Page 33 of Break Away (Riot MC Next Generation #2)

In the rearview mirror, I saw Mom bite her lower lip. “I love and hate it when you make round-about sense like that.”

“It’s a gift. Are we there yet or are we headed to Baldwin?” Natasha asked.

Mom turned on her blinker. “The turn off is right here.”

Five tables had been pulled together to make one big seating area for all fourteen of us.

At the farthest end of the table were Punc and his woman; Yak and his woman Nora; Rage, and Lisa.

Seated in the middle of the table were Mickayla, Ryan, and Killian.

I sat at the corner next to Dad, Mom sat on his other side.

Across from me was Auntie Natasha and Derek.

To start everyone off while we looked at the menu, Lark brought out baskets loaded with biscuits, sweet cornbread, and bacon-jalepeno-cheddar cornbread.

I was a sucker for cornbread, and had one of each, but then Mom said I had to try the biscuits because they were divine.

She wasn’t wrong, but I had every intention of stealing Lark’s recipe for the jalepeno cornbread. And I normally didn’t like jalapenos.

I couldn’t decide between the glazed French toast and the BEG bowl, a bowl of grits topped with bacon and eggs, but Lark decided for me.

“You’re having a bowl because it comes with avocado bread on the side.”

“You mean avocado toast,” Derek said.

Lark slowly shook his head once. “Nope. It’s avocado bread. Mick can explain.”

With that, he turned and stalked back to the kitchen.

I turned curious eyes to Mickayla who smiled. “You’re gonna love it. It’s bread with avocado baked in.”

“That sounds whacked,” Derek said.

Mickayla shook her head. “There’s a baker with a bunch of YouTube shorts.”

“The one who does the vintage recipes?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, and Lark made one of those recipes. It’s way better than I expected it to be. It goes perfectly with the BEG bowl.”

I picked up my ice water. “I hope you’re right.”

Natasha made eye contact with Dad. “I’m telling Nate about her problems.”

“Not sure what he’s gonna do—”

Natasha frowned. “Nate's a police officer.”

“Oh,” Dad muttered. “Where is he working? Is he even in Gainesville?”

“He’s with the county.”

“That’s kind of you, but—,” I started.

“But, nothing,” Natasha said.

“Mom, Nate could make things worse,” Derek said.

Natasha turned to him. “Since when are you on their side?”

Derek tipped his head at me. “I’m on her side. If she needs the police, she knows who to call.”

Natasha aimed her stern gaze at me. “You better be careful, you hear? Especially if Porter didn’t get the message.”

I smiled. “Trust me, I’m redefining careful, I’m being so vigilant.”

Natasha’s gaze cut to Mom. “Reminds me of you during your troubles.”

Our food was delivered, and conversation trailed off as we all began to eat. In no time, I leaned back and put my hand on my belly.

“Are you gonna make it?” Dad asked me.

“Yes. That was a lot of food.”

Mom leaned forward and made eye contact with me. “That’s an understatement. My portions could have been cut in half and I still would have had a lot of food.”

Later Sunday night, Rafferty turned off his bedside lamp, twisted in bed toward me, and pulled my back to his front. “Did you get a show at brunch?”

I chuckled. “No. It slipped my mind. I’d meant to ask if either of the triplets told Lark about the woman showing up.”

“Not your business,” Rafferty said with a sigh that gave away how tired he was.

“You’re right.”

“What are your plans for tomorrow?”

I ran my hand along his arm at my waist. “I’m calling Jacksonville University in the morning to see if they received my transcripts and verify how many credits will transfer with me. After I know that, I’ll have to get in touch with my adviser in Gainesville.”

“Would it be better to be on campus to do that?”

I shook my head. “I doubt it. What about you? Are the brothers sending you to the pawn shop or did they assign you some other crappy job?”

“Didn’t say yet. Supposed to get a text at six, letting me know where to be.”

The alarm clock on his nightstand read eleven-forty-five.

I snuggled into his hold. “We should get some sleep, then. Good night, Raff.”

He groaned. “Do you know what you do to me when you wiggle like that? We both just came pretty damned hard. Don’t tempt me, Lex.”

I fought against a grin. “Sorry about that. I’m just getting comfy.”

He nipped my shoulder. “Sure you are. Love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Five days later, on Friday morning, my eyes flew open and I leaned up to check the time. It was a quarter to nine. I darted my arm out to Rafferty’s sleeping bulk.

He groaned sleepily.

“Raff, you’re late. The brothers are gonna—”

“Not late. I’m off for today through Wednesday,” he said, his voice husky with sleep.

“Oh.”

I settled back under the covers. Rafferty flung them off both of us.

“Hey! I was gonna go back to sleep.”

He rolled on top of me. “Maybe when I’m through with you.”

I spread my legs and rubbed my hands up and down the ridges of his muscular back. “What are you going to do to me?”

His lips caressed my neck. “Make love to you, shower with you, and after that, take a cat nap with you.”

“Just a cat nap?”

He raised his head and caught my gaze. “Yeah. We’re riding back to your place after lunch today so you can get your books.”

“You aren’t loading your bike into your truck?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Not if I don’t have to, and I’m pretty fuckin’ sure you’ll like the ride much better on my bike than in my truck.”

I brought my hands up to his cheeks and gave him a quick kiss. “Yeah. I definitely like the sound of that plan.”