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It surprised the fuck out of me. Apparently somewhere between stitching up bullet wounds, insulting half the brothers and putting Shadow in his place more than once, Maria had become part of the club. Even if she wasn’t mine anymore. The thought still made my heart shatter.
The door opened and my head lifted automatically.
Maria stepped inside.
Fuck.
She looked beautiful, she wasn’t even dressed up. She wore jeans that hugged her curves and a simple black, v-neck top.
The room erupted. “SURPRISE!”
She jumped and I couldn’t help smiling. Her eyes moved around the clubhouse, taking in the balloons. A banner Ghost and Reaper had spent twenty minutes arguing over. A cake that looked suspiciously like it had been dropped at some point.
Then her eyes found mine.
My smile disappeared and everything else did too. I wanted to go to her, wish her happy birthday, tell her she looked beautiful and kiss her, but I lifted my beer slightly and mouthed Happy birthday.
Her mouth softened. Then Shadow stepped in front of her and stole her attention.
I stayed where I was. I’d told her I wouldn’t ask again. I meant it. But leaving Maria alone while she stood twenty feet away from me turned out to be fucking torture.
She laughed with Ghost, opened presents, hugged Shadow, which might’ve been the funniest thing I’d seen in years, considering he looked like somebody had shoved a live grenade into his arms.
I kept my distance like she’d asked. I didn’t use her birthday as an excuse to give her some huge fucking present that would make her feel like she owed me something. I’d bought her one. Of course, I fucking had. It was sitting in our room, in our apartment. I’d give it to her another day.
“Riot.”
I looked sideways to find Sylvie, one of the club girls, standing beside me.
“What?”
She leaned against the bar. “You look miserable.”
“Feel fantastic.”
She laughed. “You and the nurse still done?”
My eyes moved automatically across the clubhouse, looking for her. Maria was talking to Shadow and not paying any attention to me at all.
“Yep.”
“Then why are you sitting here?”
“Because it’s my clubhouse?”
Sylvie rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
I took another drink, knowing where this was going and not wanting any part of it.
“I could cheer you up.”
“Not interested.”
“Come on, Riot.” Her hand landed against my chest.
I caught her wrist and removed it. “Don’t.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “She dumped you.”
