Page 53 of May 11

She placed her cheek against his chest. The wonderful aroma of her shampoo, soap, and warm skin wafted up and enveloped him. He tried to push away the things polluting his head tonight.

The meeting with Los Li would happen tomorrow. He hoped he'd be alive to return to Cora. He wasn't finished with her yet.

"Yo, Wire?"

He turned without letting go of Cora. Dio was at the door, holding a pizza box.

Wire walked across the clubhouse. His stomach growled. He'd barely eaten all day.

"You owe me thirty bucks, brother." Dio passed off the flat cardboard box.

"Hit me up tomorrow if I'm still alive." He took the pizza.

Beside him, Cora gasped and slapped his chest. "Dude. No. Don't even bring that kind of thought into the universe."

Dio grinned before walking off. Wire looked at Cora, looked at the pizza, and decided eating in the van while stretched out on the bed sounded better than sitting inside the clubhouse with the others milling about.

"Come on, babe." He patted her ass. "Let's go get cozy in your van."

He walked out to darkness. At least twenty members were hanging around outside, keeping the clubhouse secure.

All hell would break loose tomorrow as he attended the meeting with Los Li.

Chapter Twenty Three

DANIA GUIDED MARIAH and Skye into the back of the coffee shop. "I brought the art caddy from home and some construction paper. You two can make crafts all afternoon."

Cora glanced at Brooke. Usually, the kids stayed away during work hours.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Brooke grimaced. "Once a month, the city center where the girls go during the week closes for maintenance. They used to do it on a Sunday, but the new janitorial company only works Monday through Friday, so we all have to find a new place for the kids to go."

Dania returned to the front. "They can come here anytime. They're old enough not to interrupt the customers."

"I appreciate that so much. I've met many people since moving here, but there is no one I'd ask to babysit." Brooke gasped. "Oh, my God. I don't mean to sound like I don't like anyone I've met."

Dania laughed. "Girl, I'm the same way. I don't trust anyone around my kid."

The door swung open, and Bane and Daisy walked in. Cora smiled, always enjoying her visits with Daisy.

But today, Daisy wore a swimsuit with a pair of shorts pulled on, looking as if she came straight from the pool.

"Aren't you working?" Dania set a disposable cup on the counter.

"Not this afternoon." Daisy pointed to the menu. "Bane's riding out, so I thought I'd stick around here for a few hours."

Cora stood back, listening to the others. A shudder went up her spine, and she rubbed the back of her neck. Wire also had acted differently that morning, rushing her to work and then telling her he wouldn't be around, but there would be Havlin members nearby if she needed anything.

She gazed outside. Sure enough, she spotted a biker across the street.

Not wanting to draw attention, she walked over to the far table and straightened the napkin holder while she peered down the street. There was also a biker at the end of the block. Something was definitely going on.

She turned around to find Bane leaving. Wire was always overprotective, especially since the drive-by shooting. So, seeing Daisy's husband acting the same way and Brooke bringing her daughter to work and not trusting others made her curious.

She walked over to Brooke and whispered, "Is everything okay? With the club? I don't mean to be nosey, but there are bikers outside, and I know Wire was preoccupied this morning when he dropped me off at work."

"They have an important meeting today." Brooke leaned closer. "They've placed riders around the block and the coffee shop because there are three of us here—they protect the women. Even if we were at home, they'd have someone protecting us. It's a perk of loving a Havlin member."

---