Chapter 9
FROST
The clubhouse is loud with music pounding, brothers laughing, the clink of beer bottles, and the crack of pool balls. It's exactly the kind of chaos I'd normally lose myself in. Tonight, I can't.
I'm standing near the bar, beer in hand, trying to look like I'm having a good time and not like I'm falling apart.
Yeah, I'm pregnant. Sure, why else would I be getting married in a hurry?
Hope’s words keep replaying in my head, over and over, like a song I can't turn off. I take a long pull from my beer, but it tastes like nothing.
Does she love me? Or is this whole thing just... damage control?
I thought I knew. I thought what we had was real. But now? Now I don't know anything.
“Yo, Frost!” Chaos drops onto the stool next to me, grinning widely. “You good, man? You look like you're about to puke again.”
I force a laugh, shaking my head. “Nah, I'm good. Still a little off from last night.”
“Food poisoning's a bitch,” he agrees, clinking his bottle against mine. “But hey, at least you got it out of your system before the big day, right?”
“Uh huh. Lucky me.”
Chaos studies me for a second, his grin fading a little. “You sure you're alright? You seem, I don't know… tense.”
I shrug, taking another drink. “Tired.”
“Tired,” he repeats, not buying it. “Oookay.”
Eagle walks over, arms crossed, his sharp eyes locked on me. “Getting cold feet?”
I blink. “What?”
“Cold feet,” he repeats like it's obvious. “You're getting married in two days, brother. It's normal to be nervous.”
“I'm not nervous,” I say quickly.
Chaos laughs. “Dude, you're totally freaking out.”
“No, I'm no—”
“It's okay to be nervous,” Eagle cuts in, his voice steady. “Marriage is a big deal. You're making a huge commitment, tying yourself to one person for life. It's supposed to feel heavy.”
I clench my jaw, staring down at my beer. Heavy doesn't even begin to cover it.
“Look,” Eagle continues, leaning against the bar. “I've seen you with Hope. I've seen the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. Whatever you're feeling right now… It's just nerves. It'll pass.”
I'm pregnant.
I swallow hard, forcing myself to nod. “Yeah. You're probably right.”
“Of course, I'm right,” Eagle says, clapping me on the shoulder. “You love her. She loves you. That's all that matters.”
If only it were that simple.
Chaos grins, nudging me with his elbow. “Besides, man, it's too late to back out now. The flowers are ordered, the cake's ready, and Amy will literally murder you if you bail.”
I manage a weak laugh. “She would.”
“Damn right she would,” Chaos says. “That woman's terrifying.”
Hawk walks over, beer in hand. “Son,” he says, his voice low and steady. “You good?”
I meet his eyes, and for a second, I think about telling him, telling all of them, but I can't. Not yet.
I nod. “I'm good.”
Hawk studies me for a long moment before speaking again. “Marriage is a leap, son. But if you're jumping with the right person? It's totally worth it, at least it was with your mom.”
“I know,” I say quietly.
He claps me on the back, then moves on, leaving me with Chaos.
“See?” Chaos says, grinning. “Even your dad says you're good. So, stop looking like someone kicked your bike and have some fun.”
“I’m having fun,” I growl.
Chaos laughs. “You need to pull that stick out of your ass first. I think it’ll help.”
Colt, who’s been eavesdropping, shakes his head, smirking. “Ignore him. Relax, Frost. In a couple of days, you’re marrying the woman you love. Everything else is just noise.”
I force a smile that I hope appears genuine. “You're right.”
I can’t relax when I’m drowning. Chaos and Colt drift off, pulled into another conversation, and I'm left standing there, beer in hand, surrounded by my brothers.
They think I'm nervous about the wedding, that I have cold feet. They have no idea what’s going on inside my head right now or what Hope is hiding from me.
I drain the rest of my beer, setting the bottle down harder than I mean to.
Does she love me? Or does she just need me? If she needs me to provide for the baby... is that enough? I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.
Hope and Amy step through the door, their arms connected together.
She's here.
My heart pounds, and my hands clench into fists at my sides. I don't know what to do or what to say to her to get her to open up. In a few seconds, she's going to make her way over to me, and I'm going to have to look her in the eye. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can do it without breaking.