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The constant buzzing as my mobile phone vibrates across the bedside table is fucking annoying. I realise drinking shots last night was not a good idea as I struggle to focus my blurry eyes. If I turn the phone off, she’ll know I saw her call, so I continue to ignore it.
Following Ace to London was the best thing I ever did. Now, I have to make it work. The plan is to throw myself into the club. The Pres here seems alright, everyone speaks highly of him, and I know he wants to make this charter bigger, so I just gotta prove I can work hard, then I can begin my life again. A new life where she isn’t a part of it. The buzz begins again, and I growl in frustration. When will she get the fucking message?
Breakfast is crazy in this place. Kids are running around, and there are at least five different conversations going across the table. I spot Storm, and he grins, standing to greet me. “Sorry I wasn’t around last night when you arrived. Good ride down?”
I nod, shaking his hand and taking the seat next to him. “Yeah. I haven’t been on a run that long in a while, so it felt good to be back on the road, brother. Deano told me you’d settled down?”
He grins. “I have, brother. She’s the reason I wasn’t around last night. I’ll introduce you when she wakes up. What about you and Ruby? Is she following you here?” I take a deep breath and release it slowly, shaking my head, and he winces. “Sorry, have I put my foot in it?”
“We split a few weeks ago.”
“Shit, never saw that coming. You were always so tight. I mean, weren’t you together since school or some shit?”
I nod, smiling bitterly. “Eighteen years.”
“Fuck, sorry, man.” He pats my shoulder.
“How’s Taya and Seb?”
He smiles fondly, glancing around. “Seb,” he shouts, and a kid comes running over. He was smaller the last time I saw him. “Do you remember Mac from the club in Nottingham?”
Seb nods once, watching me through curious eyes. He was always quiet and withdrawn back then. It doesn’t look like much has changed, until a female gently runs her fingers through his hair, causing a beaming smile to spread across his face. “Good morning, my favourite boy.” She then plants a kiss on Storm, and he smacks her arse before pulling her onto his lap.
“Lottie, meet Mac, my brother from Nottingham.”
“Nice to meet you,” she says, grinning. “Are you sticking around?” she asks.
I nod. “I think so.”
“Well, then, welcome aboard.”
* * *
After breakfast, I hit church. Riggs is more organised than my president back in Nottingham. He has an agenda and works his way down, telling us what work needs doing, and seeing as I’m gonna step up as Treasurer, alongside Blade, my first job will be to go over the books and catch up. Cree, the VP, hands me what I need. “You can stay in here and get some peace,” he adds.
I wait for the other men to file out before I move to a small desk in the far corner and get stuck in. I’ve always been good with numbers. It was one thing I did right at school. While I got bad reports in every lesson, math was always glowing.
An hour later, the door swings open and the woman from last night, Raven, bounces in wearing exercise clothes and earbuds plugged in her ears. I bite back a grin as she proceeds to sing out of tune along with whatever she has blasting in her ears and begins stretching. She dips her head, snapping it back and letting her long, deep red hair fly wildly around her head before breaking out into Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies”.
She suddenly stops and growls, pressing a button on her headset. “What?” I realise she’s answered a phone call. “No, I’m busy . . . because I have a life, Vinn.” She rolls her eyes and turns slightly, jumping back when her eyes land on me. “I have to go.” She presses another button on the headset before narrowing her eyes on me. “How long have you been hiding there?”
“I wasn’t hiding,” I say. “When’s Beyoncé signing you to her label?” I snigger.
“It’s not polite to hide in corners watching women dance,” she snaps.
“Does Riggs know you’re using church as an exercise room?”
She huffs, folding her arms across her chest, pushing her breasts higher. My eyes are naturally drawn there, and she huffs again until I make eye contact. “I come in here to hide away from perving eyes.”
“Still, I don’t think he’d be happy.”
“Well, you keep quiet about this, and I won’t tell the women you were sneaking around watching me.”
I laugh, nodding. “Fine. Deal.” We shake on it, and the moment my hand grips hers, I feel a spark. We stare at each other for a few silent seconds before she takes off, closing the door hard behind her. “Fuck,” I hiss out loud. That’s a complication I don’t need.
