Page 59 of Victorious: Part I

Alpha huffs, furrowing his brows. “We don’t have time for this, Have—”

She yanks on his hair, pulling his head back, a slight hiss leaves his lips as the rest of us widen our eyes at the interaction between them. “You want to try again? Andthis time, if you say therightthing, I’ll do that thing you like with—”

“What I meant to say was, I know you want Clover to have fun while in Vegas. But, baby, her and Maverick had a different life than you, evenifyou are related. You had to grow up in avastlydifferent way. And while I fucking love you and howutterlycrazy you are, Clover doesn’t need to be like you. She needs to be herself because both of you are perfect just as you are,” Alpha grunts and rolls his eyes.

Haven grins, leaning in, and whispers something against Alpha’s ear that we can’t hear. He grins, an almost animalistic growl escaping his chest as his hand slides out, slapping her ass.

My eyes widen as Haven bites down on her bottom lip, ruffling her hands through Alpha’s hair, then detaches herself from him and turns to face the rest of us. “See…notvanilla.” She winks as Alpha exhales, seeming satisfied, folding his arms across his chest.

Silence falls over us as we all stand here, not really knowing what to make of whatever the hell that was. But it’s Maverick who breaks the ice. “Okaaay, well, that was fucking weird, and something I never,everwant to see my sister doing again,” he states, causing the rest of us to burst out laughing.

Sadie clears her throat, her eyes wide as saucers, and she ducks past Haven, moving toward me while Haven and Maverick crowd around Clover to continue talking to her.

Sadie steps up to me, fighting back her smile, her eyes already glistening with tears while she leans in, reaching for my club cut and straightening it—even though it doesn’t need it. She’s trying to mother me. And I let her. Because who knows if this might be our last moment together.

She sniffles, glancing up at me, forcing a smile. “I’m so proud of you, Wes.” She stops adjusting my cut, her fingers now gripping onto the leather for dear life, and I slide my hands up to wrap around hers. “Hey, it’s not too late for you to jump in the back of this truck and come with us.”

She exhales, finally letting her smile take up her beautiful face. “I wish I could. But I can’t. I’m an Old Lady, and I have to stay by Mav’s side. But I needyouto promisemesomething…”

My muscles clench as I stare down at her. “Thatreallydepends on what it is.”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “No, nothing too serious. I just want you to try to have a good time. I know you’ll be worried about what’s happening back here. And I know you feel cheated because you want to be here fighting with your brothers, butpleasedon’t take out your frustrations on Clover. She’s a good kid and a little sensitive. So please don’t make her feel like she’s a burden to you. Promise me that?”

Shifting my gaze to the other side of the truck, I spot Clover laughing with her family—loud and unfiltered, like she’s forgetting, just for a second, everything she’s lived through.

Everything we’re about to go through.

Her chestnut hair catches in the breeze, wild waves dancing around her shoulders, and her eyes, deep brown and too damn expressive, spark like she’s got so much fight inside her. She’s all rough edges smoothed by grace, soft in the places the world tried to harden.

Not untouched by pain but still choosing joy anyway.

It guts me knowing what she’s been through.

She’s beautiful. Unapologetically, heartbreakingly beautiful.

And I definitely should not be noticing that.

Not when I’m supposed to be her shield.

Not when her brother already sees me as a walking red flag with a patch on my back.

Not when I should be back inside the clubhouse, gearing up with the rest of my brothers for a war that feels like it’s mine to fight.

Instead, I’m being sent to Vegas like some kind of babysitter…

Except the girl I’m meant to guard doesn’t look like a burden.

She looks likepure temptation.

Too delicate to touch.

Too risky to want.

But it’s getting harder not to look at her and feel things I absolutely shouldn’t.

Dragging my eyes away, my jaw tightens with anxiousness.

I didn’t come here to get caught up in this kind of bullshit.

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