Page 34 of Riding Free

Leaning forward slightly, I make sure she is really looking at me. Focused on me. Our gazes are connected, and only then do I speak.

“Briar,” I begin, “Brock is the father of my daughter. You all made me feel worthless for not being with him, and now you’re trying to warn me away from him.”

“He’s dangerous,” she snaps. “I love you like a sister. There is no way I want to see you put yourself in a bad situation, and this man is bad.”

Clare shifts forward just when I’m ready to call Briar on her bullshit. She does not love me like a sister. She doesn’t even really like me. For her, it’s about being better than me, always. She’s been that way since we were kids.

It’s always about her showing off what she has, especially when others don’t have it. Her wedding was over the top. Her pregnancy announcement was the same. She wants everyone in our circle of friends to see her winning, while rubbing their noses in the fact that they aren’t, at least in her opinion they aren’t. And I don’t care much about her opinion, especially on this fact.

“Keely, his group is dangerous. They’re outlaws, and not in a fun way like we watch on TV. It’s real, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Clare’s concern, I believe. Briar’s, I do not.

Gently shaking Briar’s grasp from my arm, I take half a step backward so she can’t reach out and grab me again. I inhale deeply through my nose, hold it for a moment, then slowly let it out through my mouth before I speak.

I’m buying myself a few seconds, so I don’t tell Briar to fuck herself the way that I want to. Because that’s exactly what I want to do. Instead, I press my lips together in an attempt to keep from being a bitch… even if she deserves it.

Releasing my lips, I clear my throat before I speak. “I know they are,” I say, even though I don’t know to what extent.

I don’t know him well enough to know exactly what his club is doing, but I don’t think I care. I should. I know I’m not being a good person by not caring, but also… I just want him. I don’t care what he does. He could be a pirate and raid seaside villages, and I would not care.

“He’s Thea’s father, and he wants us to work. He wants us to move in with him by the end of the week.”

Briar gasps and makes some obnoxious noise, but I don’t look at her. My focus is on Clare. Her expression is hard for me to read, but then she takes a step toward me, and another before she stops.

“Is he who you want?” she asks.

I could lie, but what would be the point? I wouldn’t lie to my parents, and I won’t lie to her. Briar can kick rocks. I would fucking lie to her ass without a second thought. But not Clare, not the woman who gave me a job when I was desperate.

“He’s who I want,” I whisper. “He’s the only one I’ve ever wanted, and he’s the father of my daughter. I don’t know if it’s love. I don’t know if it’s a mistake or if I’m going to crash and burn, but I’ve thought of no one but him the last year.”

Clare presses her lips together, rolling them a few times before she speaks. “Then I’ll support you,” she whispers. “But if it becomes any kind of issue for the café, I’m going to have to let you go.”

Her words sting. Logically, I understand them, but that doesn’t make them hurt any less. Instead of telling her any of that, though, I just give her a simple nod. Ignoring Briar, I keep my focus on Clare.

“That would be disappointing, but I would understand,” I murmur.

Briar clears her throat loudly. I open my mouth to ask her what’s happened but don’t get the chance. Briar leans forward, her gaze never leaving mine, focused on me as if she’s got a million things to say.

“Well, I don’t want you around me at all if you’re socializing with that creature,” she grinds out.

I’ve never had to defend myself because of someone I’ve been dating, or even had any kind of relationship with. But here I am, doing just that, and I don’t care. At least when it comes to her.

“Then you won’t see me,” I say.

And that is that.

Conversation over.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

HOUND

Stupidly, I didn’t get Keely’s number. I should have. Now I’m sitting across from the café where she works like a goddamn stalker, watching and waiting for her to walk out. I’m sure there’s someone wondering what the fuck I’m doing, and likely thinking I’m plotting something sinister.

I could give a fuck, but I don’t. Nobody is going to say shit to me.