Page 47 of Dutch

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "You don't clean up so bad yourself, Mr. President."

I grinned, offering her my arm.

Makari linked her arm to mine. "Lead the way, baby."

We headed out, and I stood tall, wearing my cuts, a symbol of everything I'd fought for, a badge of honor. However, with Makari on my arm, I'd never been prouder to wear it.

Tiya fussed over Makari like a mama hen, touching up her makeup and adjusting her locs.

"Damn, Dutch, you almost look respectable." Tiya joked, eyeing me up and down.

I smirked. "I have a reputation, so don't go spreading rumors."

Makari shot me a look, amused. "I'm ready."

"You good?" I asked.

"I'm good. It's just been a minute since I've done the whole date thing."

Tiya chimed in, adjusting Makari's locs. "You're going to have heads turning. Isn't that right, Dutch?"

I winked at Makari. "Hell yeah, I hope I don't have to fight in this motherfucker." I laughed.

Makari rolled her eyes. "You are impossible."

We pulled up to the venue, the Onesti Azure Gathering Space. Bikes lined the street, and music spilled outside as people entered the building.

Inside, I spotted familiar faces everywhere. It was like a reunion with my brothers, who were my family.

"Dutch!" Deacon's voice boomed over the music. He clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me over. "'Bout time, nigga, and who is this vision?"

I introduced Deacon and Makari. “This is Deacon from our brother club I told you about.” My pride swelled in my chest as I watched Makari hold her own against Deacon's larger-than-life personality. Deacon introduced his lady, Squeak, and she and Makari hit it off, talking like they had a lot in common.

After the introductions, I pulled her to the dance floor. "Are you good?" I asked again, needing to know if she was comfortable.

She looked up at me. "I'm real good, baby."

Makari had my nose wide open. After we danced, I grinned as she charmed the hell out of my crew. Smooth as butter, she had them eating out of her hand.

"Oh, you're the one who has our boy all twisted up?" Gunz, their VP, noted, eyeing Makari. "I see why!"

Makari threw her head back and laughed. "Trust, he gives as good as he gets."

The warmth in my chest had nothing to do with the whiskey I was sipping. This woman, she was something else. As the nightwore on, I found myself watching Makari, the way she talked, the way she moved. She fit in here, and something in her eyes told me she was staking her claim.

Later, as we slow danced to some old blues tune, I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "You're full of surprises."

"Hey, you fooled me too. I didn't know you could dance."

I chuckled, spun her around, and pulled her back in. "There's a lot you don't know about me, darling."

"Oh, is that so, like what?" she challenged.

I considered telling Makari about the future I was starting to see with her in it, but it wasn't time. Instead, I held her close. "Like the fact that I'm falling hard for you." I didn't even think she heard me but the way she tightened her grip on me, maybe she did.

As the night wound down and we were standing outside, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were different between us.

"I had a good time. I loved the brotherhood."

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