Everything had changed.
But how? Why?
What was I thinking? We lived under the same roof, saw each other at meals, in the bar, at club parties. Spending several hours a day around each other had to have been the culprit. Although, that didn’t make any sense either. There’d been plenty of single men around, and I hadn’t felt anything beyond familial love for them.
Pull yourself together, Eve.
I stirred the batter, flicking my eyes at the clock hanging on the wall, then at the large windows. The sun was peeking above the trees, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. It would be a beautiful day with a high of forty-nine. Spring had arrived.
“Sugar, did you hear me?” Tina sidled up beside me and placed two bottles of maple syrup on the island. The assembly of hungry, grumpy bikers would arrive in half an hour.
I was nowhere prepared to seehim. “Hmm? What?”
She eyed me suspiciously. “I’m worried about you, honey.”
“I’ll be fine.” I went to the coffee pot to refill my mug and get away from Tina. She could smell fear and a person’s anxiety like they were her own.
“Right. I don’t believe you.”
I poured a little cream into my coffee, not replying.
She cleared her throat. “What I’d asked when you were lost in your thoughts is if you found it weird that the Viper’s VP wants the Knight’s help.”
I returned to the island. “It’s weird. Has Raul said anything about it?” I hadn’t been privy to details during sex since long before Matt got sick. These bikers had a tendency to drop their guard when they were deep inside their woman. It was good most of the guys were closed off with the kittens and had the mindset of “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.” That was until they met their love. Then they’d sing like a canary while thrusting their way to ecstasy.
When a couple was in love and devoted to each other, it was next to impossible to keep secrets. It was just what happened in a healthy relationship. I missed having such a deep connection to a man.
Dang it, I shouldn’t let my mind go there. My soul whimpered, missing Matt, and my pussy tingled, remembering what it felt like being devoured by Art.
I wondered if the cavalier man knew he’d broken through my iron gate and decimated my convictions.
“He’s not happy Storm is making him stay behind.” Tina’s voice pulled me back to the present.
I bobbed my head way too much, trying to quiet my inner thoughts. “But it makes sense. Just because the VP asked for help and called it a friendly meeting doesn’t mean anything. God forbid it was a trap.” My innards twisted into a knot. “Raul’s the best person to run the club if needed until Maddox is old enough to take over.”
“That’s what I tried to tell my insulant man. He thinks it’s because he’s in his fifties.”
“No way. That’s not it at all.” I poured some batter into the hot waffle maker, then checked on the bacon in the oven. We always cooked bacon and sausage for breakfast to please the guys.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” My dearest friend wouldn’t let up. She knew me too well after more than a decade of friendship.
I removed the tray to set it on the stove.
“Why wouldn’t she be okay?” Storm’s concerned voice raked down my spine.
I waved him off as he approached. “I’m fine. Coffee?” I didn’t wait for an answer and poured him a cup.
“If there’s something I don’t know about, you need to tell me.” His intense aura filled every inch of the kitchen. “I’m concerned about you. You’ve been weird lately.”
“Oh please, there’s always stuff you don’t know about.” I clucked my tongue, giving him an attitude. Storm wasn’t a stupid man. He might act oblivious when it came to people’s feelings and uncaring about most things, but his family meant everything to him. He just wasn’t good with “emotional shit,” as he called it.
He hiked an annoyed eyebrow. “That doesn’t make me happy to hear, Sugar.”
I handed him the mug. “It’s usually personal, girl stuff. I thought you didn’t like hearing about womanly ailments.”
He winced. “I don’t.”
“Exactly. Go sit down. I’ll get your breakfast.” I removed the waffle, put a pat of butter on it, and drizzled some maple syrup. My nephew loved bacon, so I collected four slices. As I assembled his plate, I ignored Tina’s gaze burning into the side of my head. “So why are you here so early?” I set his food in front of him, ignoring my bestie.