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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

DRAKE

T here was something different about Swan. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but for some reason, she wasn’t meeting my gaze for long. At least when I spoke to her the other week outside of her appointment, she actually talked to me instead of the short answers I got when my family had gone to hers for dinner.

I’d left the house that night wondering if I’d done something wrong.

But I had a feeling it’d been just an off day for her since she’d already seemed upset when I got there. My gut had soured when I saw her trying to play her emotions off as having something in her eye.

She’d been struggling, and I would have given my left nut to have held her. Comforted her.

“What’re you thinkin’ so hard about?” Ruin asked as he pulled Wolf under his arm more.

We’d arrived at Ruin’s earlier in the day and got designated a room in the mansion. Now we were hanging out in Pick and Billy’s pub.

I could feel eyes on me and glanced over to the women at the pool tables. Swan quickly looked away.

I took a pull of my beer. “Nothin’ much.”

“I call bull. You’ve been quiet all day,” Coyote said.

“Anythin’ we need to worry about?” Vicious asked. He was a brother from the Caroline Springs chapter, like Ruin was since he’d moved to Melbourne for Wolf.

“Nope.”

Billy tapped his knuckles on the table. He smirked. “Is it women problems? Got too many to deal with?”

The brothers chuckled.

Yeah, the brothers had seen the attention I got and how I was from sixteen to eighteen, but I hadn’t been into anyone since the day Swan had claimed my attention.

Not that she or anyone else knew.

Brothers still saw the women flirting but didn’t notice me knock them back.

Didn’t bother me if they thought otherwise. I knew what I wanted.

If I ever got the chance to make Swan mine, I didn’t want for her to think she hadn’t been important to me since the day I fell for her.

Texas must have caught the unease coursing through me because he said, “Leave it.”

Pick glanced at Texas and back to me, then nudged Billy in the thigh with his knee.

Billy turned to his man just as Josie, their woman, stopped by, curling a hand over each of their shoulders.

“Hey, fellas. Anyone need a drink?”

Pick dropped his head back, and Josie dipped to kiss him. “Precious, we’re good, and the other brothers can get their own.” She giggled. “You go have fun with the women.”

“Okay.” She smiled, kissing him again and then Billy before leaving.

“How’s the twins?” Texas asked.

I was glad the attention was off me.

Both Billy and Pick grinned, sharing a look.

“Theo got into a fight at high school the other day. A group was picking on this younger kid with a disability. Theo told them to quit it, and when shit escalated, Theo kicked arse. He nearly got overwhelmed until Payton rocked up to help her brother.”

We chuckled.

“The club’s raising kids that don’t take shit. Hell, I had to look after Aeila the other day for punching a kid in the balls.”

They grinned.

“Dodge wants all the kids to get into everythin’ Rommy’s been doin’,” Billy said.

“What’s she doin’?” Coyote asked.

“She’s learnt a lot. Boxing, jujitsu, taekwondo. He’s even had her train with weapons. Pay’s keen, but Theo just wants to stick to his sports for now. I think Koda wants in too.”

“Sounds good to me,” Texas said. “When Maya and I have kids, I’d want them to be able to defend themselves.”

“You two been talkin’ about when?” Ruin asked.

Texas smirked. “No one’s business but ours.”

Ruin looked at Coyote, who said, “Don’t even ask.” But I already knew Channa had gone off the pill and they were trying. I’d overheard him and Dad talking about how Coyote was worried he’d be a shit father. Dad had simply told him, “Don’t be an idiot. You’re gonna be the best damn father there is.”

Everyone around me was settling down into their marriage and had started, or would be soon, their family. I glanced across the room to the woman I wanted to be mine. Maya had just said something to Swan that made her laugh loudly. Of course, she blushed and covered her mouth with her hand after it. She’d never liked people looking at her and was worried from the volume that she had drawn attention. I was glad she didn’t glance around to check if people were watching. Instead, she grinned and shook her head at Maya.

