“Because they’re criminals?” I blurted out.
The four women sitting in Colt’s living room all glanced at one another. Allison appeared uncomfortable, Rachel clearly was deferring to Darcy, as did Joni with an arch of her eyebrow.
“There are things as Old Ladies that even we don’t know,” Darcy began slowly. “But what I can tell you is this; our men are strong, loyal, and fiercely protective. They provide for their families and give back to the community.”
Darcy hadn’t answered my question outright. She neither confirmed nor denied the Blue Angels were involved in criminal activity. Maybe she wouldn’t disclose any of it unless I became one of them. Maybe she genuinely didn’t know. Though I was curious, it wasn’t enough of a reason to dive all in.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I didn’t mean to—I don’t know. I didn’t know how to ask that question without coming out and asking it.”
“I didn’t grow up knowing anything about bikers,” Darcy began. “Wasn’t in my sphere of knowledge, you know? I grew up sheltered. Really sheltered—and not in the good way. My friend from college took me to a party—I thought we were going to a frat thing. She surprised the hell out of me when she pulled up outside the Blue Angels clubhouse. I almost didn’t go inside, but she talked me into it. The bitch disappeared almost immediately with one of the brothers, leaving me to fend for myself.”
She smiled in fond remembrance. “A guy came up to me and offered me a beer. It was Gray and he didn’t leave my side all night. He knew I was uncomfortable. We spent the evening hanging out in his clubhouse room talking about music and our childhoods. The next morning, my friend stumbled out of a clubhouse room and we left. I never expected to see Gray again, but the next weekend he drove to Austin to see me. Stood outside my dorm building. Took me to lunch at this diner on the side of the highway that still has the best hash browns I’ve ever tasted. By the end of that year—my junior year—I became his Old Lady. My parents shit a brick when I brought him home. They threatened to cut me off if I didn’t break up with him. I knew he was the man for me, so I told them to go ahead. Gray helped pay my final year of college so I could get my degree. He not only took care of me financially, but emotionally, too. See, my parents’ love was conditional. Be the daughter they wanted and they’d continue to pay for my life. It was no life at all, really.”
“Everything in our world moves fast,” Rachel added. “It was the same with me and Reap. I chose to be with him after three weeks of dating.”
The idea of committing to Colt so soon after we’d met was still a foreign concept. And no stories from the other Old Ladies would sway me about it. I hadn’t had a lot of control in my short life. Mom died when I was young. Grammie died when I was in my early twenties. I’d been too numb to live and now I was tangled up with MC business thanks to my asshole of a boss.
I wasn’t going to settle down with some biker. The idea was ludicrous. It didn’t matter how much I liked Colt or felt like he saw a piece of me that no one else did. I would have to be crazy to choose this life…to choose danger.
It was too intense. It was too much. Colt was too much.
“We need more margaritas,” I muttered, jumping up from my seat, attempting to escape the eyes resting on me.
“I’ll make them,” Allison volunteered. The bottle blonde had been quiet, but when she took the pitcher from me, she gave me a small smile. Leaning a bit closer, she whispered, “Do what’s right for you. Whatever that looks like.”
I smiled at her in gratitude, but before Allison could leave the room, Joni stopped her.
“We can have more margs later,” Joni said, getting up from her spot on the carpeted floor. “Colt has a kick-ass sound system. Let’s dance. Your feet okay?”
“They don’t hurt at all.” I nodded. “Dancing sounds like fun.”
“That’s tequila for you,” Darcy said.
Joni turned on music and before I knew it, the five of us were bouncing around Colt’s living room, laughing like loons and enjoying the hell out of ourselves. I liked them; they were straight shooters, which I greatly appreciated. Their offers of friendship felt genuine and even though I had no idea how long I’d be stuck in Waco, it was nice that there was a group of women who were willing to accept me into their fold. Despite my blunders, despite my reservations, despite the fact that I’d been judgmental about the Blue Angels and what I thought I knew of them.
“What the hell is going on?” Colt demanded, taking in the scene of dancing women.
I hadn’t even heard him come in, but the look of astonishment on his face had me giggling.
Joni cut the music and said, “You’ve been acting like a prison guard. So we came to entertain her.”
“We approve. Just so you know,” Rachel stated.
“I don’t need your approval,” Colt grumbled.
No one looked uncomfortable or afraid of him. I found that oddly fascinating. While I was studying his expression, I wobbled and had to reach out to steady myself using the back of the couch.
Colt looked at his sister. “I blame you for this.”
“Me?” Joni raised her eyebrows. “Are you referring to the mess or Mia’s inebriated state?”
“I’m not that inebriated.” I hiccoughed which only caused the girls to snigger. “Okay, maybe I’m slightly toasted. But I can still walk a straight line. Want me to prove it?”
“Please, don’t,” Colt said. “The last thing I need is for you to trip over your own two feet and hurt yourself. You’re a walking liability, you know that, right?”
I wrinkled my nose and stuck out my tongue.
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Joni said to the others. “This feels like some weird version of foreplay.”