Page 7 of Devil

“Oh hell, just tell us how it went between you and Bailey so we can go back to doing manly shit again. Like getting on our bikes and going to have a beer at the strip club,” Coast said, leaned back on his heels, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants.

I looked at Crusher’s house and then to Speed’s. “Am I the only one who thinks those two are lucky bastards?” It was quiet for a minute when neither of my brothers answered my question right away.

“No, you’re not. We would all be lucky to find whattheyhave,” Flirt said, then Jag jumped in.

“If I ever take an ol’ lady, I hope she is half as strong, smart, and beautiful as Sami and Carly are. Because for every ounce of grief those women give Speed and Crusher, you can’t deny that our brothers aren’t happy.”

“No, you can’t. So, if I come across a woman that does that for me, I will pursue her ass until I have her,” Coastsaidand looked right at me with his eyebrows lifted.

“Alright, I get it. Seeing Bailey. Being close to her. Talking to her. It has me questioning if I was wrong in my thinking.”

“Devil, after you told us what happened, we told you then to tell Bailey everything. I know we gave you shit when you dated her exclusively in high school. But we didn’t know shit then. However, we’venevernotgoneafter what we wanted. Ever. If you want her, brother. Go get her.” I nodded when Flirt finished.

“I feel sorry for the woman that catches your eye, Flirt,” Jag said, lightening up the moment, especially when Flirt flipped him off.

“Are we done, now? Can we pick our man-cards up off the ground and head to Soft Tails or what?” We all chuckled at Coast.

“Sure you don’t want to go?” Jag asked.

“I’m good. Ride safe, brothers,” I said, and turned toward my house.

“Always,” was returned from the three as I made my way up the few steps onto the porch, and then into my house.

By the time I took a leak, grabbed a beer out of the fridge, and made it back to the porch to sit down, Flirt, Jag, and Coast were rolling out. I waved and sat down in one of the wooden rockers. When my head was clouded with thoughts, I needed the time alone to organize and work through the things that bothered me. I’d been that way most of mylife,and it was one of the reasons the others didn’t harp on me to go with them.

With my legs stretched out and my feet crossed on the banister, I drank my beer and thought about Bailey. Time apart from her didn’t make it any easier to stand in front of her as though she had meant nothing. Could I risk changing the hurt in her eyes to hate if I explained about James? Did I even want to take the chance? I leaned my head back against the house, sighed, and let memories of the time spent with Bailey wash the cloudiness away. Funny, how even in my thoughts she felt like home.

Home.Even as young as we were, Bailey had always been that for me and so much more. I felt the smile form on my face. I might have been joking about only having boys but thank God the statement of finding out with her hadn’t come out of my mouth. I knew when I thought it, my choice was made. Even as I talked with my brothers, I knew the answer.

Mine. Bailey would always be mine.

“Hell, do I want to know what’s got you smiling like that?”

My eyes flewopen,and my feet hit the porch. “Goddammit, Dad!” My dad, David Cummings, sat down in the rocker next to me as he laughed.

“Good to see your military survival skills still work. Not even mentioning what you were taught in the club.”

I looked over athim,and his lips twitched. I loved mydad,but he was stuck with the name Preacher for a reason. The man could sit for hours and never say a word. Other times, if he started talking, no one was getting a word in. Thankfully, it didn’t happen a lot.

“Yeah, whatever. I was a medic. We didn’t have to practice being quiet. We actually wanted the men to hear us coming.”

“Less fun that way.” My dad chuckled.

“Less chance of one of the wounded shooting us because they thought the enemy was coming to finish them off.”

“True. So, gonna tell me why I caught you smiling?” I looked at my dad whostaredback with his eyebrows raised in question.

For the first time, I noticed the gray making an appearance at the temples of mydad’s sandy brown hair. Hair color was the only difference between our looks. We shared every other feature from our dark brown eyes and squarejawto height and build. If not for the man beside me, I never would have been born. I sure in the fuck wouldn’t have survived after without him.

“Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,” Isaid,and his questioning look turned into one of worry.

“What is going on with you, Lance? I saw Flirt, Coast, and Jag riding out. Not like you not to be with them. Especially since Crusher and Speed got women to answer to.”

“You saying they’re pussy whipped, Dad?”

“Yeah.” I opened mymouth,and he stuck his hand up to halt me. “Do they show any weakness for their women? Yes. It’s not a bad thing. I might never have had an ol’ lady but, son, no man, including a badass, bucks his woman unless he likes going withoutandsleeping on the couch. And I’m not saying that is with every woman. I’m sayingthe one who tames your ass without even knowing she’s doing it. The woman who loves without boundaries, calls you on yourbullshitbut loves you when you don’t even love yourself and are being an asshole. Those are the women men would walk through fire for. Do you know why she does it, Lance?”

“Why?”

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