Page 15 of Choices

Turning a brighter shade of red, her throat bobs and lips thin into a tight smile. “I need to go see if Maggie needs help behind the bar. It was good seeing you, Kitty.” She drops a kiss on my dad’s cheek, and he waves his free hand at her like he’s shooing a bug away.

I stick the plastic wrap back down and lower my top. The soft click of the door signals Claire’s departure, and I find myself asking, “Why are you a dick to her?”

“Since when do you care about the club sluts?”

Since I became one for Cutter.

“They’re still people. She chooses to be with you, you could at least treat her better than a transaction of body fluids.”

A crack of a smile tilts his lips. “I like the aces.” His colossal frame unfolds from the chair, the president patch sitting proudly on his cut over his chest. Lifelines web at the corners of his eyes as his smile reaches there. Silver flecks of maturity stand in contrast against his dark hair, almost flickering under the light when he reaches me. Clasping my cheeks in his palm, he raises my face to his, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Tim also said you were with a guy. Is this what has you pissed off? Do I need to go remove his genitals?”

“God no. Just because I met a guy doesn’t mean I let him in my pants.” Maybe that’s what I need to do to move on from Cutter, but it wouldn’t be with Nicolas.

“Good. He’s not good enough for you.”

Does he know him?

“No man is,” he adds, releasing me.

“Well, I’m not going for being an old spinster. You’ll have to come around to the idea that I’m going to want to date at some point.”

“You have plenty of time before you’re a spinster. Isn’t that a barren woman?” He chuckles, running a hand through his hair.

“No, it’s an unmarried woman slipping out of what society deems as her prime years.” Fucking society and their ideals. I hate people.

“You’re nineteen, darlin’—and you’ll never be out of your prime. You have your mother’s genes.” The fact that he knows my age shouldn’t make me feel good, but I know plenty of dads who barely remember their kids’ full names, so I allow the good feeling to fill my belly.

“Anyway, I’m looking for Callan. He’s pissed I brought Nicolas back to the club…”

“Wait—you brought someone back to the club?”

Well…shit.

“I thought Tim told you that?”

“This club is for Kings. King brothers, King business. Is this guy a fucking King?” His temper flares. His dark eyes absorb all the light in the room, drenching me in dread. I hate being the reason for his anger, but I also have an overwhelming need to stick up for myself.

“I live here too. This is my home, and I’m nineteen. I shouldn’t have to get permission to invite a friend over.” I go to fold my arms but think better of it. The piercings hurt like a bitch and are tender as all hell.

“How long have you known this friend?”

Crap.

His heavy boots clunk against the wood flooring as he paces over to the cameras filling the back wall of his office. The screens flicker with activity. Cameras monitor all rooms exceptbedrooms. Claire’s obviously been keeping him busy for a while. He hadn’t been taking notice.

The silent figures move across each screen like characters in a movie. Diamond is in the kitchen, and my stomach yearns for whatever it is she’s cooking. “Is that him?” He jabs a finger toward the screen. Nicolas is in the game room with Claire. She’s setting the pool table up. So much for helping Maggie with the bar.

“Yes, and I know I messed up, okay?” I defend, fidgeting.

Turning to face me, his brows are pinched. “I know it’s not fair to you, but these rules are in place for a reason.”

But it’s okay when they invite a shit ton of women who are strangers to the club.

“For one, we have undercover agents always looking for an in.”

I’d be more likely to be an agent than Nicolas “Cocaine Snorting” Carnell.

“Two, brothers are territorial. You fucking know this. You’ve grown up surrounded by them your whole life.” He makes his way back to me, standing with his feet set apart, arms crossed over his broad chest, head bowed, looking down at me. “If one brother took issue with him, they’d act like a pack and tear the kid apart.”

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