Nary said something that had Maya, Josie, and Channa cackling, but Swan’s blush deepened, and both hands went to her cheeks. Must have been something dirty. I chuckled at Swan’s reaction because I’d looked up some of the books I’d seen her read. The smut in those stories had my jaw dropping. Who would have thought women would be into werewolves in their shifted form with a huge dong.

The music on the jukebox switched to a new song. I jumped up and bolted over to the player, yanking the cord out to fling it off to the side in anger.

My heart rocked against my ribs rapidly when the silence had me second-guessing my choice.

Had I made it more obvious?

Did I make this awkward for Swan?

Fuck, I hoped not.

My gut twisted at the thought of upsetting my birdy.

Music started from elsewhere, and people began talking. Unease made me reluctant to turn towards the women. Swan’s whole mood could have changed. She wouldn’t want to hear Lockland’s song while having fun with her girls.

Had I made it in time before his lyrics hit? Hell, I wasn’t even sure if she’d noticed the song. I’d just been full of one thought, and that was to stop it.

I turned towards the pool table. Swan’s gaze was on me. Her chest rose and fell faster than normal. My sister was close to her, her hand on her back and whispering in her ear. Josie, Nary, and Channa were nearby too.

I tipped my chin up at her in a silent question, asking if she was okay. I winced. Course she wouldn’t be.

But then, fuck me, my throat closed off and I had to swallow hard to get it working again when she gave me a timid smile and pressed a hand to her chest before mouthing the words, “Thank you.”

Anything for you, Birdy.

Always got your back, Swan.

Baby, I love you.

I wanted to tell her all those things as I pulled her into my arms to hug her.

Kiss her.

Comfort her.

Instead, I smiled and winked before walking back over to the brothers.

As I sat, I noticed she faced her girls and said something that had them nodding. She was all right. She handled that damn well, and I was so fucking proud of her.

“How long have you been in love with Swan?” Wolf asked. I tensed and slowly looked to him. His gaze flicked all around us. His brows rose. “Wait, no one knew?”

Fucking hell.

“I did,” Texas said.

Jesus Christ.

“I had no clue,” Ruin admitted.

Coyote shook his head. “Me neither.”

“It’s true?” Billy asked.

“Billy,” Pick warned.

I wasn’t ready for this to get out.

“Not that it’s our business,” Vicious said.

“Brother, she’s Griz’s.” Billy said it like I hadn’t thought of it.

I cocked a brow. “Really?”

He tipped his beer bottle my way. “You’re damn game goin’ for his daughter.”

“She also lost her rock star,” Coyote pointed out.

“I fuckin’ know,” I told them. “Griz also knows how I feel. He knows I ain’t makin’ a move on her until I get a clear sign that she’s ready for somethin’ or even into me in the slightest way. I’d do good by her.”

“We know you would, brother,” Ruin said. “It was just a shock to us. How in the hell did you know?” he asked his man.

I wanted to know too.

“Besides him watching the women like one was his own all night, the reaction to cut off the music was clear enough.”

Shit.

“Hey, you have been keepin’ an eye on the women,” Billy commented.

“Now you fuckers know, you gotta swear you ain’t sayin’ shit to anyone. I don’t want Swan to hear this from any of the women.” I eyed them all.

“Brother, you know you can trust us,” Pick said.

Nodding, I took a swig of my beer. “Yeah, I know.” I glanced over at the women. Swan was smiling at something Rommy said.

“Shit,” Billy drew out. “Now I feel like a dickhead for not seein’ it before.”

“That’s the look of love right there,” Ruin said.

Rolling my eyes, I told them, “Shut the fuck up, dickheads.”

They chuckled and went on to talk about other things while I stared down at the bottle in my hand.

I do love her. She’s my everything.

If only I could make her mine. To see her every day. If I could wake up beside her, I’d be the luckiest man in the damn world.

When I got a boot to the shin, I glared over at Coyote. “You sure you’re old enough to know you’ve got the right woman?”

