Page 53 of Bones

“I bought a new red dress, so I think I might wear that. We’re going to Strike, which the club owns. I bet Ghost will be watching in the security room again, making sure we all stay out of trouble. They usually send the prospects with us too.”

“So Romeo, Patch, and Omen will be coming with us?” I ask, and she nods.

“Yeah, last time the men went to Club Cobra, which is the strip club we own, we all showed up there.”

“I didn’t even know the club owned a strip club.”

“Yeah, some of the dancers there are really cool. You’ll like Heaven. She’s been trying to get Danger for a while now, but he’s not interested,” she says, kissing the top of Zade’s head.

“Wait, so not only do the men have three club girls here to sleep with, they also have a whole club full of dancers?”

“Yeah.” Ora sighs, laughing when Rune jumps into the pool and splashes water everywhere. “Pretty much. But from what I’ve seen, the men are loyal once they settle down. Before that, though…”

“None of the men have cheated on their old ladies?”

“Not that I know of. There’s been some drama with the club girls. A lot of drama, actually. But they don’t take getting an old lady lightly. For them, it’s like marriage, and they take it seriously.”

And Nate told me he wants me as his old lady.

“I love how close you guys all are.”

Meanwhile, my own family hasn’t even called me once since I met Nate. They’ll ring me on my birthday next month, I’m sure. Maybe even send me an impersonal card, and then they’ll invite me to their house on Christmas.

“We are very lucky,” Ora says, turning her head to look at me. “We all get along so well. And it’s such a blessing. I knew Bones would choose someone amazing. I’m glad he found you, Meredith. We were all worried about him for a while there.”

“I’m the lucky one to have been kidnapped by him.” I smirk, and she laughs.

“See, without Skull keeping him contained, Bones was unhinged.”

“He was just a little lost.”

“And then he found his way to you.”

We share a smile.

Nate opens the sliding door and steps outside, then pulls off his T-shirt, showing off his carved abs. Danger steps in behind him and does the same, stripping down to get into the pool. With his curly brown hair and eyes, and those dimples of his, he’s a good-looking man.

I can see why Heaven, the stripper, wants him.

“Do you want to go for a swim, baby? I can take Natalia,” Nate offers, pulling up the lounger next to me and sitting on the edge of it. He kisses my mouth, hovering like he wants more.

“No, you go swim. I’m done now,” I tell him.

He stares down at Natalia in my arms, his eyes softening. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m never going to take it for granted.” He gives me another kiss and then jumps into the pool.

And I smile down at Natalia because I’m never going to take it for granted, either.

“Has my brother seen what you’re wearing?” Skull asks me when I step into the clubhouse on Friday night.

“No, I just got here. Why?” I ask him, glancing down at my short, tight black dress and knee-high leather boots. My hair is curled, my eyes are smoky, and my lips are red. I even got a manicure, a pedicure, and eyelash extensions.

Skull gives me a slow once-over and then shakes his head in amusement. “Maybe we should all go out tonight.”

“No way, we want some girl time.” I grin.

Nate comes down the stairs and pauses when he sees me. From the heat in his eyes, I can tell exactly what’s on his mind. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what? Like I want to fuck you right now and remind you who you belong to before you go out looking like that?” he growls, standing next to his brother, the two of them watching me.