Page 42 of Devil's Work: Dark

I shake my head. “Tell you later.”

There’s a new drive that turns off of the parking lot to the clubhouse. We take the drive. It leads to the property set back a little. Two houses next to one another. Both Vlad and Sarge built new. Gorgeous houses. Not huge, but nicer than anything I’ve ever lived in.

Vlad and Nic’s place is two-toned with gray siding on the top and darker gray brick on the bottom. There’s an average-size porch with plants in pots and a couple of white rocking chairs. The door is red and they have a wrought-iron door knocker under the tiny window.

This time, when we get out of the truck, Ty takes his mom’s hand as I pick up Baby Girl, slinging her diaper bag over my shoulder, and we walk together up to the door. Rae lifts Ty so he can use the door knocker. Then we wait. A couple of minutes pass before the front door swings open to reveal a smiling Nic, her eyes shifting between me and my woman. Her smile spreads even bigger. She’s hot as fuck. Her dark hair pulled up in a messy bun, she’s wearing an orange bikini top with a sarong with all the colors of a sunset wrapped around her hips. Yeah, she’s hot, but she’s got nothing on Rae.

“Dark,” Nic says. “We’re really glad you could make it.”

I wink at her.

She turns that bright face of hers to stop on Rae. “You must be Rae.”

“Yes. Hello,” she replies. It’s all very formal. Rae must be nervous because she’s not typically this formal.

“I’m Nicola, Vlad’s woman. All my friends call me Nic.”

“Hi, Nic.” Rae smiles at the woman. “All my friends call me Rae because Rrr just sounds ridiculous.”

Nic throws her head back, laughing. “I like her already,” she says to me.

Rae visibly relaxes. “This—” She moves Ty in front of her. “Is my son, Ty, and that little one in Dark’s arms is Lacy.”

“Well, come on in. We’re out back.” Nic leads us through the house, pointing out the bathroom, the kitchen, and then we reach the sliding patio door. The backyard is huge, fenced-in, and landscaped. When she says they “put a pool in,” they built an inground pool and hot tub.

“This is amazing,” Rae says, looking around. “You have beautiful taste.”

“Vlad spoils me. He wanted to make sure I was comfortable enough to stay with him. What he doesn’t get is that we could be living in my car and I’d never leave him.”

My woman shakes her head, like she understands that. “No offense,” she says. “But this is better than a car.”

“Totally better than a car. The backseat is too cramped to really get our freak on.” Both women break out into giggles, leaning into each other, Nic lays her hand on Rae’s arm like they’ve been friends forever.

“Hey, Dark, brother…” Vlad walks over to me with a beer in his hand. He slaps me on the back, handing it over.

“Thanks.”

“Hi, Vlad,” Rae says. “It’s good to see you again.”

“I can’t tell you how thrilled we are to see you. It meanssomeonefinally pulled his head out of his ass.”

“Seriously?” I glare at him.

Sarge stands from the chair he’d been sitting in next to Greer. “Hey, Rae, how’re you doing, sweetheart?”

“Hi, Sarge. Good to see you again, too.” She leans in to give him a friendly hug.

“Come here. I want you to meet Greer. She has a hard time getting up once she’s seated.” We both turn to greet the very pregnant Greer. Sarge ushers Rae over.

“You look like your timer’s about to go off,” Rae says, smiling.

Greer sighs. “Any day now. My due date is next Saturday.”

“I didn’t know bikers did the whole picket-fence-and-babies thing.” Rae turns to me, biting her lip. “I hope that wasn’t rude.”

“Nah.” I kiss the side of her head. “Not rude. Honest.”

“We live right next door,” Greer says. “It’s good because I can’t waddle any farther than that.”

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