Page 8 of Love Gamble

I didn’t know any of this about Damon, and now that I think about it, I don’t know much about him at all. It makes sense now why he considers the Angels his family.

“I had no idea,” I admit, brow furrowing. “What about his dad?”

“I’m not sure,” she replies, shrugging. “He’s never mentioned him. I’m not sure if he knows who he is.”

I ponder the new information and go down a rabbit hole in my thoughts. He has an unwavering loyalty to Julianna and now, it seems, Romeo. He’s a loner who doesn’t quite let people in. He’s kind of the equivalent of me. Except I have River.

But then I decide that I’ve spent enough time thinking about Damon, and I need to move on since he’s already done the same.

I’m not chasing after him. He’s not an ice cream truck.

“What are we having for dinner tonight?” I ask as I sit up, and she smirks at my subject change.

“We just had lunch!” she responds, and sits up with me. I start to hear music playing in the living room.

“So what? I like to plan.”

Bella laughs and smacks my leg lightly. “Julianna is making a roast dinner for everyone,” she explains, sliding off my bed and standing up. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” I assure her, nodding. “I had my moment, but it’s done. I’m going to finish painting and then probably go for a walk or something.”

She leaves me to my own devices, and I turn the painting back around to look into familiar gray eyes.

Motherfucker.

I don’t generally have bad luck, but when it comes to Damon, it keeps following me. When I see Damon out the next day, again with his new girlfriend, I wonder what the hell I’ve done in my life to deserve this. I’d decided to go grocery shopping by myself, giving myself little tasks. But of course I’d run into Dark and Dangerous Ken and Bimbo Barbie. The only saving grace is that they don’t see me, since they’re eating inside, so I walk by the restaurant and go to the supermarket next door, getting the hell out of there.

When I arrive back at the clubhouse, Jag comes over to help carry in the bags. Jag is our resident hacker, the MC’s man for anything regarding technology. But more than that, he’s just a nice guy.

“You okay?” he asks, studying me with his intelligent green eyes. He’s wearing light jeans and a beige hoodie, the hood up, covering his brown hair.

“Yeah, I’m good,” I reply with a smile.

“You look grumpy,” he adds, taking the two bags I was trying to carry myself, adding them to his already full hands. Being that he’s a new addition to the MC, I know Jag the least, but I like him. Cute, witty, smooth. And seriously smart.

“That’s just what my face looks like,” I reply, smirking as I head inside with him closely behind me. He starts to help me unload the groceries, both of us working in synchronized silence.

“So what’s been happening?” I ask. Even though I live here, I am not really clued in on club business. I do know something serious has been going on, though. There have been a lot of secret meetings this week.

Jag shrugs. “The usual. Just another MC in town trying to cause trouble.”

Growing up in an MC, I’m used to danger, but after everything that has happened, this causes my hackles to rise.

I try to play it cool. “Is this something we should be worried about?”

“Nah, Damon thinks the Lost Lions MC will leave soon. Just need to be on guard. Hell yes,” he says as he picks up the bar of Hershey’s chocolate. “You are the best, you know that?”

“I know,” I reply with a grin, pointing to the bag still on the floor. “And I know it’s you eating all the mangoes, so I got you more of those, too.”

Jag puts the chocolate bar to his chest, then walks over and bends down to give me a bear hug, lifting me off the ground in the process. “I love you.”

Damon decides that is the best moment to step inside the kitchen, catching Jag and I looking at each other and laughing, me still wrapped in his arms.

I know how it looks, but I also don’t care what he thinks, so I don’t bother to clear anything up. At least he’s come back to the clubhouse without his girlfriend in tow.

His eyes are narrowed, and he stares daggers at Jag. “Do you want River to kill you?”

“For giving her a hug?” Jag replies in an amused and surprised tone.

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