Page 10 of Love Gamble

I mean, I have a few. Some are well known, like peanut M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and when I open the cupboard, both of them are in there.

The last thing that I’ve been addicted to for the last few months is butter pecan ice cream. I’m not here as often as I am the Angels clubhouse, but I did put some in the freezer a few weeks back, which I have since finished.

I open the freezer, and there it is.

Butter pecan.

I smile as I close the freezer, then walk toward her room to find her. Her living here is part of the reason I’m not around as much as I could be.

“Corey?” I call out, with a gentle knock.

She opens the door slightly. “What do you want?”

“Just to chat,” I say, shrugging.

The truth is I don’t know what I want, and I shouldn’t be here right now. I should stay away from her, and focus on the club business, which in turn keeps her and everyone I love safe.

But for some reason I can’t.

When she’s around, it’s hard to avoid her. I want to be near her. There is a lightness that she brings to my life. She pulls me away from the darkness.

“Chat about what?” she asks, opening the door wider. I can see her easel, and Bella’s let it slip that she spends a lot of her time painting now that she’s put college on hold.

“Is the butter pecan ice cream in the freezer for me?” I ask, grinning.

Hazel eyes narrow. “It’s for everyone.”

“It’s my favorite flavor.”

“I know,” she replies, then winces. “It’s still for everyone, though. Why are you at my door talking about ice cream? I’m sure you have other things to do. I sure do.”

We stare at each other, because we both know this isn’t the conversation we’re supposed to be having. But I know I’m not ready for that, and then I remember her comment in the kitchen. “What did you mean by ‘did I enjoy my lunch’?”

“I went to get the groceries and saw you with your little girlfriend,” she explains, pursing her full lips. “Looks like it’s pretty serious. Maybe you should be hanging around her bedroom door instead?”

She closes the door, and I sigh, resting my forehead against it.

Melinda. She’s supposed to be a distraction. Someone to get me to stop thinking about Corey. But it’s proving to be more trouble than it is worth.

Corey sure does give as good as she gets, I’ll give her that much. I need to let this...thing between us go.

“Damon?” I hear Romeo call out, and follow his voice back into the kitchen.

“There you are,” he says, rummaging through the fridge. “Julianna and Julian are about to come here, and she wants you to go with her to the office one last time before she hands over the keys.”

Hands over the keys to Melinda.

Julian is their son, who is only a few months old. He’s the cutest little boy ever, and we all adore him. Although saying Julianna and Julian together is quite the mouthful.

“Okay, on it,” I reply, glancing back toward the hallway that leads to Corey’s room.

“I see Corey has stocked up the kitchen,” Romeo comments, grinning as he spots his favorite beer. “I don’t know how she does it, but I’m glad that she’s here.”

My lip twitches. “She somehow gets something for everyone.”

“Who does?” Julianna says as she walks in the kitchen, wearing an all-pink business suit. Her large handbag on one arm and her son wrapped in the other. Mother and businesswoman all in one.

Romeo reaches for both Julian and her bag and gives her a kiss. I still sometimes have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the head of the Devils MC fell in love with the princess of the Angels MC and joined the two clubs. They sure did turn everything on its head and managed to do it without too much bloodshed. They’re lucky.

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