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“I’ll bear that in mind,” I assure her, looking around the room and trying to spot Dev.

“Has anyone seen Lettie yet? Oh… Hi.” One of the other girls returns from the buffet table with her paper plate loaded with food.

“Alicia, this is Millie, she’s–”

“The girlfriend.” Alicia finishes chewing on whatever she’s eating and interrupts Peyton. “I remember you from the other day. I’m so glad you came. Corey was always talking about you.”

“Is that all you’re having?” Anita leans forward and examines the plate of the next girl who joins us from the buffet table.

“It’s all I can stomach.” She blows out a breath as she takes a seat.

“Need I remind you that you're eating for two now, Eden? You should take some advice from Alicia, she’s always stuffing her face.”

“Hey.” Alicia looks horrified, and Peyton shakes her head at her while the girls all struggle to keep straight faces.

“Need I remind you that when I was at Eden’s stage, I couldn’t stomach much either. Trust me, you’ll make up for it when the second trimester hits,” Alicia warns Eden.

“Baby, is that all you're eating? Polly made your favorite pasta.” The club member with long flowing hair looks over Eden’s shoulder at her plate.

“Wrath, you know I’m struggling. Can we not make it a big deal?” She looks up at him and begs.

“The baby doctor said you need to eat, little and often, remember? I’ll grab you some of that pasta.” He kisses her cheek.

“The baby doctor has a name,” Eden reminds him as he heads off toward the table.

“He’ll also have a toe tag if you keep batting those pretty little lashes at him,” Wrath calls back at her.

“Ahhhh, Dr. Knowles.” Alicia rests back in her chair dreamily, then startles us all when she crunches her teeth into an apple. “Now he’s worth getting pregnant for.”

“Dr. Knowles?” Peyton looks intrigued.

“Oh, he’s perfection,” Eden whispers, checking Wrath is far enough away not to hear her. “Handsome and the perfect gentleman. There’s no way my brother is gonna allow you to go to him when you're knocked up, too.” She laughs. “Wrath took one look at him and almost dragged me out the door.”

Peyton laughs, and when her eyes drift over to where the president of the club is standing, I watch her laughter fade.

“So this Dr. Knowles, is he just an OB-GYN or does he take on regular GYNO clients?” Anita asks.

“Here.” Wrath places a plastic bowl of pasta in front of Eden and presents a fork. “I don’t want my boy getting hungry in there.” He strokes his hand over her tummy affectionately.

“Wrath, we don’t know if it’s a boy, you need to stop that,” Eden scolds him.

“Tell me about it. Vike calls this one a boy all the time, it drives me insane.” Alicia talks around another bite of apple and rolls her eyes. The whole table seems to stop what they’re doing to stare at her, and she suddenly looks confused. “What?” She laughs nervously.

“You and Vike, you're getting kinda close,” Peyton points out as Freya returns to the table with my drink.

“Of course, we’re close; he’s living with me.” I may have only known her for five minutes, but I can see that, whatever this situation is, Alicia doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Oh, come on, we’re not fools. Anyone can see the guy's sweet on you. He’s handsome and strong, what’s wrong with you?” Anita voices her opinion once again, and it makes me smile despite the day I’ve had. “Is it the hair because it’s nothing a trip to the barbers could fix?”

“It’s not the hair. I like his hair.” Alicia answers back far too quickly. “You are all way off the mark.” She laughs. “I’m sure he’s finding all this super attractive. He must be struggling to keep his hands off me.” Her hand rubs her baby bump sarcastically. “Vike’s just being Vike.”

“You know some men have a kink for that kind of thing,” Freya points out. “There was a guy who used to travel with the show with us, who kept his poor wife constantly pregnant. Barely gave her any rest in between. He had a thing for pregnant women.”

“What kind of woman would put up with that?” Eden looks horrified.

“Maybe Dr. Knowles was her OB-GYN.” Alicia tries not to laugh as Wrath shows how unimpressed he is.

“Well, I can totally relate. I can’t wait until Eden starts to show.” Wrath cheers up, kneading her shoulders with his hands. “And the girls are right, you and Vike are getting closer,” he swipes back at Alicia.

“Who invited you to join our conversation?” she asks him.

“C’mon, are you tryin’ to tell me you haven’t noticed it? My boy is acting as if it's his baby you're carrying,” Wrath tells her.

“If I eat this pasta, will you go away?” Eden looks over her shoulder at him, her eyes giving him a firm warning.

“I’m just sharing my observations, Darlin’.” He shrugs before heading over to join some of the other members at the bar.

“Ignore him.” Eden smiles at Alicia awkwardly. “He’s not happy about the fact that I have a male doctor, but he can suck it up. Knowles is the best, and the closest.”

“I’ll bet he’s the best.” Alicia wiggles her eyebrows. Making it clear that she holds no grudge against Wrath's opinion anyway.

“Does anyone here know where Dev is?” I ask. “I wanted to check if he's okay.”

“Raze took him to his office when they got back from the ceremony, but Raze is out now. Maybe he’s just having a few moments to himself.” Peyton looks at me sympathetically.

“At least it looks like Raze has calmed down.” Eden looks over to him. “I thought he was going to kill Dev when he spoke up to Burlusconi earlier.”

“It was kind of hot, though.” Alicia raises her eyebrows.

“Girl, that baby is doing something to your brain.” Freya laughs at her. “You think everything's hot these days. Yesterday, you even said Vex looked like he’d be a good time.”

“Eugh! That's my dad…” Eden squirms.

“Another second trimester curse.” Alicia shrugs toward her unapologetically.

