BAKER (Devil's Disciples Book 1)(55)

“Kind of.”

“Why didn’t you just put it on one of those little leather vests? Like all the other motorcycle gangs do?”

“Club. We’re a motorcycle club. And, I didn’t do that because I’m not like everyone else and this club’s not like anyone else’s.”

“What makes it different?”

I walked to the edge of the bed and sat. “Most motorcycle clubs are filled with men that need the club for one reason or the other. They didn’t have enough attention paid to them when they were kids. Their parents got divorced. Someone took their lunch money in school. They tried to join the police force and couldn’t pass the psychiatric exam. Whatever it is they wear their colors on their vests proudly as a deterrent to outsiders. That patch says, don’t fuck with me, I’m a badass, and I’ve got a hundred brothers that will kick your teeth in if you don’t believe me.”

“And this Devil’s Disciples club isn’t like that?”

“Not at all. We’re not in it for recognition. Actually, quite the opposite. We’ve got the tattoos to prove our loyalty to one another. To prove our lifelong commitment.”

“So, it’s a forever thing?”

“It is.”

“I guess that’s okay.”

I drew a long breath and then looked at her. “It’s an outlaw club.”

“What does that mean?”

“We’re…” Considering what she’d told me about her ex, telling her any version of the truth wasn’t going to be easy. I couldn’t tell her everything. But, if we were going to have any kind of a future together, I had to tell her something. “We’re. We don’t always follow the rules and regulations that the rest of society does.”

“Bikers never do, do they?”

I chuckled. “Probably not.”

She nodded slowly.

There was a high probability that she had no idea what I was taking about. As much as I wanted to end the conversation, I knew I had to elaborate.

I looked her in the eyes. “We break the law.”

Her eyes thinned. “On purpose?”

“Sometimes.” I let her chew on my response for a few seconds, and then clarified. “Actually, quite often. Before you ask, I’m bound by an oath not to discuss what we do. But, I can tell you this: I’m a good person, and other than what I’ve got to do to honor that oath, I’ll never lie to you, and I’ll never hurt you. Ever.”

She looked away. After a moment, she met my gaze. “I know you’re a good person. You prove it to me all the time.”

Her gaze fell to the floor. For a moment, she stared blankly, and then looked up. “So, this is a lifetime commitment? This club?”

“It is.”

She shifted her eyes to the bed. “I want to think about all of this. It’s a lot to take in.”

I stood. “Take you time.”

I finished getting ready while she brushed her teeth and changed into the prior night’s clothes. After a silent cup of coffee and a slice of dry of toast, she asked if I’d walk her out.

I had two options. Taking her down the stairs, which would bypass the clubhouse, or taking her down the elevator, which would lead her right through it, in front of any of the early risers. It was Cash and Ghost that normally showed up early, and my guess was that they were downstairs.

So, I chose the latter.

If we were going to take even one step in the direction of a relationship, there were a lot of things I was going to have to take ownership of.

One of those things was her.

I pushed the front door open and gestured toward the corridor. “After you.”

We walked side by side to the elevator. Together, we took a tense ride down one story. Our reasons for the tension we felt were different, but I rode knowing they were both the product of my life’s choices.

When the doors opened, I stepped out first. As we passed by the entrance to the clubhouse, Cash met my gaze. His jaw clenched tight. Ghost gave a silent nod, and Reno did the same. All three of them knew my position regarding manners, and I hoped Cash didn’t make a fool of himself before we got out of the hallway.

“Mornin, Boss,” Ghost said.

I gave a nod. “Morning.”

Reno cleared his throat. “Morning, Boss.”

Another nod. “Reno.”

“Morning, Prez,” Cash said.

It didn’t surprise me that he had to say it. He had no idea that I’d told Andy, but he felt the need to get under my skin, because I’d got under his.

I turned to face them. “Fellas, this is Andy. Andy, this is Reno, Ghost, and Cash.”

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Two likewises and one grunt followed.

I walked her to the entrance of her building, all the while wishing things between us hadn’t got awkward. But, they had. Before I could apologize, say goodbye, or ask when I may see her next, she hugged me.

When she pulled away, she looked at me for an instant, and then turned around.

“I need some time to think,” she said over her shoulder.

My lips parted, but I didn’t speak. Frozen by fear of the unknown, I stood statue-still and watched as she disappeared through the doorway.