Page 13 of A Biker for Noelle
“Rooms are upstairs.” Eazy jerks his chin toward the stairs. Zack and I follow behind him as he leads us up to the second level of the clubhouse. A hallway stretches out on either side, but Eazy leads us to the right. We pass four closed doors and stop at the end of the hall. “This is my room.” He opens the door, revealing a room much tidier than I’d expect for a man. Situated on the right side of the room is a king-size bed with a dark oak bed frame. A large dresser sits across from the bed, while a floor-to-ceiling window stands off to the side.
Eazy walks over to the nightstand and flips the light. “The bed is big enough for the two of you. The sun will be up in a few hours. Try to get some sleep. We’ll sort out a permanent sleeping arrangement tomorrow.”
My eyes snap to Eazy, and I find his heated gaze on my face. Suddenly, I think about an arrangement that entails sharing a bed with him. It was as if he knows what I’m feeling, and one side of his mouth curves up, making me blush.
Quickly, I turn away. “This is more than fine. Thank you.”
Eazy points to a closed door on the opposite side of the room. “Bathroom is through there. Someone will be here in a minute with your things. I’m going to crash in the room right across the hall… if you need anything.”
I stand next to Eazy’s bed, feeling a little unsure. Everything in the past twenty-four hours has happened so fast. Now I’m standing in the bedroom of a man I hardly know who is making me feel things I’ve never felt before. A man who is not only my new boss but is also the president of a motorcycle club.
All those things aside, the one thing I am certain of is I feel safe.
So, I’m going to trust my gut and lead with that.
“Thanks, Eazy,” I whisper.
“Torin,” he murmurs back.
“What?” I wrap my arms around my waist.
Eazy stands in the doorway, unmoving. “My name is Torin.”
I smile and test out his name for the first time. “Thanks for everything, Torin.”
“You’re welcome, baby.”
I watch Torin turn on his heel, closing the door behind him with a soft snick. A breath escapes me as I return to the bed and find Zack already asleep.
And just like that, I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders.
CHAPTER SIX
Eazy
With my eyes fixated on the dull wood, I stand rigidly outside the bedroom door before stepping back and heading downstairs. My boots thud softly on the worn floorboards, echoing, mimicking the rhythm of my heartbeat.
I can’t shake the heaviness in my chest, which feels like a lead weight.Why the fuck did I bring Noelle and her kid brother back to the clubhouse?The answer to that question has me in a chokehold. Noelle stirs something in me. Bringing them here is a risk when we know nothing about them or the baggage they carry, but it’s a decision rooted in an innate desire to protect them.
But something deeper tugs at my insides.
We found them huddled behind the bar, shivering in her old piece of shit car that struggled to fend off the freezing winter air. There’s more to their story, and I plan on finding out what brought them here in the first place. Irritation builds the more I dwell on the fact she never mentioned her brother Zack. “Whythe hell do I even fuckin’ care?” I mutter under my breath, running a hand through my scruffy hair as frustration fills me. Anger churns in my gut, not just at the circumstance but at the fact she was running from something or someone—maybe a violent ex, a debt owed, or worse, someone who wouldn’t think twice about entanglingmy clubintheir mess.
I go to the brown leather sofa in the corner of the common area, worn and welcoming, as chaos swirls in my mind. When I sink into the cushion, I feel the familiar weight of the leather against my back, the scent of aged tobacco and whiskey permanently embedded in the leather. My clubhouse is a refuge, yet tonight, it’s a huge space for my racing thoughts to fill.
It’s still early morning, and inky blackness swallows the small amount of light in the room.
The sound of boots against the floor breaks through the clusterfuck of thoughts in my head, and I turn toward Brewer, approaching me.
“Tech and Wire towed the car to the shop, and Poet is on his way back with your woman and kid’s shit.”
I nod and ignore the way he called Noellemy womanwhile rummaging for a smoke. I feel the weight of Brewer’s stare pressing down on me. “Got somethin’ more to say?”
“Just tryin’ to figure out where your head is with this woman, brother. It isn’t like you to bring one to the clubhouse.” Brewer leans against the railing of the pool table a few feet in front of the sofa where I sit.
“You questioning my orders, brother?” I raise my brow, my tone sharp with agitation for calling out my unusual behavior. I’m mad at myself because I can’t make heads or tails of my decision either.
My clipped words do not affect Brewer. “We’ve known each other since we were shittin’ in diapers. You know I’m not pushin’ back on your authority, brother.”
