Page 58 of Ridin' Free

“So, what’s new with you?”

All eyes aimed my direction, I cleared my throat and reached for my iced coffee. I took a sip knowing there was only one way I was going to get this out. There would be no dancing around it.

Having stalled for as long as I could, I said, “Twister and I are—seeing each other, I guess. It started the night of your wedding.” I jerked my chin toward Alexia then continued, “I thought it was going to be one drunken night but, here we are.”

“Oh, my gosh,” gushed Jenna. “Why do I feel like I had a baby and suddenly I’m out of the loop? I didnotsee this coming, but I am loving it! Tess is going to lose her mind.”

“There’s more,” Winnie murmured contemplatively. “You wouldn’t have agreed to lunch just because you wanted to tell us the two of you are now an item. This isn’t youcoming outwith the news, as if tomorrow you’re going to show up at the clubhouse holding hands.”

“No. Definitely not.”

“Benson’s a good one. What seems to be the problem?” asked Alexia.

I caught her amber eyes. “You say he’s a good one. How do you know?”

“Well, I’ve known him for the least amount of time, and mostly on a professional level. But he’s smart. Really smart. And, from what I’ve gathered, a lot of what’s in his head is self-taught.

“Beyond that, I know he’s good around the kids. I also know, about a year ago when I was in trouble, he was Jed’s first call. He’s the kind of guy who shows up. All the Stallions are, but with him, I’ve seen it in action.”

“You’ve been around for years,” began Jenna, earning my attention once more. “You know how these men are as well as we do. What’s got you worried?”

I glanced down at my half-eaten sandwich.

“Lyla,” was my simple reply.

“Hmm. I can see how that could rattle you a little.”

I was quick to shift my gaze Winnie’s way.

“Did he play her, or is he playing me?”

“Oh, Phoenix—you’ve got it all wrong. Do you have any idea the reputation you have with the Stallions?”

“Yeah. I’m the bar bitch who’s not afraid to break up a fight.”

Winnie laughed, her smile causing a slight crinkle of the skin around her eyes. Rather than her age, I saw her beauty and her wisdom. She sobered enough to say, “Sure, that’s part of it. But for years, you’ve been the untouchable beauty.”

Her comment hit me in a weak spot I didn’t know I had, and I forgot how to breathe for a second—my brain scrambling to prevent her words from penetrating.

“What are you talkin’ about?” I managed.

“When you first started, Mustang made it very clear to all the guys you were off limits. He liked you; he wanted you to stick around; he’s also far from blind, and he wanted his brothers to keep their dicks out of you. He guessed you were smart enough to handle yourself, but he’s protective that way. So, he had your back until you made it pretty clear yourself you were not to be trifled with.”

I said nothing in reply as I considered her words. I didn’t know about Mustang, but it didn’t surprise me either.

“I say all that because you should know, there’s not a man in a kutte in a hundred miles of here who would dare play with your heart. Least of all Twister. You two have kept it pretty under wraps, but I know one thing for sure: if he’s given up Lyla—he’s takin’ his chance. He’s not playing you.”

Rather than the reassurance I was sure she was trying to offer, I felt even more confused.

“You sayif he’s given up Lylaas if that means something. He keeps acting like it’s nothing. Which is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Nobody likes Lyla.”

“It’sfor surenothing.”

They all spoke at once, and I glanced at each one of them before Winnie began speaking again.