Page 25 of Break Out

She chuckled. “You wouldn’t be doing anything to me, I’m signing on for this.”

“There’s more to it than that,” I muttered.

“There is?” she asked, and I heard the smile in her voice.

For a twenty-nine-year-old woman, she was damned intuitive and had a way of drawing things out of me. “Yeah, shit that isn’t known to the fuckin’ rumor mill.”

“Well, I’ll be,” she whispered. “You met someone.”

My body strung tight. “No.”

“Okay,” she chuckled. “It’s your call, but just remember, I’ll be here.”

I sighed again. “Do me a favor.”

“Sure.”

“I appreciate that you’ll be there, but don’t wait for me.”

“Steel—”

“Take care, Naomi.”

I ended the call and threw the phone on my bed. A hot shower always helped me clear my mind, and I needed a clear head. The Devil Lancers couldn’t allow a rival MC to encroach on our territory in any way. I needed to strategize. The idea of this problem dragging on for months and brothers getting injured, that was unacceptable.

For the first time since December, I was grateful Simone wasn’t around because she would distract me like nothing else.

Chapter 6

Most Important People

Simone

By the end of January, I was nine weeks pregnant according to my doctor’s calculations. Morning sickness had set in with a vengeance.

I still hadn’t told my parents yet.

Since I was on a probationary period at work, I hadn’t informed anyone there about my situation either.

Alexandra had done the impossible and kept my news to herself. Then again, the semester was in full swing, and she had very little time to gab with anyone back in Jacksonville. For that matter, she’d struggled to keep her gym dates with Ines. Turned out Ines was an excellent accountability partner though, and she wouldn’t listen to Alexandra’s excuses.

The two of them had left earlier for a Saturday morning run. They’d invited me along, but I barely had the energy to run to the bathroom some days. I wasn’t going to risk it.

I heard a knock at my door and made my way there. “You forget your key?” I asked, as I lowered my eye to the peephole.

I blew out a sigh at the sight of Jordan on the other side of the door.

I’d given myself away, so I opened the door.

“Jordan. Do you need something?”

He dragged a hand down his face. “I, uh,” he trailed off as he stared at me. “You look ill.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve felt better.”

His eyes widened. “You aren’t contagious are you? I’m traveling next week and—”

As tired and nauseous as I was, I slipped. “Not unless you sprout ovaries and a uterus.”

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