pushed onto my feet, needing space. “So this whole time I’ve just been this charity case among you three?”
“No, not at all.” Callie got to her feet, and my eyes immediately went to her stomach; she wasn’t showing yet, but I was dying for the day she did. I watched her relentlessly, making sure she was okay, safe, healthy. She wasn’t just my best friend; she was like my sister. I loved her like a sister.
I tried to let that connection calm me down. Callie would never do anything to hurt me; she only ever cared about me and wanted to make sure I was okay.
“I’m sorry, I’m just…” I shook my head. “I don’t like being at his mercy, or that he’s had the upper hand this entire time. It makes me feel helpless and angry. He has probably loved the fact that he was helping me or doing me a favor for three months.”
Tears were burning the backs of my eyes, and all I wanted to do was scream.
“I’m going to head into town, I need some fresh air,” I said, about to grab my coat.
This not having a car thing sucked.
Callie rushed around the couch. “But I thought we were going to go shopping to look at baby décor for the nursery?”
Shit. That had me pausing. I really wanted to help her pick out the theme for the baby’s room.
“Well then, let’s get out of here. I just need to move. I feel like I’m coming out of my skin.”
Callie grabbed her purse and coat before turning toward the front.
“Laur, I hate that you’re upset. I only wanted you to feel confident that you can stay put and not have to move right before winter.”
We walked outside and rounded her huge rig.
“How exactly do you think Killian took being told he had to let me stay there from Wes? I think the fact that he told me he was moving in the day after becoming president shows he didn’t take it well.
He was riding out Wes’s order until he was in charge.
Now, he doesn’t give a shit what Wes said, and I wouldn’t stay regardless. I just want my own place.”
Callie started her car, a somber expression tugging her smile down into a frown. We drove in silence, and with each minute that passed, I faced the window fighting angry tears.
“Green would look good.” I smiled, holding up the letter F. I had a name picked out that I wanted to try. I doubted Callie or Wes would take my suggestion, but I was going to slowly push my name into their minds until they thought they were the ones who had come up with it.
Callie smiled, touching the letter and grabbing a few others.
“Felicia?”
I laughed. “No, and your blood test said it was a boy, I thought.”
She shrugged and turned. I inspected her cut.
She had a hoodie on underneath it; the leather vest went over it, and her dark hair was braided to the side.
I had never envied her for wearing a property patch, but something was squirming under my breast, as though the feeling wanted to reach through and grasp the leather for ourselves.
Just to belong to someone. To have someone love me and claim me.
“What if it’s wrong and it’s a girl?”
I shook out of my thoughts and grabbed a rose gold L.
Callie’s eyes widened before she laughed. “No, whatever you’re thinking, the answer is no.”
“Lauren is such a cute name for a girl.” I batted my lashes at her, which made her laugh again.
She turned again and I noticed we had a few women in the store looking over at us.
This was normal to me now; it took a while, but Callie’s cut caught people’s attention.
It was like a cloak of danger that Callie wore with pride, along with the massive rock on her finger, boasting of her marriage to one of the most feared men in Rose Ridge.
That or they were eyeing the bearded man standing by the exit with his hands across his chest.
Wes still had Callie tailed by members of the club, and I knew Killian would never challenge that. Not when Callie was pregnant.
“Excuse me.”
A woman wearing a sheer scarf over a black turtleneck came over, gently putting her hand on my arm, while eyeing Callie furtively.
“Is there something I can help you find? Are you looking for a gift for someone…”
Callie gave me a quick glance before smiling at the woman.
“We’re fine, thank you.”
I pulled my arm away, annoyed that she felt comfortable enough to touch me. I wasn’t a fan of people touching me.
“Well, it’s just…” the woman started, stepping closer to Callie, which made Harris walk over.
The woman’s eyes rounded. “He needs to leave; he’s making the other customers uncomfortable.”
I snorted, making a spectacle of her fear.
“Harris is a teddy bear; in fact, if you ask him nicely, I bet he’d even share his secret chicken and rice casserole recipe with you. He’s a fantastic chef.”
Not as talented in the baking area as Natty, but any chance Red could convince Harris to cook for us, we were all giddy and excited.
The store clerk paled as the beefy biker drew nearer.
“Please, you need to leave.”
Callie’s brows came together. “Are you serious? We haven’t done anything wrong.”
“We just don’t need your sort of trouble in here.”
I pointed between Callie and myself. “Our sort of trouble?”
The frail woman stood straighter. “Just the other week, there was an instance where one of you caught a journalist’s car on fire. It was completely unprovoked and outright criminal.”
My head was spinning. What was she talking about?
“There was nothing on the news about that,” I argued, flicking a quick gaze to Harris.
His stern expression hadn’t shifted, but my best friend’s face was suddenly a light pink color.
With a wrinkled finger pointed at Harris, the woman yelled, “Because they terrorize people and make sure nothing gets reported! My son is a part of the movement trying to get your kind out of Rose Ridge. It starts with us banning you from our stores.”
I started toward the woman, but Callie grabbed my arm.
“It’s not worth it, Laura.”
The clerk sucked in a sharp breath as she focused on me.
“I beg to differ. I think it would be totally worth it.”
Harris made a sound from behind us, and the woman started backing up as if we were going to hit her. I would never hurt someone, but I might make a mess out of her store to show her just how worth it I found it.
Callie pulled my arm, and I gave the woman one last look.
We pushed through the exit, and I was livid.
“What the hell is she talking about?” I peered back at the glass window where the clerk and others were huddled together as if they’d just been harassed or assaulted. Total and complete bullshit.
“Uh…you know about the bloggers or activists that are trying to get the club kicked out of the city?”
I nodded. “I heard them holding court over at The Drip.”
“Well, a few weeks back, Killian did a little demonstration for them in an effort to get their attention off Wes and me.”
Harris stood close with his arms crossed, a small smirk skirting his mouth.
“What sort of demonstration?” I thought about the folders I had sorted before being removed from the job. The images of said ‘demonstrations’ from the past. The burning, the explosions, and the murder.
Callie glanced up at the biker, then winced.
“So it’s true then. He caught the guy’s car on fire?”
“You should see the photos this group has taken; there are kids involved, Laur. I know it sounds harsh, but they’re a hate group, and they need to be stopped.”