“You’re welcome, sweetie.”
“Now I have some other people for you to meet,” Rake says, then puts Clover down. “Clover, this is Cara and Rhett.”
Clover looks down at the two children by my side, as if only just noticing them.
“More friends. Yay!” she squeals, running up to them and taking them both by the hands. “Come on, let’s go play.”
Cara glances back at me once but then follows Clover into the bouncy castle, Rhett, as always, by her side.
“She’ll look after them,” Rake says, watching me. “Come on, baby. Let’s get something to eat; I’m starving.”
I roll my eyes. “What’s new?”
He hugs me from behind, enveloping me in his warmth. “Always hungry when I’m around you.”
His lips touch my neck, and I shiver.
I’m always hungry around him too. I step forward, pulling him with me. Everyone says hello and comes over to greet us. Rake goes over to Sin, who is working the grill, with a plate in his hand, while I sit down with Anna, Lana, and Faye, who are watching the kids and chatting among themselves.
“You two look so fuckin’ cute together” is the first thing Faye says to me. “I feel like taking a picture every time I see it, because I never thought I’d see this day.”
Anna looks up from her phone and smirks at Faye. “That some of the men would be happily taken?”
“That Rake could be satisfied by one pussy,” Faye replies casually, making me almost choke on the piece of candy I’d just popped into my mouth.
“Faye,” Anna admonishes, flashing me an apologetic look that turns into a wince.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I know he was a man-whore.”
Lana leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Yeah, but name one of them who wasn’t.”
“Arrow wasn’t too bad,” Anna says a little defensively. “At least not as bad as the rest.”
“Rake was the worst,” Faye says, staring Anna down. “Sorry, but you have to admit.”
Anna and Lana reluctantly nod.
“Yeah, but now he’s the same way he was with Bailey in high school,” Anna says. “He doesn’t even look at any other women. And trust me, I’ve been watching him.”
Faye looks to me. “You’re his, and he’s yours. It’s actually beautiful to see. Who’s next? I vote Vinnie; he needs to be taken down a peg.”
We all look to Vinnie, who is out on the grass, enjoying the sunlight. He pulls his T-shirt over his head and stretches out, and we all lower our gazes to his six-pack.
“Don’t think it’s going to be hard for him to attract someone,” Lana murmurs, fanning herself dramatically.
“Where did he pull those muscles from?” Faye asks quizzically. “I don’t remember them looking like that, and I’ve known Vinnie ever since he was a prospect.”
“His getting women isn’t the issue,” Anna adds, tapping her finger on her chin. “His cut does that regardless. What he needs is to find a woman he wants to actually keep.”
“One who loves him for him,” Lana adds, always the hopeless romantic.
“Hopefully she’s awesome like all of us,” Faye says, squaring her shoulders. “And a total babe.”
Anna rolls her eyes. “You mean hopefully she’s a good woman who treats Vinnie well.”
“Yeah. That.” Faye grins, then looks at Clover, who is spinning around in a circle in excitement. Cara and Rhett run to her, and the three of them start laughing at something. “There’s a future clique right there.”
We all watch the three of them, and I have to agree. If Rake and I stay together, these people will all be a part of our lives for eternity. I find myself hoping for that to be so, for Rake to be mine, and for me to belong to this family. There is obviously a scary side to the biker life, and the thought of putting Cara in any danger has me extremely worried, but I know Rake will never let anything happen to her. My gaze finds him, still standing with Sin, who is now putting meat on his plate.
“Where’s Tia today?” Lana asks softly, writing something in a notebook in front of her.
“She had to work,” I tell her. “Trust me, she’d be here if she could.”
Lana smiles and puts her pen down. “Maybe she could be the woman for Vinnie. She fits in perfectly with us, is beautiful, and knows how to handle men.”
The four of us share a look.
“What are you all conspiring over now?” Tracker asks as he walks over, blue eyes narrowed. He takes a seat next to Lana, then pulls