Page 8 of Double the Dilemma

Karissa shook her head. “He wouldn’t do that because he knows I’ll cut his balls off if he tries. Look, Esme, I need you to understand you’ll have to come to me for a little bit until things settle down.”

Esme stared at her, and Karissa knew she was trying to get a read on her, seeing just how serious she was. Unfortunately for her, Karissa made up her mind and there was no changing it. It was going to be hard, but it would make things easier when she eventually left. Besides, Esme had a whole new life here, and the other Old Ladies would make sure she was alright. It wouldn’t be a huge loss if she wasn’t here all the time.

It gave her a small pang at the thought of her and Esme growing apart, but she refused to dwell on it. She and Esme were close like sisters, and that wasn’t the kind of friendship that would ever just go away, even with some distance.

Finally Esme, realizing how serious she was, gave a heavy sigh. “Okay, I can come to you for a while,” she agreed. “Besides, it would probably do me some good to get off the clubhouse grounds more. I’m here more than I’m out doing other things and that’s probably not the healthiest.”

“You’re here because your man spends every free second he has trying to get you pregnant,” Karissa said drily.

Esme grinned wickedly. “There is that.”

“And you work at the garage, so it’s not like you being off the grounds all the time is all that possible.”

“I hate when you’re right,” Esme griped.

Karissa smiled smugly. “Probably because I am so often.” She laughed when Esme rolled her eyes. “Now, I’m sure your man is going to be showing up soon to sex you up so I’m going to head home. I have a few things I need to get done before work.”

“Good idea,” Fury’s deep voice said as he walked inside. “And since I’m feeling generous, I’ll let you know that Razor saw your car when he came back from a tow job a couple minutes ago. So you probably got about three minutes before he shows up here looking for you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if she should believe him. Though, really, why should she care? If he was lying, she would handle Razor, and he was probably going to be taking off his pants in only a couple minutes. So she stood, hugged Esme, and then headed for the door, calling behind her, “Keep your pants on until I’m out the door please. I don’t need to see any of that shit.”

Esme let out a screech. Against her better judgement, Karissa looked over her shoulder and saw Esme slung over Fury’s, and he was heading for the stairs. She rolled her eyes and opened the door. Looked like her friend was going to be busy for a while. Good thing Gabe was still at school for a few more hours.

She walked outside, shut the door loudly so they would know she was gone, and then headed down to her car.

“Karissa!” a voice called out, making her stop and turn to see Royal and Harlow waddling towards her. And she couldn’t call it anything other than waddling, seeing as they were both very pregnant. Not that she would tell them that. Pregnant ladies were not ones you messed with. She waved at them.

“Hey,” she said casually as they continued to make their way towards her. “Sorry I can’t stay long, I need to get home and get ready for work.”

Royal gave her a knowing look. At five-nine, she had bright green eyes and dark red hair that practically shone like fire with all the pregnancy hormones. Even at almost six months pregnant, she was a knockout. She was also the Old Lady of the club’s President, Savage. “Trying to avoid someone?” Royal teased, resting a hand on her belly when she reached her. She and Savage were going to be finding out what they were having in a couple of days and bets were already on whether it was going to be twins—since Royal was an identical twin herself—or if it would only be one. Karissa had her bet in for twin girls.

Karissa shook her head. “Fury just got home and is currently sexing up Esme.” She grinned and rolled her eyes. “He was hauling her off before I even closed the door.”

Harlow laughed. “No surprise there. They’ve been trying for a couple months, but I think they’re having more fun with the trying part than actually making the baby.” A bit shorter than Royal, Harlow was also a knockout, and heading towards seven or eight months pregnant now. She had recently cut her blonde hair a bit shorter so that it was only shoulder length, and her skin had a healthy glow to it.

“And you’re saying you didn’t have fun getting pregnant with this guy?” Karissa said with a smirk. Harlow and her man, Steel, had already found out the sex of their baby on the way: a boy, much to Steel’s delight.

“Sure did, and still do,” Harlow returned with a smug grin. “We have to be a bit more creative though now that I’m as big as a whale.”

“You’re not big as a whale,” Royal told her friend in exasperation.

Harlow ignored her. “I’m just glad Steel still desires me half the time. I’ve been so hormonal and moody that I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to stay away from me until the baby comes.”

“The man worships the ground you walk on,” Karissa assured her.

“It’s sickening sometimes,” Royal added with a wink at Karissa. Harlow scowled at her. Instead of continuing the debate, she said, “So, Karissa, you’re heading out? You sure we can’t tempt you to work at the bar here?”

This was a new thing that had been brought up now that everyone knew about her bar experience. Royal mentioned it to her a couple of weeks ago, but Karissa turned her down. Gently, of course. She didn’t want to piss off the pregnant woman or the big biker who was behind her. Besides, if she worked at the bar here, there was no way in hell she would be able to avoid Razor. “Thanks, but I like where I’m at right now,” she lied smoothly. In all honesty, she didn’t mind the bar she currently worked at, but it was a dive, and her boss was a pain in the ass.

“You sure it doesn’t have something to do with the handsome biker that is currently walking out of the garage right now?” Harlow asked sweetly.

Karissa managed not to stiffen and shook her head. “Nope. Razor and I are not a thing, and the sooner people realize that, the better everyone will be.” She checked her phone. “Sorry, but I have to get going. I’m already pushing my time a little too close if I don’t leave now.”

“Sure thing,” Royal said as she and Harlow stepped back and Karissa rounded her car to the driver’s side door. She saw Razor heading her way out of the corner of her eye. Shit. She did not want to talk to him. “Don’t worry, we’ll distract him so you can make your getaway,” Royal assured her with a knowing grin. “See you later.”

Karissa didn’t bother arguing with her. Instead, she opened her door, climbed in, and ignored Razor’s call out to her. She turned on her car and headed for the gate, not bothering to glance in the rear view. She figured she had about a minute to get to the gate and get out before Razor called the Prospect and told him not to let her leave.

She reached the gate in thirty seconds and nodded at the Prospect, who opened the gate for her. She didn’t bother to hold back her grin of triumph when he stopped, pulled out his phone, and then swung around to yell something at her. But it was too late, she was out, and she was heading back to town.

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