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Everything smells so good. I begin to stand, but Priest stops me with a hand on my shoulder. “I got it.”
Ava smiles brightly, and Abigail is grinning, but clearly trying not to show it.
“I love this,” Ava says. “Priest needs someone awesome.”
“But you don’t even know me.”
“By the end of the night, we’ll be great friends,” she says.
I remember I haven’t called Bethany. “I want that, but first I have to call my friend Bethany. I just need a couple of minutes.” I excuse myself and take my phone to check in with my bestie.
Bethany’s thrilled to hear from me, but sounds really tired. We keep the conversation short, but make plans to reconnect tomorrow and try for a do-over for our mani-pedi outing.
By the time I come back into the room, the guys have made themselves comfortable by pulling up chairs next to their wives. Priest is sitting on the carpet, leaving the corner spot on the sofa open for me, with a plateful of food sitting on the coffee table.
I don’t know what to expect, but the evening progresses smoothly. Guard, Ghost, and Priest talk about cars and bounty hunting, but jump into the conversation that Abby, Ava, and I are having. Everyone’s relaxed, and before long, I’m getting a rundown on the Lady Pride and have been invited to Millie’s Diner for coffee, then to Hanna’s Bakery for dessert.
Ava’s right. Before the end of the evening, I feel that I’ve made two new friends. Guard and Ghost are different from what I expected. I thought bikers were mean, tough guys, and they probably are when they need to be, but they’ve been wonderful with me, and anyone can see that their wives are everything to them.
It’s easy to hang with these guys. Normally, I’m a little awkward around new people, but this is just plain easy.
SEVEN
I Don’t Want to Leave
PRIEST
Ilike watching Quinn laugh, and Ava and Abby are two of the sweetest women I know. Ava is a leader in our club, whether she knows it or not. When the president of an MC marries his queen, she becomes the center for the women who come into the club. I don’t think Ava sees it that way. She does what she does and goes about doing it very authentically.
Between Ava and Vi, the two original women in the club, they formed the Lady Pride. It’s their way of bringing any new wives or girlfriends into the fold. The club is sacred. Guard took our club and changed it from drugs and guns to viable businesses that make legit money. He wanted a life for himself and his brothers and vowed to make it happen.
Other MCs had a problem with what Guard was doing, and although it was before my time, I’ve heard the stories of battles fought. The Pride came out the other side, and along with it came some good leaders from other MCs who wanted the same changes made in their own clubs.
Are we one-hundred-percent clean? The world isn’t black and white. There’s a whole lot of gray, and we encounter a ton of black. Guard’s rule is to end with a win, but never to start the fight. Unfortunately, we’ve been tested often, and many of us have the battle scars to prove it.
I still have to live with the fact that my dead brother, John, was the cause of one of their greatest battles with a rival gang. The Pride got involved because of Steady’s love for my sister. It’s not about one brother, it’s about the tribe.
When Roscoe was run off the road and was picked up by Willow, who saved him from certain death, she automatically become one of us. And when those same men came for her, they found a band of Pride brothers instead. From Mafia crime families, gangs, and rival clubs, the Pride has been tested time and time again. Do we have blood on our hands? Yeah. Do we regret it? Hell, no. If you come after our family, we’re going to fight back.
I wish I’d learned that lesson when Camille needed me the most. It seems that Camille’s gotten past it. Steady too. My brothers haven’t even brought it up. My best friend, Wildcard, who is the last person I thought I would end up being friends with, stands firmly by my side.
“It’s getting late, and we need to pick up the kids,” Ava says with a heavy sigh. “Now don’t forget, we’re doing coffee this week.” She gives Quinn one last hug.
“Come by the library. We’ll walk over together,” Abigail says before heading out with Ghost.
With everyone gone, the apartment is quiet. Suddenly, I feel nervous. Quinn’s not just any woman. She’s my girl.
“I like your friends. Ava and Abigail are lovely,” Quinn murmurs.
“They’re good people, babe.” I sit next to her. “Wildcard is on a run today for the club, but he’s going to want to meet you soon. We’re pretty tight. He’s engaged to Charlotte. You might have met her at the club that night we met.”
“Bethany mentioned that there was another girl who was celebrating her engagement that night.”
“That’s her. You’ll like her. Charli just started her own business. She’s a dress designer. I know nothing about fashion, but the rest of the women say she’s really talented.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Quinn smiles. “Ava was saying that I have to meet Camille. Ava also says that you’re going to get in trouble because your sister should be the first one to meet your new girlfriend,” she teases.
“Ava seems to have a lot to talk about,” I joke. “Camille’s going to want to meet you, but not to check you out. Probably to warn you off.” I chuckle.
