She was a superhero.
Or at the very least a witch.
Her eyes widened as she took me—and presumably my uncharacteristic yell—in. “Oh my God, someone got laid,” she breathed, yanking me into a somewhat awkward but warm embrace.
She held me back at arm’s length to run her eyes over me. “Yeah, you got laid good. I’m so happy for you.” She pulled me into her arms again before releasing me completely. Her eyes went behind me, locking in on Jen, and all warmness of before seeped out of them as she transformed her friendly and welcoming gaze into something else.
Lucy had the power to be intimidating. Very freaking intimidating. She was tall, absolutely beautiful, and a total ass-kicking babe. But she hadn’t utilized that power. Not in front of me, anyway.
She was utilizing it now. And it made me uncomfortable.
“Lucy, this is Jen,” I said, trying to warm the air. “She’s the new columnist. Jen, this is Lucy. She used to be the best journalist in Amber, but then she moved to LA and took down a drug lord, so she’s pretty much the best journalist in the US right now. And obviously pregnant. And her ankles aren’t even swollen. So she’s definitely a witch,” I babbled.
Jen was smiling warmly in the face of Lucy’s slightly chilly expression. “So nice to meet you,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Lucy smiled in a way that made it look like a scowl. “So nice to meet you too. And I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve heard nothing about you. I’ll be rectifying that, obviously, because I’m nosy and also protective over my girl.” She nodded at me. “But right now, I’ve heard almost nothing about my girl breaking Gage in, so I’ll be needing everything on that, like yesterday.”
Lucy gripped my hand before I could try to say something to Jen to lessen the blow of Lucy’s words, her pretty face scrunching up in hurt.
“Niles, Lauren’s taking lunch,” Lucy yelled in his general direction.
Then she proceeded to drag me toward the stairs I’d just come up. You wouldn’t think such a feat would be possible since she was really pregnant and in towering heels.
But nothing seemed impossible in my life now.
“Come on, babe, you’ve got to come to girls’ night,” Lucy whined, making her eyes big and clasping her hands together in a prayer. “You’re officially an old lady now. And you need to be initiated. And don’t worry, it’s not anything to do with hoods, daggers, or animal sacrifice. I’m sure Gage has that covered.”
This was after we’d taken a long lunch, like a really freaking long one, during which I told her everything about Gage and me. Well, not everything, but the important parts. The important part being that he was mine and I was his.
She had cried.
Actually cried.
Then she’d scowled as she snatched the tissue off me. “Fucking hormones,” she hissed. “I can’t hear one piece of good news without babbling like a fucking disgraced celebrity who ‘forgot’ to pay their taxes.” She narrowed her tear-filled eyes. “And you and Gage being together is a good thing. Like good. But not me crying good. The only thing I should ever be crying about is the moment Karl Lagerfeld names a purse after me.” She paused. “Or when I finally pop this thing out of me, I guess,” she said, pointing to her stomach.
She reached across the table to squeeze my hand. “But I’m happy,” she murmured. “And I’m going to tell you that, because this is a Sons of Templar relationship and he’s Gage and there hasn’t been an ounce of drama, things might get bad.” Her eyes clouded over slightly. “Bad,” she repeated.
My stomach dropped thinking of everything the women had gone through.
“But this man and this club will protect you with their lives,” she promised. “And the bad is worth it, for the good. And you and Gage deserve good.” She smiled wickedly. “Or at least the best kind of bad.”
I thought about that morning.
My stomach dipped.
Then it dipped more thinking about the fact that I knew there was more coming. More of the best kind of bad. I knew Gage was holding back. Waiting. But I didn’t want him to. I needed him to give me that bad.
But not something I should’ve been thinking about in front of my pregnant friend, even if she did just ask me about length and girth over salad.
Of course, while I retreated into my thoughts, she’d been deciding I had to come to the night out all the women were having tonight.
“Pleeeeease?” she whined, taking my silence as a no.
I smiled, despite myself. Lucy and I were complete and utter opposites. She was drop-dead gorgeous, with style and confidence radiating from her very pores. She was outgoing and liked to party hard—well, she had until the big bump protruding from her stomach stopped her from imbibing alcohol. She had a huge group of loyal girlfriends that included the wives of some of the most feared and respected men in Amber. Of those women, I’d only met Amy, but I felt like I knew them all already, and they were both intimidating and impressive.