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She beelined his way and threw herself at him, hugging him tight, before the rest of the group pretty much surrounded him to tell him hello, though I could tell by his demeanor that the attention made him uncomfortable.
Could sense the same reluctance I often did when I was surrounded by too many people. The panic that simmered right below the surface.
River and I hung back, waiting for our turn, and once everyone had cleared out, River slowly ushered me forward. “This is the last of my brothers you haven’t met. Charleigh, this is Cash. Cash, this is Charleigh Lowe.”
Cash was more country than the rest of River’s friends, wearing faded denim jeans and boots, though his arms were completely covered in what I now recognized was River’s ink, his designs distinct. He wasn’t as tall as River, but he was thick and burly, muscles cordedand ripped, skin tanned a deep golden brown, as if he’d spent all his life living off the land.
He had wavy brown hair that hung down near his chin and curled around his neck, and a short beard. Keen green eyes took me in, his expression guarded. “Good to meet you.”
“You, too,” I whispered, hating that I felt like the man was pulling me apart. Trying to see beneath every hidden layer.
The two of them shared a look before River turned to me and slung his arm around my waist, his mouth at my jaw when he muttered, “Come on, gorgeous, let’s find us a drink.”
Maybe it made me a fool that I tucked the turbulence I felt radiating from his friends down. The questions and speculation. Because for a little while, I wanted to be what River claimed I was.
I wanted to be his.
FORTY-EIGHT
RIVER
Charleigh was tuckedagainst my side where we were all squished in the enormous booth. It felt good being there this way, my girl at my side while my friends shot the shit.
Telling old tales of our days back in LA, though everyone strategically left out all the sordid, condemning parts.
Funny that the bar fights and late-night rides sailing at a hundred miles an hour beneath the stars were the uncorrupted parts. The wild parties and scandalous shit we’d all always gotten ourselves into was fodder for the laughter that rolled around the booth.
“So anyway, this dumb fuck pulls his car into the parking lot of the bike shop we had,” Trent said, voice full of a laugh where he sat in the booth next to me. “He dumped some girl in the middle of it and told her she could find her own way home if she was going to be a cock tease. Fucker picked the wrong damned place to be spouting that kind of bullshit. So, this asshole right here, who was little more than a kid, mind you…”
He jostled me in the shoulder before he continued, “He jumped on his bike and chased the fucker down, busted his windshield with a crowbar. Was the minute I knew he was one of us.”
Trent slanted me a grin, and I chuckled under my breath.Remembering the way he’d taken us in. Given us a home. A purpose. “Don’t act too proud. Just wanted to bust up some shit.”
His grin deepened because he knew I was only talking shit.
Charleigh laughed beside me, half horrified and half aroused.
“What?” I asked her with amusement playing at the edge of my mouth.
She looked up at me, those cinnamon eyes doing wild, wild things. “So violent.”
She had no fuckin’ clue.
I tipped up her chin and pecked a kiss to her lips. “He had it comin’.”
It was basically my motto.
The band’s set had ended, and a DJ had taken their place, spinning dance music and the crowd into disorder.
Raven tossed back the rest of her frilly drink before she slammed the empty onto the table. “Time to hit the dance floor. All my girls, let’s go!”
“Count me in!” Salem said, and the gorgeous woman shoved at Jud’s shoulder to let her out.
My sister pushed out to standing, and everyone scooched out so Eden and Salem could get out of the booth. Trent followed and so did I, and I watched as Charleigh slid around, wearing that damned skirt that was going to drive me straight out of my mind.
She climbed to her feet. Needing to get my hands on her again, my palms went straight to the back of her bare thighs as I drew her to me and kissed her deep.
Fuck me.
