Angel smiled. “Kind of.”
“Are you afraid Wolf won’t step up?” Shannon asked hesitantly.
“I don’t want him if it’s that way,” Crystal replied with conviction. The last thing she wanted was a man that resented her or that was with her because he felt trapped into it. She finished the water and set it down. “Promise me this is between us. You can’t tell Cole or Crash. Promise me.” She searched both their faces.
Shannon nodded. “All right. I promise.”
Angel squeezed her hand, looking meaningfully into her eyes. “Take some time to get used to the idea yourself. You don’t have to share the news with him right away, or decide anything yet, but no matter what you decide, he needs to know.”
Crystal just stared at her. If anyone knew about that, it was Angel.
“Crystal, you know how things went down with Cole and I. He was so upset that I’d kept it from him. And now look at how happy we are.”
Crystal nodded. “But that’s you and Cole. Wolf…he’s…”
“He’s what?”
“He’s always been so adamant right from the start that he wasn’t looking for an ol’ lady.”
“You think Cole didn’t say the same thing to me?”
Shannon smiled. “I think Crash may have said about the same thing to me, too.”
“See?” Angel insisted.
Crystal managed a tremulous smile. Her friends meant well. And in their cases, things had worked out. And she was glad for them. But she and Wolf were a different story. They had such a complicated relationship as it was, if you could even call what they had a relationship. And now to add this to it? She couldn’t even imagine what Wolf’s reaction would be. He was such a hard man to figure out. He took the term complicated to a whole other level.
On one hand, he didn’t want to be tied down. No strings. That had been his requirement from the very start. Yet, at the same time, he was so territorial and possessive of her. Hell, when they first met, he’d made sure the rest of his brothers knew to back off her.
She nodded, more to reassure her friends than anything else.
CHAPTER THREE
Crystal was at the clubhouse, behind the bar slinging drinks for the club’s weekly Friday night party. The place was packed with members, hang-a-rounds, friends and sweet-butts.
Crystal was partially distracted by her thoughts. A week had passed since she’d discovered she was pregnant, but she still hadn’t come to terms with her situation or worked up the courage to say anything to Wolf. God, what a coward she was turning out to be.
Red Dog reached across the bar and tugged on a lock of her hair. “You doin’ okay, doll?”
She blinked, putting a smile on. “Sure, Dog. You want a beer?”
“Does a bear piss in the woods?”
She popped the top on a bottle and slid it in front of him. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Red Dog grinned and took a long pull off the bottle. Her eyes slid over his shoulder, and her smile faded. Wolf strolled in with his arm around Misty.
She watched as he greeted several of his brothers with back slaps, and then his eyes lifted and connected with hers. He had the gall to wink at her.
Red Dog noticed her gaze aimed at the door and twisted to look over his shoulder. He let out a loud, “Huh. Don’t even concern yourself, Crystal. She’s ain’t worth it. He’s just trying to make a point.”
“And what is that point, Dog?”
“That he can’t be caught, can’t be tied down.”
“Yeah. I think I’ve had my nose rubbed in that ‘point’ before.”
“Then fucking do something about it.”