Page 11 of Love Gamble

“Corey,” Romeo says before nuzzling his son. Watching a biker with his child is a wild thing to see. He goes from pit bull to poodle in a heartbeat. “She went to the grocery store and stocked up for the clubhouse.”

“Ah, yes. Thank god for her. Between the real estate business and Julian and the club, I’m so grateful she was willing to take over the role of looking after the clubhouse.”

This is news to me. “What do you mean, take over the role?”

“Well, I’m technically supposed to be in charge of this stuff as the president’s ‘old lady,’” she says while rolling her eyes and giving air quotes. “But I’m leading this MC with Romeo, so I don’t necessarily have time for some of the ‘old lady’ duties.”

“Will you stop with the air quotes?” Romeo asks playfully. “You’re giving me a complex. Can’t you be both my equal and my old lady?”

“Nope,” Julianna says, and then leans in to give him a kiss. “I have too many titles here and ‘old lady’ isn’t even top ten to me. Corey asked for a more active role in the MC since she’s living here and wanted to pull her own weight.”

What the fuck? Why didn’t I know this? Why the hell would she want an active role in the MC?

Maybe you’d know if you stopped avoiding her.

My inner voice needs to go suck a dick.

“Active role?” I ask, needing to know what is going on here.

Julianna turns to me, apparently remembering I’m in the room. “After everything that happened with Matthew, we told her she can stay at the clubhouse permanently and she said she only would if she had a role in the MC since it wasn’t right to stay without contributing. Romeo and I discussed it, and I knew I would not fill the stereotypical role of old lady, so I asked her to help with that stuff.” Julianna starts counting on her fingers. “Make sure the fridge is always full, help me organize club events and parties, handle the clubhouse expenses, those kinds of things.”

Huh. That makes sense and sounds like Corey. She doesn’t like handouts. And it sounds like she’s not going to be leaving the clubhouse anytime soon.

I try not to think about what that might mean for me long-term.

“Ready to go?” I ask, taking out the keys to my car.

Julianna leaves Julian with Romeo and she and I head to the office. Melinda isn’t there, lucky for me, but we take the last few items and hand the keys over to one of her staff members.

“Well, that’s the end of that,” she comments, looking up at the building. “And now we’ll make more money from the rent.”

“So everyone is just working from home?” I ask, amused.

“Pretty much. We have an office set up in both clubhouses and eventually, when the joint clubhouse is ready, we’ll have a massive one,” she explains, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear.

“And when will that happen?” I ask, wondering what living with Corey is going to be like. Right now, with Corey still here at the Devils’, I can leave and get away when I need to, but when we’re all together I’m going to see her every damn day. And now that I know Corey’s here to stay, I need to figure this thing out.

Yeah, that’s going to be hard.

“Most likely in a few months, when the renovations are all done. By the way, what’s going on with you and the blonde?” she asks when we get back into the car.

I swear, I can’t do anything around here without having to explain myself to multiple women. However, in Julianna’s case, if she didn’t like my woman, then there would be a problem. She’s the queen bee, and her not approving would make my life hell.

“Nothing much, it was just something casual. I saw her earlier today and told her we couldn’t see each other anymore.”

“Oh yeah, how’d she take it?”

I tilt my head, considering. “Fine. I mean, I didn’t give her an option, but I think she took it well. She knows I’m not looking for anything more than casual,” I say, reversing the car and driving off.

“Then why is she chasing after the car looking like she wants to kill you?” Julianna asks, amusement and concern mixed in her tone.

I look in the rearview mirror, and sure enough, Melinda is running after the car with a red shoe in her hand. To throw at me?

“Fuck,” I grit out, and slow the car down until it comes to a stop. We’re still in the parking lot, and luckily there aren’t many cars around. I put the car in park and get out, just as she throws her shoe at my chest. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I fucking hate you!” she yells as she pushes at my chest.

The second Julianna sees this she gets out of the car and comes over. “You better keep your hands to yourself. He might not hit women, but I do.”

---