Page 32 of Arrow: Riding Rebels MC

She was the first out of the room. I scooped up the baby, and I followed her down the stairs. For some reason, showing up with her had me nervous. Cecilia was the first woman I took serious after Izzy. There had been plenty of women in between, but they were there simply for me to get off, nothing more. At my car, I helped her inside before strapping Hendrix’s seat into the base.

In no time, we were on the road, heading around the corner to the clubhouse.

“Before I came back to the house, I got him a baby monitor for the room y’all were using. We’ll be in the backyard, and no one will be allowed inside, but I want you to be able to hear him. They’ll be smoking and shit, and I don’t want that for his little lungs.”

“Oh, good. Since he’s been in bed with us the whole time, I hadn’t even thought of a monitor.”

In bed with us… It was clear she didn’t know what her words were doing to me.

“I got you… even on the little things.”

Everyone was turned up by the time we got there, and Cecilia looked around in amazement.

I wasn’t sure what type of gatherings she was used to, but the Rebels got down. “Slow Down” by Bobby Valentino played, and her hips moved as she bobbed her head. We walked over to where Boss was with Snoopy and Buck.

Introductions weren’t necessary since she had met everyone already. However, Snoopy played with his life and pulled Cecilia in for a hug.

“Hey, guys.” She beamed, and I mugged them all.

“Tighten up, little bro.” Boss cackled like the little girl he was.

Instead of entertaining him, I turned to Cecilia and asked, “You hungry?”

She nodded, and I led her over to the food table where she made our plates while I walked to the cooler to get us some water.

I wasn’t sure what she liked other than orange juice, so water was a safe bet. Once she was done, we walked over to the tables, and she dug in immediately. I could feel eyes on me, so I looked up, and Izzy stood with the wives and girlfriends, staring at me like she caught me cheating red-handed. I didn’t bother looking her way for more than a few seconds before I went back to my plate.

By the time Cecilia and I were done eating, Boss was in our faces, yelling about a spades game.

“I’ll just watch. I never played before.”

“Watch?” Boss asked. “Nah, you about to learn, and Arrow gon’ teach you.”

I whipped my head around and looked at my brother because he knew how serious I took spades.

“Is that okay?” Cecilia turned to me, and no matter how bad I wanted, I couldn’t deny her.

Instead of wiping the smile off her face, I nodded.

Boss, Snoopy, and Buck laughed as we got up to head to the spades table. It was filled with prospects who got up as soon as the five of us arrived. Snoopy was usually my partner, but he stood off to the side to watch. I ran things down for Cecilia and said a small prayer that we wouldn’t get our asses handed to us too bad. About six hands in is when Cecilia got things together, and the tables turned.

I was riding high because Snoopy and I were undefeated, and Cecilia didn’t break our streak.

“Sis, did you lie to me? You doin’ this shit professionally and didn’t want to say so?” Boss tossed down his cards, and Cecilia’s head fell back as she laughed.

“I promise this was my first time playing this game. It’s not hard once I learned through playing.”

“Don’t explain yourself to them. They thought having you partner up with me that you would end me and Snoopy’s winning streak.”

Boss had all thirty-two teeth showing because he knew I was telling the truth.

Cecilia grinned, leaned into me, and I couldn’t stop myself as I met her in the middle and kissed her soft lips. Just two pecks, then I pulled back to look at her face to make sure I hadn’t overstepped. There was a pout on her lips, but Buck clearinghis throat and asking for another game snapped her out of the trance she had fallen in.

Cecilia cleared her throat and turned to him with a smile.

“I could use some more practice, so I’m down.”

Just as she said that, Hendrix started to cry, and her shoulders slumped slightly.

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