“Why don’t you just hang with us until Dev shows his face again?

” Eden suggests doing her best to change the conversation.

“This place can be a bit crazy if you're new to it all.” She looks across to the ass grabber, shaking her head when she sees that his cock’s out of his jeans and him getting jerked off by a different woman than who he was with earlier.

“You’d think Sinner would have a bit more respect.” Freya folds her arms. “This is a funeral, for Christ’s sake.”

“Wrath's been trying to get Raze to change the rules.” Eden continues to dig at her pasta with her fork, though none of it makes it to her mouth.

“So he should, it’s gross,” Alicia adds.

“You're only saying that because you ain’t getting any.” Freya giggles.

“Well, it’s hard not to get horny around here when everyone around you is frickin’ doing it.

Right now, even Sinner’s cock is starting to look appealing…

” She shakes her head out of her trance before continuing.

“I’m gonna head over to the motel and offer to watch little Rory, I’m sure he’s the reason Lettie isn’t here.

She can’t exactly bring her child to this freak show.

” Alicia goes to get up, but Anita places her hand on her leg.

“You stay right there, I’ll go and watch him for her.

I’ve seen quite enough for one day.” She tucks her knitting into her bag before standing up.

“It was lovely to meet you, Millie, and I’m very sorry for your loss.

I only met Corey a handful of times, but he was a very polite, well-mannered boy.

He reminded me of my Richie.” She smiles before heading for the door.

“Take Anita as you find her, she’s been through a lot,” Peyton explains once she’s left. “Her heart’s in the right place.”

“Not when she’s calling me a pig, it isn’t.” Alicia looks annoyed.

“She didn’t call you a pig,” Peyton assures her.

“Well, it's what she was insinuating. I can’t help that my appetite has multiplied by a hundred. I’m growing Griller’s baby, what do you all expect?”

“Griller. I’m sure I heard Corey talk about him. Isn’t he one of the brothers who died recently?” I check, and when all the girls' faces drop, I realize I’ve been insensitive.

“He was. We weren’t together, but this is his baby.” Alicia strokes her hand over her popped-out tummy. “The other guy was Saul, he was my brother,” she informs me.

“Oh, Jesus. I’m sorry. Me and my big mouth.” I want the ground to swallow me. These girls have shown me nothing but kindness; the last thing I want to do is offend them.

“Don’t be sorry, I’ve got good support…” She reaches out for the hands of the girls sitting on each side of her. “...and a beautiful nephew to spoil. I hope Lettie joins us; it would be nice for you to meet her.”

Suddenly, I feel a stir in my stomach, and an overwhelming urge to look behind me.

When I give in to it, I see Dev standing by the office door.

He’s not wearing his suit jacket anymore, his tie is undone, and the top three buttons of his shirt are open, revealing that strong tattooed chest. Suddenly, I feel stupid for being here.

Dev doesn’t need my comfort; he has his whole family here with him.

The reason I’m really here is because I need him .

He drinks from the bottle in his hand and swipes the back of his other hand over his mouth when he spots me, and all my senses come alive as he starts to walk in my direction. The most prominent one of all being fear.

“What is she doing here?” He looks past me, speaking to Peyton and ignoring me completely.

“I actually came to see if you were okay.” I stand up and turn to face him. I won’t have him treat me as if I don’t exist.

“ Okay? Do I look o-fuckin’-kay?” he asks, furrowing his brow and tilting his head.

“I guess I was just–”

“I told you, you don’t belong here.” He doesn’t give me a chance to finish. “Leave!” He bellows at me so loud I gasp.

“Dev, Millie has every right to be here. This is a gathering for Corey, and everyone who cares about him.” Petyon surprises me when she stands up to him.

“Don’t do that.” Dev points the bottle he’s holding at her. “Don’t go enlisting her into your little…whatever this is.” He looks around at all the women sitting together, and when a pretty woman with long, dark hair quietly joins us, she looks confused as to what's going on.

“She ain’t one of you. She’s a privileged little princess who needs to go home.” He turns his stare from Peyton onto me. “Now beat it.”

“She’s not going anywhere.” Eden abandons her pasta and stands up. “Millie was Corey’s girlfriend. She belongs here today.”

“Hell, yeah, she does.” Freya also joins the protest.

Dev shakes his head and laughs spitefully.

“Great, you got the fuckin’ girl squad on your side.”

“She sure has.” Alicia’s next to make a stand for me, and I feel overcome with emotion as these women I don’t even know fight my corner.

“Are we gonna have a problem here, Dev?” Wrath moves to stand beside Eden, side glancing her to show he’s not thrilled by her involvement.

“Just keep her outta my way.” He tells him, pointing his finger at me harshly, before heading over to the corner of the room to be by himself.

“Thanks.” I look at all the women on their feet, very aware of the fact that the whole club is staring at us. “But maybe I should just go home, I don’t want to make today any worse for him.”

“Sit your ass back down.” The girl who just joined us orders me.

“This is Lettie.” Alicia introduces her proudly. “Lettie was my brother’s old lady. Lettie, this is?—”

“I know who she is.” Lettie smiles at me warmly. “I moved in across the yard about a month ago, Corey helped lug all my stuff up those stairs. He spoke about you… a lot. ” She smiles warmly. “There's no way he’d want you to be anywhere else than here,” she assures me.

Her words make the guilt inside me furrow deeper, and when I look across the room at Dev, he curls his lip and shakes his head at me with disdain. I decide to make a stand of my own, taking the shot Freya got me from the bar and letting him watch as I knock it back.

“Anita was right, that did go down well. Where do I get myself another?”