“What’s up?” he asked with a head cock that was slightly less than human.
I pursed my lips, my head spinning a bit. Ideas and plans formulating. “I may need your help with something.”
His face hardened, his eyes practically glowing as they met mine. “Who’s fucking with you?”
“No, no. Not like that. I want to do something nice. For Flinch.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m not sure—I have an idea, but I may need some help pulling it off.”
“Let’s work it out. I’m yours, kid.”
Twenty
Flinch
Crawling out of bed when I had a warm Locklyn by my side wasn’t ever going to be my favorite way to start the day, but I had shit to get done and she needed her rest. I kissed her cheek before heading for the bathroom to get ready. We had an executive team meeting at the clubhouse bright and motherfucking early—likely to begin the process of voting Cutter into the head spot—and no way could I be late.
Once showered and dressed for the day, I made my way through the house. Zella lay asleep on the couch in the living room, so I kept my steps quiet. The girl needed her rest. She and Locklyn had spent a good couple of hours serving drinks at the club, something I appreciated. I liked how both slipped right into club life. Into my life.
Both of them.
Fuck.
A realization slammed into me, one I hadn’t seen coming until just then. One that was about to turn my world upside down. I looked around my little house—one bedroom, one-and-a-half baths, pool, tiny living area—and I knew it wouldn’t work anymore. I now had two women to take care of—Locklyn and her bestie. They were a package deal, and Zella needed us more than she would likely even admit to. My old house wouldn’t work for my new situation.
I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face, murmuring to the empty room, “I’m going to need a bigger house.”
“For what?”
I turned, eyeing Zella as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen, wrapped in her blanket. The scent of her sickness preceded her, the deep, earthy scent something I wanted eradicated. Something that had me more worried about her than anything else. She looked so small in that moment—almost like a child. One I had a duty to protect.
“You sleep okay?” I asked, avoiding her question.
She scowled as if she knew what I was doing. “Yeah, fine. I don’t think I’m ready to be up yet, though.”
“Go back to bed. I have club business this morning and will be gone in a few—I just wanted to set up the coffeepot for you two.”
“So, you’re leaving?”
“For the day, yeah.”
“Perfect. I’m taking your spot.” With that, she walked down the hall and into my bedroom, shutting the door softly behind her. My wolf and I had a moment of stunned silence where neither knew whether to rage about someone else being in bed with our mate or to be thankful the two would be together since I couldn’t stay.
I finally shook all those thoughts off. “Definitely need a bigger house.”
Once I had the coffeepot set to brew, some breakfast pastries laid out, and a note written to the ladies, I locked the women in the house and headed for my bike. Rush rolled up right on time.
“What’s good?” he asked before bumping my fist. “They inside?”
“Yeah. Sleeping still.”
“Cool. I talked to Mule about Zella. He’s going to poke around his contacts to see what he can come up with. Might take some time, though. He says the witches don’t like to be poked.”
There was a joke in that statement I had no intention of making. Witches were one of the few things that scared me. “Thanks. Keep on him for me, and I’ll get Cutter involved, too.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He took his seat on the porch, sitting back and throwing his legs out in front of him. Getting comfortable. “Oh, by the way. Locklyn mentioned something about wanting to run some errands later, so I may call in one of the brothers to back me up. Two women is a lot of women.”