“Guess not now,” Clutch said. “He never married one of them. Actually, he never saw one more than a single night.” He roared with laughter again.
Janine rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, sweetie,” she said. “How have things been, seriously?”
“Okay,” I said. “Stressful obviously. Lots of stuff going on.”
She nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but I hear it’s crazy.”
“And you don’t need to know,” Clutch grumbled.
Janine gave him a sarcastic look. “Club business, I know,” she said.
I laughed, shaking my head. I’d never noticed before the genuine affection between Clutch and Janine, but it was definitely there. I wasn’t sure either of them noticed it yet. Maybe they would.
I drank a gin and tonic and sat around, still floating on air from my sex with Ford earlier. The morning attack was fading into memory, though the fear still lingered at the edges of my mind.
Still, there was something else there pushing away everything else. It was a feeling that I thought had gone away a long time ago, a long-buried feeling.
Ford gave it to me. Ford made me float, made me feel right, safe, good. I realized in that moment that I had been waiting for Ford to come back for so long, for the man on the bike to finally return and pull me away from everything I was trying to get away from.
My time with Rod was just a placeholder for Ford. I hated to admit that, but Rod just never made me feel the way that Ford did. Rod was a good guy, a good friend, but I didn’t love him.
I didn’t love him like I was in love with Ford.
The thought hit me like a lightning bolt.
I was in love with Ford Cook. I was in love with my husband, my badass biker husband.
“Caralee.”
I looked up, startled. Ford was grinning at me.
“Oh. Hey.”
“You okay?”
“Sure. I’m fine.” I could tell that I was blushing, so I covered it by taking a sip of my drink.
I hoped he couldn’t read my mind, because I was sure that if he knew how I felt, he’d probably run screaming.
Ford didn’t seem like the love type.
Still, I felt it. And it wasn’t just the sex; it was everything. He was strong, decisive, attractive, ripped, generous, funny when he wanted to be, and above all, he was himself.
Ford sat down next to me. TomTom was bartending again, and he brought Ford a beer.
“How’d it go in there?” I asked him.
“Yeah, what’s the old man say?” Clutch added.
“Everything’s fine,” he grunted, but I could tell that wasn’t exactly true. “He’s meeting with the council soon to figure out next moves.”
“Typical,” Clutch said, shaking his head. “The council talks and talks and we’re left out here, ready to do the damn dirty work.”
“Someone has to lead,” Ford said simply, sipping his beer.
I looked at him and could tell something had happened. But he wanted to keep it from Clutch, for whatever reason.
I smiled and put my hand on Ford’s leg. “Come here,” I said, and I stood up.
He look at me, a wicked grin crossing his face. “So soon?”
“Come on.”
Janine and Clutch laughed as I led Ford back toward the bathrooms. “Can’t say I’m surprised you want another taste already,” he said, grabbing my hips.
I pushed him away. “Stop that. I want to know what happened.”
“Nothing, like I said.”
“Ford. Tell me.”
He sighed. “Might as well tell you the truth.”
I crossed my arms. “Well?”
“So, here’s the deal. We think the Rebels were acting as a middle man for some South American cartel. Just a few minutes ago, I found diamonds hidden inside the heroin, probably meant for the Snakes.”
I nodded slowly. “That’s why they wanted that shipment so badly.”
“Right. They have millions in that briefcase, and they thought you’d stolen it.”
“Shit,” I said. “What’s going to happen?”
“The council is deciding whether we’re returning the case or not.”
I stared at him. “So basically, if they don’t return the case, it’s going to be war, right?”
“All-out war,” he said, frowning. “Who knows if we’ll survive.”
I pressed myself against him. “We’ll get through it.”
“Caralee,” he started.
“Wait,” I said. “Hold on. I want to say something.”
I looked up at him and he nodded. “What?”
“I know I’m not really your wife, but I’m glad you married me.”
“Me too.”
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m starting to feel things.” I blushed and had to look away. I felt so stupid all of a sudden. Why couldn’t I just say how I felt? “You know, stuff I never intended.”
“I love you too, Caralee,” he said.
My heart practically skipped a beat. “What?”
“We can stop with the fucking games. We might all be dead soon anyway.” He held me harder.
“I love you,” I whispered.
We stood like that in the back alcove of the Demons clubhouse, holding each other, afraid of what was going to happen.