Page 17 of The President

“Then that’s what we’ll do too. You get some rest, sweetheart, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Good night, Fox. Sweet dreams,” she whispers.

“You too, babe.”

Chapter Nine

Vivienne

I’m putting the finishing touches on a seven-layer dip that I’m taking out to the clubhouse when the apartment door opens and Dad comes in, his arms loaded down with bags.

“Dad? What on earth?” I ask, setting the spatula aside.

“Went and picked up some things for us,” he replies, putting the bags on the couch. “We didn’t really buy much, just important stuff.”

“I could’ve bought my own things,” Angie says, moving toward the bags. “I already told you that.”

I hide my grin because, since we’ve been young, she always struggles with what to call my dad. Her family was definitely nothing like mine, of course, so she spent a lot of time with us. She wouldn’t call either of my parents by their first name, saying it was disrespectful, but with the awful examples she was given, she didn’t feel right calling them parental-type names. So, she kind of hems and haws around it, which I find adorable at times, like right now. Other times, I get frustrated, but this is one of the things Angie’s gotta work through on her own. I can be here and offer support, but at the same time, it’s going to be her who has to resolve stuff in her mind.

“And I toldyouthat you’re just like one of my own, Angie, so I’ll take care of you the same way,” Dad retorts. “Now, I left the beer and booze in your vehicle, Vivi, since it’s going with us to the clubhouse. I did pick up some of those wine cooler things you and Angie seem to enjoy so much since I found your favorite flavor.”

“Mike’s Hard Lemonade Black Cherry?” I question hopefully, smiling at him.

“Yeah. Didn’t figure they’d have those on stock at a biker clubhouse,” he teases. “I figure those males probably drink beer, maybe shoot whiskey from time to time. Certainly wouldn’t think to have wine coolers.”

I shake my head while Angie paws through the bags and say, “Probably not. Let me finish this dip up so we can get ready to head out.”

Even knowing what’s going to happen between my mate and I, I’m still excited to meet the rest of his brothers, as well as the two females he’s mentioned frequently, Tressa and Nini. Also, a female called Nonna who is apparently the grandmother to one of the brothers, although it sounds as though she’s taken on all of them. With my own mother dying when I was still young, I long for that kind of relationship with an older female. I think we all need to be mothered from time to time, no matter our age.

“I’ll help, Vivi,” Angie says, having separated out her items and taken them to my room. “Just let me wash my hands.”

In no time at all, we’re loading up my SUV and heading toward the address I put into my navigation system. “Did I mention that they’re going to do a small run tonight?” I ask as we follow the robotic voice, making turn after turn.

“Yeah, honey, you did. It’ll be good to get one in to help blow the dust off,” Dad replies. “The last few at home weren’t very pleasant.”

“No, they weren’t,” Angie adds. “There was a lot of stress, as though Alpha Dawson was searching for something specific. Plus, Carter was becoming more and more unhinged. So, tonight will be really good for both of us.”

Personally, I’m just eager to see Fox in his wolf form.

And show his wolf how we look too,my wolf whispers.He knows we’re a sure thing now, so we need to keep his interest.

Maybe I should shut our link down when I’m reading, because my wolf is becoming way too enlightened lately. Grinning, I tell Angie and Dad, “I think we’re going to have a lot of fun. Fox has told me a little bit about Tressa and Nini, and they kind of make me think of us, Ang.”

“Dear goddess, you mean there are two other females who are attached at the hip who create mayhem wherever they go?” Dad muses. He blows it when he starts chuckling, because it’s not long until Angie and I join in.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Fox murmurs against my lips. When he sees my dad start to pull stuff out of the back of my vehicle, he lets out a piercing whistle then yells, “Prospects!”

With all three of us staring at him, he shrugs. “They gotta earn their patch and one of those ways is to take care of this kind of shit.” Two males come racing up and without saying a word to them, they immediately begin taking the items from Dad and heading toward the back of the clubhouse, leaving me to finally make introductions.

“Fox, this is my father, Warren, and my best friend, Angie. Dad, Angie, this is Fox, my mate,” I tell them. Dad’s hand immediately shoots out to shake Fox’s.

Angie, on the other hand, has been struck completely mute. She turns to me, her eyes wide and I grin, nodding at her. He’s the epitome of the male I told her I hoped I got in a mate, which is why her smile starts slowly growing. “Hey, Fox, I’ve been waiting forever to meet the male who is Vivi’s mate,” she says, putting her hand out to shake his.

Fox looks at me, a brow raised, and I shake my head, unwilling to open up that particular topic right now. So, being the good male he is, he smirks and then states, “Let’s go inside and I’ll make introductions.”

He keeps me plastered to his side as we walk into the clubhouse. Once we’re out of the Texas heat, he walks over to a table where two women are sitting. Both are obviously pregnant, and I realize I’m about to meet Tressa and Nini. “Tressa, Nini, this is my mate, Vivi, and her friend, Angie,” he introduces, pointing to each female as he says their name. “I see Nonna has the two of you sitting down.”

Tressa rolls her eyes but nods. “She saw us filling up the coolers with ice,” she admits, grinning. “I mean, we’re pregnant, not sick, Fox!”

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