Page 19 of War

If I want War, I need to fit in with his life.

And although they might not know it, I was born to be at the clubhouse.

While he’s away, War checks in via text message every morning and night. Lore also comes into the bakery to check on me. He’s a pretty easy-going guy, although I can tell that underneath, he has another side to him. I guess all of them do.

“Why didn’t you go with them?” I ask Lore, pulling out a chair and sitting next to him. I put together a tray filled with our new items from the menu. He is currently licking the custard out of our new doughnut like he’s going down on someone. I want to look away, but the flickering of his tongue has my attention.

“Few of us have to stay back, protect the clubhouse and our women,” he explains, licking his fingers now. “We have four prospects right now, so they’ve stayed behind too.”

“Prospects?”

“The men usually at the gates,” he explains. “They aren’t members of the club yet, but they want to be.”

“So they’re like on a trial?”

Lore laughs, his shoulders shaking. “Exactly right, and at the end of it, we have to vote on whether we want them or not.”

“That’s pretty rough,” I muse, watching him eat the new honeycomb slice. “So what can I expect for this party on the weekend?”

Lore smirks, putting the slice down and studying me. “They get pretty wild, Ora, I’m not going to lie. There will be a mix of club girls, old ladies, and men from other chapters. So it’s not just our usual familiar faces. Have you met Haze, our treasurer?”

“Nope.”

“Well, he will be singing and playing with his band. You’ll love that. Just watch your drinks and stay with War. You’ll be fine,” he assures me, playfully nudging me with his shoulder.

“What about me? Who is going to look after me?” Lu teases as she walks out, hearing the end of our conversation.

“Oh, I’ll look after youreally well, cupcake.” Lore grins, flashing perfect white teeth. He taps his thigh, trying to get her to sit on his lap. “With you baking and looking like that, won’t be long until you’re claimed like Ora here.”

“And what does that mean,exactly?” she presses, asking a question I also want to know the answer to.

“It means Ora belongs to War and is off-limits to the other men.”

“What’s the difference between that and being an old lady?” I ask, my brow furrowing.

Lore rubs the back of his neck, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “I think you should be asking War all of this, darlin’.”

“Well, we are asking you,” Lu says, sitting next to him.

We are five minutes to closing, and it’s been dead for a while now.

“Being an old lady is official, like marriage. Being claimed is?—”

“So my best friend here is unofficially War’s,” Lu cuts him off, eyebrows raised. “So he’s just kind of put a dibs on her so no one else can touch her? He put my best friend on layaway?”

I try not to laugh but fail. I’m not ready to be an old lady. I know Lu is only messing around, but I don’t need any of the men to think I’m sitting around waiting to be an old lady. It’s way too soon for any of that.

“Fucking hell,” Lore mutters, sighing heavily. “They’ve only just met, and I’ve never seen War like this with a woman before. He’s crazy about Ora, and I don’t blame him.”

He’s a charming one.

“It’s okay, Lore. Like you said, War and I have only just started seeing each other. But thanks for explaining how it all works.” I touch his inked forearm.

“Look where I am right now, Ora. I’m sitting here, protecting you because War has commanded it. That means something.”

“What a hardship it must be.” Lu smirks as Lore picks up a piece of honey cake and starts to devour it. “Free cake and being around two beautiful women all day.”

“It is when I can’t touch them,” he mutters under his breath, then moans as he takes another bite. “Fucking hell, who made this one? I don’t care, I’ll marry you.”

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