Page 46 of Skid
Dalton man hugged him as the man turned his attention to me. Offering me his hand, he spoke. “Grace?” I nodded and shook his hand as Dalton pulled me closer to his side. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Claw, VP of the Death Hounds. Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you.”
“Sadie told me to bring you to her as soon as you got here,” Claw remarked, and Dalton shook his head with a smile.
“Let’s go find her before she sends Gunner to track us down,” Dalton said, and I took his hand in mine, needing the connection and reassurance.
A few other brothers tried to stop Dalton, but he kept remarking, “Sadie needs us,” and they would nod and step aside. I could feel their eyes on me but not in a disrespectful way. I knew they were checking me out, sizing me up, and judging if I was good enough for Dalton. Knowing what we had was real, I stood taller and looked up at him to see him smirk as we grew closer to the building.
“That’s my girl,” he said and stroked the back of my hand as we walked into the building. “Never back down, Grace. Never let them see you second-guess yourself. Show them the strong woman who isn’t afraid to hit someone with a tray.”
He chuckled as I smiled. Knowing I needed to be strong, I channeled my inner badass and hoped I wasn’t in over her head. A woman a few inches taller than me with Dalton’s black hair and blue eyes pushed through the gathering and made a direct line for us. Her smile was contagious, and when she was in front of us, Dalton released my hand and pulled her into a hug.
“Grace, baby, this is Sadie.” He introduced me and then turned to her. “Sadie, meet Grace.”
She pulled me into a hug, whispering, “It’s so good to meet you, Grace.”
I wasn’t used to being touched but swallowed down my discomfort as I returned the embrace. Pulling back, she remarked, “You are absolutely beautiful. What in the world are you doing with my little brother?”
“Hey,” Dalton scoffed, and she chuckled.
A large man with reddish-brown hair and a full beard stepped to us and wrapped his arm around Sadie, pulling her close to him. She looked up at him the way I look at Dalton and turned back to me. “Grace, this is Kade, my husband and the President of the club. Kade, this is Dalton’s girl, Grace.”
“Nice to meet you, Grace. Welcome to the Death Hounds. I hope you’ll make yourself at home while you’re here,” he offered, and I smiled up at him as Dalton tugged me into his side.
“Why don’t we get to know each other better while these two catch up?” Sadie suggested, and I nodded with a smile.
Dalton kissed me on the cheek and whispered, “Come find me if it gets to be too much. Okay?”
“Okay,” I replied and followed Sadie through the crowd.
Everyone gave her respect as we walked through and entered a large dining room with multiple long tables. She walked to one and pulled out a chair, offering it to me while she sat down across from me. I sat down and clasped my hands in my lap, unsure what to expect.
“So, how did you meet Dalton?” she asked, and I smiled.
“He came into the bar I work at and never left.” I chuckled, and she joined me in laughter.
“The Death Hounds usually know what they want when they see it, and they don’t stop until they get it,” she reasoned and leaned closer. I mirrored her movement, then she lowered her voice. “I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to see my brother happy.”
I brushed a fallen curl behind my ear and responded. “I’m glad he was persistent. He said you raised him and your younger brother?” She nodded, and I continued. “Thank you for raising a gentleman.”
She cackled into the room, and I was confused, feeling like I was missing something when she explained, “I’m not laughing at you, but no one has ever described my brother as a gentleman.” She wiped her eyes and stated. “I’m glad he’s treating you right. Don’t be afraid to stand up to him if he gets too big for his britches.”
“I won’t,” I joked.
“Do you have any family? Brothers or sisters?” Sadie inquired.
I swallowed the pain that shot through my chest and responded with my fake smile. “I’ve got Eddie, my boss and best friend back home.”
She reached across the table and gently gripped my hand. “You’ve got Dalton and us now, and once you’re family, you’re family for life.”
I desperately wanted a family and felt Dalton was meant to be my future. But how do you explain to someone that the meaning of family was so distorted in your mind that you didn’t understand the concept? I had Eddie and the occasional call to Kelly, but other than them, I was completely alone in the world. Sometimes I liked it that way, but seeing the camaraderie of the people around us, I realized I’d been missing out on the good parts of life.
Somehow sensing my discomfort, Sadie stood from the table with a smile. “Follow me. I need to make sure everything’s ready to eat.”
Walking into the kitchen, I saw a few other women making side dishes and plating food as brothers walked in and grabbed items, carrying the food outside. After making sure there wasn’t anything we needed to help with, Sadie took me to the bar inside the clubhouse and made us both whiskey and Cokes.
Clinking glasses with me, we sipped on the drinks as the music started up outside.
