Page 29 of My Protective Biker

Carina's shoulders ease slightly. "Thanks. How are you doing?"

"Better. Sydney's been helping me process." Zoe glances toward where the women are gathered near the pool table. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

She takes Carina's hand and leads her across the room before I can intervene. I watch them go and Clint appears at my shoulder.

"That your woman?"

"Yeah."

"She know what she's getting into?"

"Told her everything. She chose it anyway."

Clint nods slowly, watching Carina across the room. "I'm going to talk to her. Make sure she understands what family means here."

"I figured."

"You good with that?"

"Wouldn't bring her here if I wasn't."

He heads toward the bar and I stay where I am, tracking Carina as Zoe introduces her to the women. Sydney shakes her hand first, warm and welcoming. Natalie is next, smiling easy. Anna assesses her with that direct gaze before nodding approval. Katherine says something that makes Carina laugh.

She's holding her own. Not trying too hard, not performing. Just being exactly who she is.

Tate appears beside me with two beers, hands me one. "She looks steady."

"She is."

"Three days is fast."

I look at him. "You telling me that matters?"

"No." He takes a drink. "Just making an observation."

Cain joins us, laptop already under his arm even though church hasn't started yet. "New intel came in an hour ago. Crane's planning something for this weekend. Two locations confirmed as targets."

"The Anchor?"

"And the school."

My jaw tightens. "He's going after civilians."

"He's desperate," Cain says. "Lost too much ground. This is him trying to prove Vigil can't protect the town."

Across the room I see Dean approach Zoe. She turns and her whole face changes, something bright and open appearing that wasn't there before. He says something low and she laughs, her hand coming up to touch his arm. The contact is brief but I see it. See the way he looks at her when she does it.

Twenty years Dean's been my brother. My best friend in this club. And now he's looking at my daughter like she's the only person in the room.

"You seeing this?" Tate asks quietly.

"Yeah."

"You going to handle it?"

"Not tonight." I take a drink. "But soon."

Chuck appears with his easy grin, surveys Carina across the room. "That the vet who patched you up?"