She rounded the bumper, glancing up at the house. She had little time for a proper inspection. Cleo grabbed her hand, leading her up the stairs to the front porch and inside the door.
Addison wasn’t sure what she was expecting. But this wasn’t it. It was an actual house that had been renovated. What would’ve been the living room had a full bar set up on one end. There were a few small tables and couches. Beyond that was what looked like a traditional dining room table that had seen much better days. It was a lot to take in, but nothing put her on alert more than the men at the table and in the surrounding area.
As if it wasn’t intimidating enough meeting anyone’s family, she was met with several large, brutish, tattooed men and not a smile in the room. The vibe and mood was very reminiscent of her meeting with Wraith and Cross. So much for wishful thinking.I’m definitely in hostile territory.
“There she is.”
Addison darted her gaze around the men in search of the voice. She locked eyes on the redhead seated at the table. He leaned back in his chair, smiling.I stand corrected.Maybe there was at least one welcoming biker.
“The only woman to ever steal Knox’s heart.” He winked. “Literally.”
Oh, this is not going to go well.
“Gent!” Cleo snapped and pointed at him. “You said you’d be nice.”
Oh God!Did she have to bribe them? Addison was under the impression this meeting was their idea. She glanced over at Cleo, whose smile seemed too wide and forced.
“Darlin’, I’m being honest. Women loved your brother. And he equally enjoyed them but was never willing to settle down and commit.” Gent shifted his eyes to Addison. “Not willing to give anyonehis heart. Until you, darlin’.”
Cleo grabbed her hand, scowling at Gent. The tension in the room was so high she felt herself swaying toward Cleo for comfort. It was obvious she was her only ally in the room. Addison tried to relax her features, but her anxiousness was getting the best of her.
“So you know Wraith, and that’s Cypher next to him.” Cleo pointed to the two men standing beside the table.
Addison mustered up what she hoped was a pleasant smile. It was anyone’s guess how it came across. Wraith glared back at her while the other man wasn’t quite as angry looking, though he didn’t seem to acknowledge her with anything more than his eyes.
Cleo moved her hand a few inches, aimed at the table. “That’s Ghost.” The man in the ballcap dipped his chin. “And that’s Oak.” He smiled, though it came across mockingly. Cleo pointed to the opposite side of the room. “Cue.” He lifted his chin, and his gaze softened slightly. She wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but it was appreciated. “Gent’s already done his own introduction. And you met Cross.”Yes, I did.
Addison smiled, but was only met with a harsh glare before he looked away and grabbed his drink, taking a long sip.
“And Ace. He’s the president of the club.” Cleo gestured to the man seated at the head of the table.
He was older than the rest, maybe in his mid to late forties. The combination of his dark and silver hair was tied back at his nape. There was no welcome or warmth coming from him. Hestared at her as if she was the enemy. In fact, that seemed to be the consensus among all the bikers.
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Miraculously, her voice didn’t shake, and for that she was truly thankful. Considering the butterflies in her belly, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest, and the tingling energy racing through her body, this was a win. Now if she could just maintain it.
“Ah, darlin’. The pleasure is all ours.” Gent pulled out the empty chair at the end of the table next to him. “Have a seat.”
It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was in their house. Cleo let go of her arm, pulled a chair next to Addison’s, and they sat down.
“Cleo said you’ve been writing for a while.” Ace grabbed his glass of amber liquor and sipped it, staring at her over the rim.
She was about to answer, but Cleo chimed in.
“Over a year now.”
Ace’s eyes shifted to Cleo and hardened.
“I was asking her.”
Cleo shrunk slightly in her chair, peeking over at Addison. Her empathy was evident and appreciated but not necessary. Knowing she was on enemy territory, Addison would approach this accordingly. She would be as pleasant as possible, and above all, respectful. But she had no hope of winning them over. They’d already made up their minds about her.Let’s just get through this cordially.
“Yes, like Cleo said we’ve been corresponding for over a year. But she’s a much better pen pal than I am. She’s really good at writing letters.”
“Thank you,” Cleo muttered, which made her smile.
“Why?”
Addison raised her brow. “Why?”
