Page 58 of Motorycle Daddies

She responds eagerly, opening to my touch, our tongues tangling together. When we part to take a breath, she looks up at me with a dazed expression. “What was that for, Trap?”

“I just missed you, baby. So much,” I admit.

She giggles, and I want to hear that sound forever. “You just saw me a few hours ago.” Seeing the dead-serious expression on my face, she adds, “I missed you too. I always do. But what’s this really about?”

I take a deep breath. “Well, Dart had a few choice words to say to me this morning, saying I left you hanging. I thought I was giving you and Dart a moment together without intruding, you know? But then…I realized I was also just being a little chickenshit—because I’m falling hard for you. What I feel for you, Meredith? It terrifies me. And I don’t know how to put words to that, but I just wanted you to know. I don’t want you to ever think I’m not in this for real, that’s all.” I’m stumbling over my words, but man am I glad Dart gave me the push to say them, because the smile that spreads across her face is worth everything.

Her eyes are tearing up and she beams up at me for a moment before she pulls me down into another kiss. Then she whispers against my mouth, “I’m in this for real too. I’m falling for you, Trap.”

And I feel like the luckiest man alive.

32

MEREDITH

Even as I shut the door, leaving Harlow alone for the rest of the night to get some rest, the stress pours over me. I’ve been here for almost three weeks now. I’ve done as much schoolwork as I can away from campus, but I don’t know that my teachers believe me anymore about my father having an illness. I’ve been so vague, and there’s been no proof. I can’t do this for much longer.

Not to mention the sneaking around. It has to end. I have to find a way to get everyone on the same page, because we’re either going to have to tell Harlow or we’re going to have to end this.

My heart aches at the very idea of doing that. But I’ll do it for Harlow. She’s practically my sister. And Addy keeps shooting me these looks, every time I make an excuse or get a phone call or text message. She knows something is going on, and she’s close to blowing the top on all of this.

And now, I’ve just heard the news that Harlow will be coming back to school next semester. I’m not going to be able to hide the fact that Dart, Trap, and Grizzly are coming to visit me constantly in my dorm. Even if I get a new place off campus and Harlow doesn’t live with me, it’s going to get too obvious. We need to resolve this now.

I burst through my door, ready to do some heavy thinking, only to find both Trap and Dart waiting for me. Trap is lying across the end of my bed, his legs crossed and his expression mischievous.

Dart sits in a chair on the other side of the room, half frozen as if he doesn’t come to life until I show up.

I practically melt at the sight of them, but I need to keep my resolve. Both of the guys in this room have confessed feelings for me. That they’re falling for me. I haven’t heard anything from Grizzly yet, but I know he knows that it’s come to this. He’s just been too busy to see me much.

But it’s been a nearly nightly routine for these two to show up and for some kind of shenanigans to take place. I don’t know how I haven’t gotten caught yet. Some of the MC members must know.

“Well, what happened? You look really stressed, and you’re back later than I thought you would be.” Trap stands up and walks over to me, caressing my face and running his hands through my hair.

I close my eyes and savor the sensation for a moment before I ruin all of it. I love it like this. Just peaceful and loving. It’s not just about the sex anymore.

I force myself to open my eyes and look at him with seriousness. “We need to talk about something.” I keep my voice calm and neutral, but I see the obvious worry on both of their faces.

I brush past Trap and sit at the edge of my bed, pulling my shoes off and letting the top of my body fall against the mattress. I stare at the ceiling, willing the moment to just pass by on its own. But nothing will happen until I speak.

I can feel their eyes on me, though they don’t rush me. I can’t look at them when I say it.

“Harlow is coming back to school next semester. And I need to catch up. I’m going to have to find a way to make visits to the campus, and we can’t keep this a secret anymore. She’s going to know if we continue things.”

I leave the heaviness in the air for a moment. Sometimes it’s good to sit in discomfort and think about things for a bit. You can’t always solve everything easily, so getting used to the fact that things won’t always go your way is a healthy habit.

“So, what the hell are you saying?” Dart breaks the silence angrily. I know it’s just fear. He hears the possibility of a breakup in my words. He’s panicking, and I can’t blame him. He was the first to speak his feelings for me. The first one who I even noticed from across the room. He and I were headed on a collision course either way. The other two were just happenstance.

“I’m saying that either we get okay with being out in the open somehow, and we find a way to tell Harlow and everyone else, or this is over. I can’t keep lying and hiding. I won’t do that when she’s coming to class on campus with me again. I mean, she’ll still be living here with her babies and her men, but she’ll be commuting to campus a lot more often. I’ll see her all the time. I won’t let her find out by accident. That would hurt too much.”

I feel the sinking of the bed next to me, letting me know one of them has sat down next to me. I shift my gaze just enough to recognize Trap’s jeans. But I still don’t look anyone in the face. I half expect both of them to just leave me here. An unspoken breakup, and that would be that. It would be so easy.

At least on the surface.

But then Trap grabs my hand. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not going anywhere. If we need to make this thing public, that’s fine. No offense to Harlow or anyone else, but you’re it for me. I’d be happy if you shouted it from the rooftops right now.”

I hear Dart’s possessive growl before the bed sinks on the other side of me. His face comes into view as he leans over me, his hand stroking my forehead and the tendrils of my hair that swing back behind me splayed on the bed.

“Sweetheart, we’re not going anywhere. The only thing is, as far as when and how to tell everyone, I don’t think it’s our place. I know he’s busy, but you need to talk to Grizzly. Harlow is his daughter. This impacts him the most. We’ll be losing a friend over this, but he’d be losing basically the love of his life.”

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