Page 29 of Hollywood

Luisa’s eyes were wide as she took in the women, all so different except that they had fallen in love with one of the Steel Demons. “So wait, all of you hotties are dating one of these bikers?”

“Dating or married to,” Peyton clarified.

“Damn. Are they all as gorgeous as Hollywood?” She laughed and sent a teasing expression my way.

“No,” the woman named Emma added with a small smile. “They’re all gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but no one is that gorgeous. Thank goodness.”

“Agreed,” Laura added. “And Hawk is pretty damn hot.”

Words of agreement went around the two tables and Luisa groaned. “And none of you are, you know, concerned about the danger?”

“Of course we are,” Harper answered. “But it’s who they are. It was who each of them were when we fell for them so we deal with it the best way we can, which sometimes is alcohol.” She raised her glass and knocked it back before she reached for the bottle of tequila.

“So I shouldn’t worry about my bestie falling hard for Mr. Hollywood?” Luisa wrapped an arm around me and gave me a side hug.

Peyton sighed. “I’d be more worried about the MC that’s coming after her. Hollywood seems hooked already, so her heart is safe.”

Luisa gasped and pulled away before punching my arm. “You bitch! You made it seem like your dad was the one being threatened. What did they say? Why aren’t they dead? Have you called the cops?”

“Calm down, Lu. Look, it’s going to be all right. I think. I hope. I’m here because Dad is worried due to some threats made towards me. These guys are dangerous.”

“What do they want with you?”

“Some nasty shit,” I replied, shuddering as I thought of what the guy said to me on campus. “I’d rather not talk about the specifics.”

“She’s safe here,” Ellie assured my best friend. “We’re all still alive and kicking.”

“Okay,” she said as she reached for a shot glass and slid it in the direction of Harper and the bottle. “Please.” She knocked it back like a champ before she turned to me. “So you’re with him now?”

I shrugged, feeling the weight of all eyes on me. “We’re sleeping together, and I like him, but I’ve always liked him.”

“Hang on,” Emma smacked the table. “You knew him before he was in prison?”

“Yeah, I’ve known him for most of my life. He and my dad went to school together.”

“And she’s been crushing on him since puberty hit,” Luisa added and rolled her eyes. “I was worried about her, still kind of am if I’m being honest, but I know that look and I know it’s too late. You love him.”

I answered with a noncommittal shrug.

“Okay then I’m going to speak my piece and say no more after that. What about Winston? He’s not going to take this well, at all.”

“I know,” I admitted. “It’s the only downside to being with Hollywood but now that I have? Lu, I can’t just give him up without a fight. He’s even better than I built up in my head.”

“Impossible.”

“Totally possible, Miss Cynic,” I shot back. “He’s not just a hot body and incredible sex, Lu. Seriously, he’s sweet and protective and he’s funny as hell, sometimes without even trying. And if not for him, Dad would be dead and I’d be… wishing I was dead, probably.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I have to, Lu. This is serious and I have to take it seriously.” I told her about the guy on campus and she gasped before reaching for the tequila bottle again. “Yeah.”

“Okay. I can handle this. I swear.” She refilled her shot glass and drained it. “Iwillbe able to handle it. Soon. Ish.”

“What do we do until we are able to handle it?” Peyton looked around the table at each woman, a sly smile lit her beautiful face.

“We drink!” The rest of the woman chimed in before they all fell into a fit of laughter.

“I’ll drink to that!” Lu raised her glass, words already slightly slurring and enjoyed another shot.