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“I should have said something a long time ago,” I say. “I know you tried to get it out of me, but I was trying to protect everyone.”
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I watch them for a moment, then let out my own sigh. What the actual fuck was I even thinking? I can’t believe I thought I could do all this alone.
“I messed up really badly,” I whisper.
Kiplyn reaches out, wraps her fingers around my wrist, and squeezes. Her eyes find mine, and she opens her mouth, but there is a noise at the front door of the bar, and we all whip our heads to the side and watch as it flies open.
I’m not sure what I expect to see, but it isn’t Justin and Charley walking into the room. Gasping, I stand to my feet. Kiplyn’s hand doesn’t leave mine. She holds on to me tightly, almost as if she’s trying to hold me back.
“It’s Justin and Charley,” I explain.
I’ve already told them about my time at the bar and the way those two men took care of me. Kiplyn releases my wrist, and I hurry over to them. Charley is the first one to hold his arms open and wrap them around me in an embrace.
“Hey, girl. We came to check on you.”
He lifts his hands, wrapping his fingers around my biceps, and takes a step backward. His chin dips, and his eyes find mine. He holds my gaze for a moment, searching mine, and he must find something that he likes because he dips his chin in a single nod as he smiles a small smile.
“You look good, healthy and happy.”
“Happy,” I whisper as I place my hand on my belly.
His eyes flick down to my stomach, and he nods once more. “Good. Know you called us just this morning, but Justin wouldn’t fucking have it. He wanted to see for his damn self.”
Shifting my attention to Justin, I give him a smile as I watch him for a moment in silence. There is something with us. Maybe he felt romantic feelings for me, but I never did for him. I love him, just not in that way.
“Been worried. Wanted to make sure you were good. Maybe talk to your man.”
I open my mouth to tell him I’m not sure that would be the best idea when I hear Kiplyn hiss. Looking around Justin, I watch, almost in horror. I’m not exactly sure how I feel as Roadkill, Legacy, and Agony file into the room.
Agony’s gaze flicks to mine, and I watch as his eyes darken almost instantly. He doesn’t say anything. His lips are in a straight line, hidden beneath his short beard, as he makes short work of walking directly over to us.
“Wanna start explaining?” he asks, as if he doesn’t know who Charley and Justin are. He does. He’s just trying to make them sweat.
Charley turns toward him, his eyebrows lifting and his lips turning up into a grin. “I’m sure you already know everything. How the fuck are you doing?” he asks, holding out his hand.
Agony slips his palm into Charley’s, and they shake. “Actually, I was going to call you. Needed to get you to look at a place. Tell me if it’s a good location.”
“Lance?” I ask.
He ignores me as he waits for Charley to answer him. “I’m here for a few hours. We came to check on Reese. Wanted to make sure she was all good. Also, want to talk to you about something.”
“We got church in thirty. Let’s do this now,” Lance says, his voice rumbling.
I don’t know what the hell is going on here. They act like I don’t exist, even though some of this is about me. I open my mouth to say something, to ask some questions, but Lance walks past Charley and straight to me.
He winds his arm around my waist, hauls me against him as close as I can get with my belly, and dips his chin. His mouth slams down against mine in a hard, owning kiss. Then he lifts his head slightly, his eyes open and focused on mine.
“You hang with the girls. I got some shit to do. When I’m done, we’ll do dinner and head home.”
“I don’t know what’s happening,” I exhale.
He chuckles. “I’ll update you where I can, buttercup.”
Lifting my hand between us, I place my palm against his chest and feel his heart beating. It’s rapid and hard against my hand. I love it. There’s something special about the sensation of knowing that I affect him as much as he does me.
“Okay,” I breathe.
He kisses me one more time, then releases his hold and takes a step backward. He turns to Justin and Charley, jerks his chin, and they walk away together. Legacy and Roadkill are with their own women, then they do the same and follow Charley, Justin, and Lance.
