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“Like what?” I asked, curious.

“They have to respect the Old Ladies, first of all. That means not throwing themselves all over a guy they know is locked down. They disrespect a brother or his girl, then they’re out. They do anything to put the club at risk, then they’re out. Plus, all of the old rules are still in place, like drug and STD testing, birth control, and all the medical stuff Cece handles.” Charlie listed things off but was interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming open.

Match stepped in, his face flushed from the cold, but his eyes were hot and focused solely on Roxie. He closed the space between them quickly, pulling her out of the chair and kissing her forcefully. She melted in his arms, and we all just watched with bated breath.

“This is real to me, Rox. Don’t want you thinking anything else. You’re my girl. We clear?” Match said. Roxie nodded, a sweet smile on her face.

“Then you better get out of here. No boyfriends allowed,” she replied, and all Match did was shake his head. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her toward the door.

“Just give us a few minutes, then I’ll leave,” he said to us. We all just nodded as we watched the two head out together.

“Pulling up the Ring camera now,” Charlie said, but Fee knocked her on the shoulder.

“Nah, let them be. They’re on the right path now.”

“Ugh, you’re no fun,” Charlie replied, but put her phone down.

“So…club girls. Is that something I have to be worried about?” Logan asked, looking sheepish.

“Probably. It’s happened before. There was a girl, Holly, who was obsessed with Bull. Used to try to get with him whenever she could until he finally told her he was not interested in women. Even that didn’t stop her. She was kicked out, but Bull and Scythe are enigmatic men, you’re both going to have to accept that women are gonna try something with them. That doesn’t mean they’re going to do anything to invite it though or to encourage it. Those vests…That’s how you know what matters. That’s their pledge of loyalty, and you have to trust that,” Cece responded.

“Whenever I find my Old Man, I’m gonna make him get a Property of Charlie tattoo. That way, any bitch who tries something will know who they’re gonna have to deal with,” she declared. The table burst out laughing, even though Charlie was dead serious. The conversation shifted after that to lighter topics and gossip about the new developments with Roxie and Match, who never came back inside.

“Alright, I’m beat. I better get home and check on Birdie. Knowing Bash, he skipped a nap and let her have too much sugar. Tonight will be a battle of wills to get her to take a bath and brush her teeth,” Fee said on a yawn.

“Guard is outside waiting for us, dear. Let’s get you home,” Cece said, wrapping her arm around Fee. It was nice to see them. Learning more about where Fee came from gave me a new appreciation for the relationships she now had. Everyone seemed so close, fierce in their loyalty and protection of each other. I never would have guessed things were different, or that there was a time when Fee wasn’t a part of their group. Everyone left, leaving only Beth and I waiting for Eliot to come pick us up.

“Gonna put this shit away. You guys relax, though,” Charlie commanded as she headed for the kitchen. The sound of the sink running and dishes clanging rang out.

“He is going to ask you to be his Old Lady. You know that, right?” Beth asked as we sat quietly together on the couch.

“He’s mentioned it before,” I whispered, a smile stretching across my face at the idea.

“Good. Has he told you…about his father at all?” she asked, her gaze holding mine as I nodded.

“A little. Not much, but enough to understand what kind of man he was.” I hesitated, my chest tightening. “I’m so sorry for everything you went through. No one should have had to endure that.” Reaching out to grab her hand, I covered it with mine.

“I’m just so glad you found people who care about you. That the club gave you a place to belong when you needed one.” She shook her head as I spoke.

“I waited too long. That’s my biggest regret. I should have done it sooner…Eliot would have been so much better off.” Beth hesitated, as if holding back tears before she faced me again.

“He’s never dated anyone. Always kept himself apart. Relationships of any kind were something he resented. For too long, all he knew was that they caused pain. I didn’t set a good example. I didn’t protect him enough. So he had to protect himself from everything—pain and love. They were both equally harmful. With you, he’s finally letting someone in. Opening up. You’re a gift, Lilah. You’re healing both of us in ways I never thought possible. I am so grateful you are in our lives.” Tears escaped my eyes unbidden as I rested my head on her shoulder.

“You saved me. The both of you. I thought that I had finally gotten a new lease on life, but I was still trapped. It’s because of you that I’m finally living and not just…existing.”

“It was meant to be. That’s all. Now, the important part is appreciating it. Not letting the past cause you so much fear that you can’t be present. I don’t want to miss a moment of life anymore, of seeing you and Eliot get married and have kids. I’m tired of living in the shadows of my past, and I’m afraid I passed some of that on to Eliot. Keep loving him. Keep loving yourself. That’s the best present either of you can give.”

“Well, shit. Beth, that was fucking touching,” Charlie said from the doorway, wiping at her eyes.

“But she’s right. He’s changed so much since he met you. It really is only a matter of time before he makes it official. I know he wants to wait until things with Crow settle, but your lives shouldn’t be put on hold because of that asshole. You want me to talk to him about it?”

I shook my head.

“No, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to push him into something he’s not ready for. I know how important finding Crow is to him after everything he’s done. He’s never given me a reason to doubt his commitment. I don’t need a vest to confirm it.” I paused, an image of strange women approaching Eliot crossing my mind.

“Well, at least not yet. Anyway, I think he might want to find a house or something first. My place is just a rental.” I tried to shift the conversation to something lighter, and it did the trick, Charlie’s eyes lighting up.

“House hunting! I’m in!” I laughed. She was amazing. Confident, friendly, and caring, she seemed so comfortable in her skin.