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My chest tightens.
Lena is quiet for a moment. Then she gently nudges me with her elbow. “You know, you don’t have to go through this alone, right?”
I meet her gaze.
And I see it—the genuine care, the unwavering loyalty.
I let out a breathy laugh. “What, are you offering to be my long-lost sister now?”
She smirks. “Hey, Billy basically dumped me on your doorstep, and you’ve been nothing short of a mentor to me.”
I roll my eyes, but my heart feels a little lighter.
“A mentor? That’s a bit of an exaggeration.”
Lena stops walking for a moment and turns toward me. “Look, all I’m saying is, family isn’t just about blood. It’s about who shows up for you. And I don’t know if you noticed, Megan, but you’ve got a whole damn army behind you. Hunter. Me. Christian. Vaughn. Even Lars, in his grumpy-ass way.”
I smile because now I understand why she brought it up.
She’s right.
I might not have the family I was born into, but I have the family I chose.
And maybe that’s even better.
Lena goes quiet for a few beats, staring at the paved path ahead of us. Something about her body language shifts. I know her well enough now to recognize when she’s debating whether or not to say something.
I wait.
And then?—
“So,” she finally says, clearing her throat. “About Christian.”
I bite back a grin.
There it is.
“What about him?”
She exhales, rolling her shoulders. “He’s…acting weird.”
I give her a pointed look. “How do you mean?”
I already know exactly what she means. Hunter gave me an earful about it the last three days. While he claims he’s handled things—it seems to be eating him up inside for some reason.
“I mean, the other night, he barely looked at me. And when he did, he was either mumbling crap under his breath or pissed off. Now, he hasn’t been in the club for two nights straight. Vaughn said he’s been working from his old office.”
I tilt my head, feigning innocence. “I don’t know, Lena. Maybe it has something to do with the way you were practically drooling over Oliver.”
Lena gapes at me. “I was not drooling.”
“Oh, babe. You were giggling all over him like a lovesick schoolgirl .”
She groans dramatically, covering her face. “I was just talking to him! He’s funny, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And nice.”