Page 72 of Busted Dreams

Out of the corner of my eye, Beck watched us speculatively but didn’t say anything. We’d probably have a talk about this later. If he didn’t start it, I would, because all of this dating stuff was still so new. Even if he said he was fine with the others, I still couldn’t quite believe it. Would I be fine if they dated other girls?

Just the thought had my stomach plummeting to the sticky, crumb filled floor.

“Well, Jonah, if I lose my job and house, I guess I’d have to put my dreams on hold to find alternative arrangements,” Beck said as if he’d already thought about all this. “Not ideal, but I have to eat. Hell, you have to eat.”

Shaking his head, Jonah refused to say anything else and threw himself into eating his food. If the look on his face said anything, he wasn’t tasting it at all.

How could something so good happen to a person in one breath, and they could potentially lose it in the next? It wasn’t fair at all.

But life never was.

Iwas more nervous than I had let on to Beck about today’s family function, but it was too late to turn back now. The guys were all going to be here in about ten minutes to head over to the cookout. Beck actually seemed excited about it.

And it didn’t take long for Brady to back down. When Beck had gone to work, he’d immediately told Beck it was fine for him to take off. Either he had time to digest who they were and how they operated, or someone filled in those pleasant little details.

I’d just finished pulling a whimsical flowing cardigan on when someone knocked at the door. Thatcher stood on the other side. We’d texted often after our movie night, but he’d been so busy trying to keep Trinity home or to just have a conversation with her, I was surprised he was coming today.

Dressed in a faded blue flannel with the sleeves rolled up and paint splattered jeans, he was the epitome of moody nineties grunge artist. It worked well on him.

Smiling, he stepped inside my room and kicked the door shut. “Hey,” he murmured against my lips.

Chills raced down my arms and spine as he twined his arms around me. “Hi,” I breathed.

“You ready? Beck and Jonah arrived the same time we did, so we’re all here.” He grinned, his eyes lighting up as if he was excited for today.

My only question was why?

“Who’s we?” I said absently as I traced small triangles over his shoulders.

“Trinity.”

Blinking, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Was that a good thing? Had they worked their issues out, and he hadn’t said anything?

“I know, shocker. But it was the only thing that made her want to be in my presence for more than five seconds.” He ran a hand through his dark, loose waves.

“How did you even get her to listen to you that long?” The Trinity I’d left behind at his apartment did not seem like she’d entertain any conversation with anyone for any reason.

“I knocked on her door and said I was going to the Devil’s Hands compound, and if she wanted to go, she had to be ready in ten.”

“I am supportive, but it seems like we’re about to throw gasoline on the already raging fire.” I winced at how that probably sounded. It was not an insult to Trinity. Not really. It was more of an observation.

“Oh, I know. But I’m hoping between the five of us, we can keep anyone who even looks like they’re into drugs away from her.” He didn’t look convinced at all.

“Sure. I’ll do my best.” And the level of confidence in my voice was nonexistent. “I’m ready now, let’s go.”

Taking my hand, he led me down the short hallway to a crowded living room full of people. We’d never had everyone at the cottage before, and somehow, it seemed like they all couldn’t logically fit in here. Or maybe it was Trinity, slouching over the end of the couch with too much makeup and hatred oozing through her pores.

Beck came up to me, dipping me backward and dropping his mouth to mine. When he brought me back up, I shivered before returning his hug. “Thank you for going, Astrid. It means a lot to me that you’d brave the big bad motorcycle men for me when you’re so obviously scared.” He chuckled in my ear.

“What makes you think I’m scared?” Because that wasn’t it at all.

“Your face is practically missing all its blood, and you look about as happy as Trinity over there. Only she’s much scarier,” he lowered his voice even more.

I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t want him to leave here thinking I was afraid of his family. “It’s not that I’m scared. It’s that we’re going to a family function. I hated mine. They were the very definition of dysfunction. How am I supposed to know what to do at yours?”

“So you’re scared?” His lips quirked into the most adorable grin. Still, his question irked me.

“Fine, if you want to call it that. Sure. I’m scared I’m not going to know how to act in this type of situation.” There, I said it.

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