and found Aero frying bacon. “Hungry?”
“Starving,” I breathed out. “What are you making?”
“BLTs. Unless you want somethin’ else.”
“No, that’s great. You want help?”
“I’m good.” He smiled, sliding a bottle of wine and a glass toward me. “So, what happened today?”
“You remember me telling you about Ellie?” I asked as I poured.
“The elephant?” he teased, knowing full well I was talking about my favorite giraffe. Probably because I brought her up in almost every conversation we had.
“Okay, maybe I talk a little bit too much about Ellie, but she’s kind of a whore, getting knocked-up twice by two different bulls.” I sighed. “I’m a little jealous of her.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“The whore part,” I clarified. “Not the knocked-up part.”
Aero chuckled.
“Anyway, she’s having a hard time with this calf. I just feel helpless. She’s gotta do it all on her own, you know?”
He nodded.
“Sorry, I’m rambling. I’m just worried about her.”
“Sounds like you care a lot about her,”
“I do,” I said.
“It also sounds like you have a tough time when things are out of your control,” he said with a smile.
“Who me?” I feigned ignorance. “I’m totally go with the flow, man.”
Aero broke into a deep laugh.
I settled my chin on my hand. “Am I talking too much? Just tell me to shut up if I am.”
While the bacon drained, he sliced a tomato, then dropped bread into the toaster. “It’s all good. Sometimes you just gotta vent it out.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“Welcome.”
My phone buzzed and I glanced at the screen. “It’s Dad. He’s demanding to know where I am.” I fired a text back saying I was running errands and set the phone on the counter again.
Right as Aero’s phone rang.
He put it to his ear. “Yeah?” Glancing at me, he nodded. “Yeah, I can do that. Sure. Okay.” He hung up and slid his phone back in his pocket. “Your dad wants you locked down. I’m the one who is to find you and take you to the compound.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can we eat first?”
He laughed. “Yeah, we can eat first.”
Violet
FOR THE NEXT month, life was kind of blissful. We’d hang out at Aero’s apartment whenever we could, and we were getting to know each other on a level I’d never experienced before. We’d managed at least once a week, and I’d usually make dinner and we’d watch a movie before I drove home. Dad was distracted with a woman he’d recently met, so I was able to get away with telling him I was hanging with Everly, and sometimes, she’d join us. We were all becoming good friends and I wanted our bubble to last forever.
But it couldn’t. Because Aero was hot as hell and our club was growing, which meant there were more women. And those women also noticed Aero was hot as hell.
I realized this was a huge problem for me, and I realized this was a huge problem for me, because I was falling in love with him.
Tonight, it was family night and I was weirdly nervous. I hadn’t seen Aero in a few days, and I missed him, but I was going to have to stow that emotion when I saw him and I had a plan to do just that.
“Letti!” Drake called up the stairs. “Let’s go.”
“Keep your pants on,” I replied. “I’m almost ready.”
I spritzed a little of my favorite perfume on my wrists, then grabbed my purse and walked downstairs to meet my brother. “I could always meet you there.”
“Yeah, like that would fly,” Drake retorted. “I’m gonna drop you off, then I gotta head to Alyssa’s for a bit.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need to know.”
He grinned and we headed out to his truck, driving the short distance to the club. I’d packed a bag because I knew tonight would go late, so when we arrived, I headed up to my room, and dropped it off.
A knock at my door came and I turned to see Aero grinning. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I said, and took my phone from my purse and slid it into my jeans pocket.
“No hug?” he accused.
I chuckled and walked into his arms. “Hey.”
“Hey, beautiful.” He gave me a gentle squeeze, then released me way too soon for my liking.
“Is everyone here?”
“Pretty much,” he said. “Your dad’s new… ah… friend just got here with her brother.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yay. I was hoping she was real.”
Wyatt was apparently gorgeous, successful, and smarter than the type of woman Dad typically went for. She also had a brother who had special