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“Prospect,” I acknowledged, passing by as I headed to my room.
My steps picked up speed and I couldn’t wait to see Mimi’s smile when I asked about her day. She seemed to like it when I took interest in what she was doing. Didn’t want her to think I was too busy to check in.
When I walked inside, she wasn’t there. Surprised, I checked the bathroom to be sure and then spun, heading back down the hall. After all the time she was spending in my room it was shocking to find her lounging on a barstool. Sipping on a drink, she was chatting away with Becca at the bar. Shadow was standing beside her and lowered his head, whispering something close to her ear.
She tilted her head back and laughed, the sound booming from the center of her chest like the emotion had built over months and years, simmering with impatience, just waiting to be released. It was music –– a beautiful, soul-freeing, devastatingly pure release, and I knew I needed to hear that precious, perfect sound for the rest of my life. In fact, I was going to make it my mission to keep her laughing as often as possible.
I didn’t know what words Shadow had said to her or what sparked the light to return to her eyes.
All I knew was the sudden surge of jealousy that surfaced, hitting my body so hard that I physically jolted. My hands balled into fists as I resisted the urge to
growl. He got her first laugh.
The goddamn prospect.
Swooped in the moment my back was turned. Seething, my temper flared and I was ready to set Shadow straight.
Two bodies flanked me on the left and right as my lip curled into a snarl. Wraith and Exorcist.
Each of my brothers placed a hand on my shoulder and if they hadn’t, I probably would have launched myself forward and kicked that kid’s ass for stealing something from Mimi that should have been mine.
“Stop,” Exorcist ordered low.
“Look, you dumbass,” Wraith added low enough no one else could hear the exchange. “She’s fucking happy. You wanna take that from her?”
My shoulders deflated and my fists slowly opened. He was right. Not only did she seem to be happy and having a good time, but she was smiling. A real smile that fucking lit up the whole fucking room on its own.
“Fuck,” I exhaled. “She does look happy.” That was hard to admit and I didn’t know why. I wanted her to like the Crossroads. The clubhouse was her home too. I wanted her to feel like it was a place she could see belonging to in the future. A place that sheltered her from harm and where I was her fortress.
Ex squeezed and dropped his hand. “She ain’t yours, brother. No property patch on her back.”
Immediately pissed again, I tensed up. “Not yet.”
Wraith let out a low whistle. “I fucking knew it.”
Exorcist chuckled and shook his head. “Get your head outta your ass, Patriot. Plenty of brothers or prospects that wouldn’t mind getting to know her better.”
“Fuck off,” I mouthed off back, not really pissed but annoyed enough to hold onto my anger.
For the first time I realized Mimi could develop feelings for someone else. Maybe she already liked the prospect and had an interest in him. Fuck that. I’d been playing my cards nice and slow, giving her all the time that she needed to heal. Her mental and physical scars would take time to overcome. I understood that but maybe I wasn’t clear when I told her that I wanted her to stay in my room.
I didn’t want another woman. No club girl was half as perfectly flawed. No one else was as beautiful, thoughtful, or smart as my Mimi. She was fierce and she was strong.
She was mine.
Clearly, I needed to make my move before I lost my chance and my sweet little sunshine gave her radiant smiles to another guy.
“HOW DID IT FEEL TO mingle last night?” Shadow asked, sorting the cards in his hand.
“Better than I would have thought. It felt good to laugh and enjoy myself again.” Shuffling the cards around in my hand, I placed them faced down on the table and looked across at my friend. “Still a little weird but I’m making friends and that’s the whole point.”
“Sure is,” he agreed, slapping his cards down before he sat back. “Not feeling cards today.”
“Me either,” I admitted honestly. “I’m feeling cooped up and caged in. I hate that feeling.”
“I’m so with you on that.”
“Wish we had things to do around here. If you don’t drink or smoke or want to play video games then there’s not much else.”
