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“See, the way these things usually go down,” Jade started, “is this is going to be a long night. There are… things that need to happen. And the guys always make sure they are meticulous about it. For obvious reasons.”

“Right,” I agreed.

“But they’ll be back by morning,” Sass assured me, patting my knee. “As for us, we sit up and drink coffee and wait for them. Or, if we’ve had a big fright, we go to sleep and wait for them to wake us up when they come in.”

With all the adrenaline drained, I was tired down to my bones. But my mind was too alive to sleep.

So I sat up with them, drinking coffee, talking about the club, about the kids, about all the insanity that other women had brought upon the men.

Which, little by little, made me feel a hell of a lot better about my situation.

Eventually, Sass had to head back home to her kids, leaving me with Jade.

“That’s the fifth time you’ve yawned in the past twenty minutes,” Jade observed, putting our cups in the empty dishwasher. “Why don’t you go and at least try to sleep? I promise, Coast will let you know as soon as he is home, okay?”

“I’ll try,” I agreed, dubious. “Thank you for everything, Jade.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re family now,” she said, waving me off as she walked out into the backyard, completely oblivious to how much impact her words had.

Because, God, I really wanted them to be true. I wanted to be able to call this crazy, chaotic, loud, loving group my family. Lainey’s family.

But I guess, only time would tell if that would be the case.

I dragged my tired bones up the stairs, checking on my sleeping baby, telling her I was sorry about her crazy night, then climbing into the bed.

I was sure I wouldn’t sleep.

But I was out cold within a few moments.

Sure enough, Jade was right.

At some point, with the sun streaming through the windows, Coast slipped into the bed with me, rolling me onto my back so he could look down at me.

My eyelashes fluttered open, finding him freshly showered.

With three new tallies on his neck.

“It’s over,” he told me.

Then his lips were on mine.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Coast

I never panicked.

I prided myself on calm in the chaos.

I found peace in the moments most would be freaking out.

But the second I heard Zoe’s voice on that phone—frantic, borderline hysterical—I fucking lost my shit.

I was snapping the guys into action, running through the house to grab the club keys, before I even knew all the details.

Somewhat used to this sort of thing, we were all strapped and on the move as soon as we had the details we needed.

Behind the wheel, I could feel Zoe’s panic, her terror, as the other fucking car rammed her, as she worried about how to handle a car at high speeds.