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“Yeah, a drink would be good.”

“You got it.” Hudson signaled over to the guy behind the bar. “Bourbon or something more girlie?”

“Bourbon is good.”

“You got it.”

Seconds later, there was a drink in my hand, and Hudson was sitting next to me with a serious expression on his face—like he was trying to figure me out. “So, you ready to tell me what’s so complicated?”

“It’s a lot.” I motioned my hand. “I’m not sure this is the place to talk about it.”

He nodded like he didn’t like my answer but understood it. He was about to respond when one of the brothers came over and leaned down to whisper something in Hudson’s ear. Whatever it was made his jaw tighten.

“I gotta take care of something,” he said, standing up. “You gonna be okay for a few minutes?”

“Sure. Take your time.”

“I won’t be long.”

I nodded, and my stomach twisted into a nervous knot as I watched him walk away. I glanced around the room, taking in the sea of black leather and hard eyes. Hudson’s brothers were scattered throughout the room. Some were leaning against the front counter, others leaned over pool tables or sitting at tables, talking and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the damn world.

Their patches were worn and faded from time, but the power and fear they represented was steadfast and strong. It should’ve unnerved me to be sitting in that room alone with them. Strangely enough, it didn’t. It was just the opposite.

I’d lived the better part of my life in a world ruled by powerful men in tailored suits. Politicians, mob bosses, and all sorts of criminals with expensive taste and ice for blood. They used charm like a weapon and always hid their cruelty behind their wicked smiles.

But these men didn’t hide what they were.

They were raw, fierce, and open in a way I wasn’t used to. There was no doubt that there was power there. I could feel it with every breath I took. I didn’t know their names, didn’t know their stories, but there was a sense of brotherhood and companionship in that room I’d never witnessed before.

I hadn’t been sitting there long when two women made their way over to me. Both were beautiful in that effortless, lived-in kind of way. They were young and dressed in loose-fit jeans and bright T-shirts. One was tall with long, dark hair and a bubbly smile. The woman next to her was slightly shorter, with sharp cheekbones and a smirk that said she was up to something. She was the first to speak. “Hey. I’m Antonia, and this is Jenna.”

“Hi. I’m Tabitha.”

“Yeah, we heard.” Antonia glanced over at Jenna, then looked back to me. “Mind if we join you?”

“Sure,” I said, gesturing to the empty seats in front of me. “Preacher was here but had to step away.”

“We saw,” Antonia replied, glancing toward the hallway where he’d disappeared. “Didn’t want you sitting here alone.”

“Appreciate that.” I paused, then asked, “Have you two been here long?”

“You mean tonight, or when did we meet our ol’ men?” She’d barely gotten the words out when she started to giggle. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to saying that.”

“I take it you haven’t been here all that long?”

“Not quite a year,” Jenna answered. “But I could’ve been here for ten, and I still don’t think I’d be able to call Lawson my ol’ man without at least a little giggle.”

“Same, girl. Same.” Antonia pressed her lips together, then smiled as she asked, “You’re the one with the horses, right?”

“Maybe? Preacher brought a few of the guys over to help me with a few things in the barn.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Weston told me you had some really beautiful horses out there.”

“I do. They’re pretty great.”

“I’d love to come see them sometime.”

“Of course. Come by any time.”