Page 127 of Colt

Chapter Twenty-Six

Freya

The clubhouse looked amazing.

Kit and the men had outdone themselves in transforming it into a nightclub of sorts. I mean it was still the clubhouse albeit cleaned up nicely, but the low lights and makeshift wooden dance floor gave it a sleek vibe that impressed the hell out of me.

I’d just gotten back from Giovanni’s where the family had a celebratory dinner for Kennedy’s birthday. Kit had pulled me aside and asked me if I’d come back early to make sure everything was ready for the big reveal. I’d jumped at the chance, mainly because I wanted to help, but also because I thought I could get a few minutes private time in with Colt before everybody came back.

My stomach leaped as I approached the main doors. The sounds of low music, chatter and laughter already wafting through to the parking lot. Smiling excitedly, I pushed the doors open and was immediately greeted by a familiar face.

He did a double take when he saw me. “Freya!” he yelled, holding his arms out for me. “Look at you.”

“Iceman!” I squealed. “What are you doing here? Thought you’d defected to Virginia.” I ran toward him and jumped, making him go on the back foot as he caught me in his arms.

“Jesus, girl,” he muttered into my hair. “Surprised Prez let you out the door in that dress.” He placed me gently back on my feet, looking me up and down.

I smoothed down my short, black leather strapless dress and smiled. “Not even he would dare tell me what to wear.” I looked around him to see a handsome, tall, stocky guy. “Hey. I’m Freya Stone.”

He looked at Ice. “She the princess?”

“Yeah, Pyro. Off-limits,” Ice confirmed.

I rolled by eyes before looking around and noticing a gaggle of women at the bar who I’d never met before. I nodded toward them. “Are they Kennedy’s girls?”

“Apparently so,” he said, noting how they were laughing and having a good time. “All of ‘em ex-strippers and from what I’ve been told, at the time, the best in the business. Wait until you meet their old boss, Marcus.” Ice chuckled. “He’s a fuckin’ trip.”

I looked up at Iceman. “As much of a trip as you?”

He barked a laugh. “Fuckin’ doubtful.”

Ice was a good-looking guy. Tall, fair, and muscular. His black jeans and tee showed off his nice, large biceps, decorated with cool tribal tattoos, as well as the dips and contours of his large pecs and six-pack, which were much more prominent than before.

Out of all the club members, Ice was the one I was closest to—apart from Colt.

I’d always gotten along well with him. He acted out but did it on purpose half the time because he was bored. He was an extremely intelligent man—he flew jets in the Navy which was a highly sought after profession—and which only went to the smartest and most resilient men and women.

“Have you been working out?” I asked, eying him approvingly.

He lifted his tee to show me the sculpted ridges of his stomach, making me almost swoon. “Yeah, baby,” he muttered. “One good thing about the new clubhouse is the new gym Hendrix had installed. I spend a lotta time there.”

“The new clubhouse is a hotel, right?”

Ice jerked a nod. “It’s fuckin’ gorgeous. Built in the nineteen-twenties so it’s all art deco. Eighty rooms, a huge basement and land for miles so we can build on later, if we want. The place belonged to Hendrix’s dad, and it got too much for him to manage so he signed it over and the rest is history.”

“And how’s the chapter doing?” I asked. “Someone said Drix had a few teething problems.”

Ice’s face darkened. “Yeah. Hendrix’s Veep decided he could do better startin’ his own club. It took its toll on Prez. Still is if I’m honest.”

My lips pursed. Anna was my friend, and I was aware of how badly he’d treated her over the last six months. “It’s shitty being betrayed by someone you trust, right?”

Ice’s lips twitched. “He went to see Anna the minute we rolled into town. She told him to eat shit and die. First thing he did when he got back to the clubhouse was reach for the whisky bottle and pull Candy into a room. He misses her. Knows he fucked-up.”

“He left it too late,” I explained. “And it didn’t help that he ghosted her and left town without a word. He humiliated and hurt her.”

“Yeah.” He winced. “Told him months ago to contact her, but all the shit was goin’ on in Virginia, and he was caught up. Told me he’d leave it until he could take the time to dedicate to her. Personally, I think he knew it wouldn’t go down well so he buried his head in the sand.”

“And ended up leaving it too long?” I murmured thoughtfully.

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