Snorting, I shot him the middle finger. “How old was Billy and Pick? Or Vicious? I may look younger and more handsome than all you fuckers, but I goddamn know what my heart wants.”

“Aww, he’s too cute,” Ruin taunted.

“Why do I put up with any of you?”

They all grinned.

Rommy bounced up to the table and wrapped her arms around her brother, Texas. “Hey-ya, loser.” She kissed his cheek.

“Romania,” Texas said, smirking.

She groaned. “Don’t call me that.” She’d always preferred Rommy over the full version. “I was just telling Swan what I heard at the library the other day.”

“What’s that?” Texas asked.

“That they need someone to train the new manager. She’s going to see if she can get permission from whoever she needs to. It’ll be awesome to have her here for a while. We talk about books all the time. You know I love reading. Nearly as much as martial arts.”

Texas stared at me.

If Swan did come here for a while, I’d want to come with her. I already had enough trouble dealing with not seeing her every damn day.

Rommy suddenly gasped. “I wonder if she’ll want to learn shooting while she’s here. I hope she gets to come. I don’t have friends who are close that are girls. I have heaps of guy friends from the garage, but sometimes I just want to talk about girl stuff like?—”

“Rommy, we don’t need to hear,” Coyote quickly said.

She slapped her hands to Texas’s shoulders and shouted, “See! That’s what they say at work.”

Snorting, I shook my head.

“How was your date the other day, Rom?” Billy asked.

She glared down at him and put her hands over her ears just before Texas snarled loudly, “What fuckin’ date?” He stood and turned towards her. “Rommy, what damn date is he talkin’ about?”

“Billy,” Pick clipped.

“I thought he knew,” Billy said quickly.

“Rommy?” Texas warned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rommy sighed, dropping her hands to her hips. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. It was a shit date. I couldn’t even kiss the guy, so I didn’t sleep with him.”

“Shut up,” Texas bit out.

“What? You thought I was a virgin?” She laughed.

Oh fuck.

Texas was about to explode.

“Rommy, who the fuck?—”

“Don’t try asking me who it was because there’s no way I’ll tell you. It was consensual; that’s all you need to know. Oh, and we used protection. I don’t want a baby anytime soon.”

Texas frowned. “Don’t talk about you and babies.”

Rommy snorted. “Why? You do know I’m twenty-three.”

“Don’t remind me.”

Rommy patted his arm. “Relax, brother. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. Dad has me trained to defend myself. I know how to use a weapon, and I keep a Taser on me at all times.” She pulled the device out of her back pocket. Luckily, she was in a club-owned bar since the device was illegal, and no one in here would be stupid enough to go to the cops about seeing her with it. “Come at me and I’ll show you.” She danced side to side on her feet with a wicked grin.

Texas shook his head, huffing. “Jesus Christ, I ain’t fightin’ you. I know you can kick my arse.”

“Please. Pretty please fight me. I wanna show you what I can do.”

“No.”

“Come on. Just this once.”

Standing, I announced, “Gettin’ another beer.” Instead of heading to the bar, though, I went over to the pool tables.

“Maya, you might want to go help your man.”

My sister straightened from the table and handed me the cue. “Why?”

“Rommy’s trying to fight him.”

She snorted out a laugh. “What?”

“She wants to prove how she can defend herself.”

“Thanks, I’ll go save him. You take my turn.”

When she walked off, I asked Josie, “Who am I playin’ against?”

“Me,” Swan said with a blush. She moved in close to me and added softly, “Thank you for stopping the music. I-I just… I’m not….” She blew out a breath.

Staring down at her this close, I wished I could tip her chin up to capture her lips. I hungered for it, but I didn’t give in to myself. I never would. Not until I knew she’d welcome me.

To her lips, her body, her heart.

“Birdy.” When she looked up, I tapped her nose and told her, “No need to thank me. You know I’d do anythin’ for you.” I watched her eyes widen and her deep inhale. I stepped back and lifted the cue. “Now, let me beat your cute arse at this game.”

She gave me a shy smile and waved towards the table. “Try your best.”