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“That’s what engagement parties are for,” she reminds me, glancing toward the gift table.
I chuckle. “That’s true. But mostly, I’m excited. It feels a bit like a blessing in disguise.”
“The move?”
“All of it, really. Gabriel rescuing me from that fire definitely. But then ending up with you as a friend. Getting pregnant accidentally. Athena finding out I’m aliveafterI get pregnant.Herhappening to be pregnant too. The solution to our much-needed truce being that I find a new place to live. Blackmoor just has so many tainted memories at this point. I’m not sure I could move on if I stayed here. And now Gabriel’s even getting the opportunity to open up his own club chapter. That’s big.” Fiddling with the rip in the knee of my jeans, I think about what I’m going to miss about Blackmoor. And what it comes down to is Starla. Everything else I care about will be moving with me. I have nothing else that still ties me to this town.
“Well, I’m happy for you then.” Starla’s sad smile tells me something deeper is going on there, but I don’t want to press the matter. She’ll tell me when the time is right.
“Are you going to be okay?” I ask tentatively.
“Oh, yeah. Psht. Of course,” she says rather unconvincingly. “But I do plan on coming to visit. Often. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you, Winter. As strange as it sounds, I feel like, in this short amount of time, you’ve become one of my closest friends.”
My chest constricts at the meaningfulness of those words. “I think you’re one of the only true friends I’ve ever had,” I admit. “And definitely the best one by far.”
Starla smiles brightly at that. “Thanks, Winter.”
“What are you girls whispering about over here?” Gabriel asks as he joins us at the bar, a fresh beer in hand.
I tip my head back for a kiss, and he obliges, pressing his lips to mine for several heart-pounding seconds.
“Just what a terrible kisser you are,” Starla teases.
“What?” Gabriel looks genuinely shocked for a moment. Then he growls as he playfully pulls Starla’s head into the crook of his arm as if to give her a noogie. “You take that back. Don’t go putting negative thoughts in my fiancée’s head about my kissing.”
“Okay, okay!” Starla giggles, shoving at his arm until he releases her. “You’re slightly better than mediocre.”
Gabriel glares at her, his finger coming up to wag in her face, but he freezes as the front door of the club bangs open, and none other than Jaxon King and Athena Saint walk in.
33
Winter
The room falls silent,everyone pausing mid-motion as they absorb the sight of Athena in the doorway. She and Jaxon look about as uncomfortable to be there as the club members seem to be about having them. They’re both dressed in appropriate biker attire, Jaxon in a black leather jacket and ripped jeans, his dark hair shaved on the sides and falling over his forehead into his eyes. Athena’s in tight-fitting black jeans and a low-cut top with a leather jacket of her own. Black eyeliner rims her eyes, making the blue that much more prominent against her pale skin and long black hair.
It’s strange to see them standing there, letting in the January cold as they look around the room as though it might be perfectly normal for them to be there when it most definitely is not. And while Athena and I seem to have come to a small truce, she is the one who said she didn’t want to see me around town. Instinctually, I tense, unsure of what their presence could possibly mean.They wouldn’t choose to bump up our moving date, would they? See us having a party and decide it must mean we have time now?
Finally, Mark breaks the awkward silence as he steps forward with a “Hey!” Grasping Jaxon’s shoulder in a friendly grip, Mark guides them inside, and things return to something resembling normal once more. Still, the gazes keep glancing in the duo’s direction, and the conversation has dropped a full decibel, but at least no one is staring anymore.
“Did you invite them?” I ask Starla, glancing over in surprise.
Starla shakes her head with a shrug, her wide eyes saying she’s just as lost as I am.
Athena and Jaxon only talk to Mark briefly, and Athena’s eyes search the room the entire time. I wonder if she’s ever been in this clubhouse before. Her father was a biker, back before he got himself killed for informing the cops. I knew that much because word of it spread around town before she moved onto the Blackmoor estate with her mom and started going to Blackmoor High School, where the elite families got their education.
Her eyes suddenly land on mine, and I feel strange for having been caught staring. I want to look away, but she holds my gaze as her fingers twine with Jaxon’s, and her chin jerks in my direction. Jaxon wraps it up quickly with Mark, and they head our way.
I sense Gabriel bristle defensively beside me, and it’s nice to know we’re on the same page. He doesn’t trust their presence either.
“Congratulations, you two. Word of your engagement spread around town pretty quickly. That’s exciting,” Athena says, her face impassive.
I can’t tell if she’s being sincere or sarcastic. Still, I know responding to any sarcasm won’t help ingratiate me to her. And right now, I know it’s better if I let sleeping dogs lie. “Thank you,” I say stiffly.
“Looks like everyone’s glad to be celebrating your happiness.”
“We are,” Starla says, her tone steady.
Athena’s eyes flick to her for a moment, studying her, and Starla raises her chin proudly. I’ve never seen this side of Starla, the daughter of the president, representing strength and cool-headedness instead of openhearted warmth.
