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“Tabby is fine,” Ellie insisted, taking Dani out of Jessie’s arms.

She never asked me about holding her. I let her yesterday. I would have let her today. I didn’t want to keep Dani from Dante’s friends. I just didn’t want them taking her away from me.

Dani squirmed to get down, and Ellie kissed her head, setting her down. She ran back over to where the girls were playing and it was then I noticed the dog barely acknowledged when the women went near the kids.

“Just noticed, huh?” Haizley asked beside me.

“Does he just not like men?”

“No, he doesn’t trust the men. He was raised to be a therapy dog. There are actually two of them. But there are a couple of men they treat the same as the women. One of them being Banshee.”

Banshee?

“Charlie and Chrissy were talking about him. Something about him screaming at them.”

Haizley laughed at the look on my face.

“Banshee got his name from the way he screams if he gets startled,” Sam offered. “The girls love sneaking up on him. He sees them coming and screams extra loud, then pretends to scold them. They love it.”

I shook my head. Looking around the quiet clubhouse, I didn’t understand the dynamic.

“Things are different here, Mellie.”

I looked over at my brother, who had sat down and pulled Haizley onto his lap. I was skeptical of his assessment. Sure, things seemed different, but bikers were bikers. They did what they wanted with no regard to anyone else’s feelings.

Danny and Dante were bikers.

“Nothing is different,” I scoffed. “I once again find myself abandoned by a biker‘for my own safety.’”

“I was protecting you,” he insisted.

“You abandoned me.” I stood from the couch and went to scoop up my daughter. When I walked toward the hall that led to my room, I heard Aspen call out, “Diesel, stay!”

I looked down and saw the dog trailing behind me. He sat watching me and I was hesitant to take a step.

“He won’t hurt you,” Travis said behind me. He placed a hand on my lower back and asked, “Can we take a walk outside?”

“Dani needs a nap. This is a lot for her.”

“A lot for her, or for you?”

“Travis—”

“Come outside with me. Dani can come with us. The compound is safe and there is plenty of room for her to run around.”

“Why?” I asked, suspicious of his intentions.

“I just want to spend time with you while you’re here.”

“I told you I can’t be—”

“With a biker. I heard you.” He nodded. “But while you are here, we can still get to know each other. What’s the harm in making a new friend?”

Friend my ass. I eyed him for any hint of deception. But his expression told me nothing.

“Outside.”

Travis grinned at Dani’s small voice. And I knew he thought he’d won.