Page 11 of The Secrets We Keep

The Devil’s Knights are a small-time motorcycle club that has been slowly moving toward our territory from Charlotte. When I say small-time, I mean it. The last we checked; they had five members. But I’ve seen other clubs have a jump in numbers and start to cause trouble. We don’t need that in our town. Odds are that they left Charlotte because they couldn’t handle a big town, though.

“Otherthan that, it’s business as usual around here. I need someone to look at Sophie’s vehicle, it’s already in our shop and on the lift. Personally, it looks like a total loss to me.”

“I’ll do it, pres,” Cane offers.

I nod. “If it’s really bad let me know and we’ll junk it.” Sophie would be pissed, but it would be another reason to keep her around. To keep an eye on her. “Things are going to be quiet around here for a while, so just keep your heads down and do your jobs. I think we could all use a little quiet after the last few days.”

“Damn right,” Rowan mutters beside me.

“Is no one going to mention how weird it is that Sophie has a kid?” Cole asks.

The room goes silent and everyone who knows that Sophie and I have a past, cast glances my way. My jaw clenches.

“Why does it matter?” Atlas asks, looking around the room and then following everyone’s eyes to me.

“It doesn’t,” I grind out before bringing the gavel down again, signaling the end of the meeting.

I don’t acknowledge anyone as I stand up and exit the room, eager to get away from everyone. I quicken my steps as I walk down the hallway, coming into the common area in a rush. My eyes immediately find her. She’s sitting at the table with her son, both of them eating a sandwich and laughing.My chest aches at the sight of them.

The truth is it does matter that Sophie has a kid byanother man.It matters more than it should.You can’t spend your life planning a future with someone and then be perfectly fine when you see them, having that future with someone else. Even if they’re not in the picture. Not that I know that Asher’s father isn’t in the picture, I’m just assuming since Sophie is hurting for money and Noah’s background check didn’t show any involvement.

I swipe my hand over my face and back out of the room.

8

SOPHIE

Bang. Bang. Bang.

I roll over and sigh, breathing in Grayson’s scent and trying to go back to sleep.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

I sit up and look around the room, frowning at the still dark space. I wince as I look at my phone, the brightness temporarily blinding me. 2:00 am. It’s two in the morning.Who the hell is knocking on the door?

I drag myself out of bed and stomp toward the door. I swing it open with a growl. “What the fuck do you want?”

Alice is standing there, drunk as fuck, a shocked expression on her face. “Where is Gray?” She slurs, trying to look past me into his suite.

I move to block her. “Not here, Alice. Why the fuck are you knocking on the door at two in the morning?”

“It’s Candy now. Why are you in Gray’s room?” She asks haughtily.

“Because this is where Grayson wants me and my son to be,” I smirk at her. “Now go away and don’t fucking knock again. If you wake my kid up, I’ll kick your ass,Candy.”

I don’t give her a chance to answer before I slam the door in her face and stomp back to my bedroom.

****

That next morning, I’m livid when Asher and I walk down for breakfast. I didn’t fall back to sleep after Candy decided to bang on the door, so I’m crabby as hell. Asher can tell I’m in a mood and he watches me warily as we walk into the main area. My glare falls on Candy as she nurses a coffee on one of the couches. She looks away when she sees me.

“Mama, are you okay?” Asher tugs my hand to get my attention.

I deflate a little. “I’m okay, buddy,” I tell him. “I just didn’t sleep much. Why don’t we get something to eat?”

He nods his head eagerly and pulls me into the kitchen where Chef is hard at work. He looks up from his pot as we come inside.

“What can I get for my favorite people this morning?” He asks, abandoning his task.

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