Page 75 of Greedy Grizzly
“Where’s the nearest liquor store?” I asked.
“I have beer in the fridge.” Mona pointed. “Help yourself.”
I went and opened the door, finding it filled with Miller Lite. “I prefer IPAs.”
“Then you’ll have to go buy some.” She sighed, sounding irritated.
“No problem. I’ll be back.” I hurried out of the little house before anyone stopped me.
Ella was already gone. Couldn’t say I blamed her for not wasting a second. The vibe inside was extremely judgmental. I hated it. No one should experience so much judgment but that was the world we lived in.
Thankfully, my Libby didn’t have a cruel bone in her body. Couldn’t say the same for Mona. The two sisters seemed very different, but that could be because they had different fathers, like me and my older brother, Logan.
My brother’s teenage face assaulted me as I got into Libby’s Honda CRV and drove off. I didn’t think of him often. He’d abandoned me. Left me with Basil and Juniper because he couldn’t hack it. Promised he’d build a better life then come back for me.
And he never returned.
A couple of years after I joined the Knight’s Legion MC, I started looking for my brother. For a long time I’d feared he had died, which would explain why he hadn’t come back for me.
But no, he’d been alive and well, living in Massachusetts with the Saint’s Outlaws MC. He had a kid around the age of sixteen was my guesstimate. A boy named Curtis Graves.
Logan’s old lady was Joelle, her father was a member of SOMC. I figured Logan had met Joelle not long after he left me and her old man had brought him into the fold. Since he knocked her up and had a kid at a young age, he just hadn’t had the means to take me in.
It was ironic how we’d both ended up in a motorcycle club, thousands of miles apart. After finding out all that I could about my brother, I’d made the tracking app and stopped digging into his life. Logan obviously didn’t care enough about me.
We’d only been half brothers with different fathers, like Libby and her sister. When we no longer had our mother to keep us connected, we’d all grown apart. Maybe half siblings needed the connecting link, our mothers, to stay close.
Either way, the images I’d found of my brother, as a grown man and father, were intimidating. He looked rough and mean. Strong and fierce. And he was obviously a straight man. I had assumed he was the spitting image of his father, who had ran off after Logan was born and left our mom alone to raise a baby. At least my brother had stayed with his baby momma and son.
I hadn’t told Storm or his uncle Matt about my brother. They knew my parents had died, that was it. What I appreciated most about Storm and Matt was how they had never questioned me about anything. When I needed them, they were always there for me. The same for Libby.
But now, I had Toby in my life. He was a free spirit and didn’t want to be held back from pursuing his desires. I had a sinkingfeeling he would want to come and go as he pleased, much like he had been doing since we’d first met.
Clearly, we needed to hash everything out with Libby.
Monday would have to be the day. I didn’t think I could go any longer not knowing what the future could be like for me and Libby with or without Toby.
23
LIBBY
“He’s a wee bit strange, isn’t he?” My sister’s voice tugged my attention away from the door.
I would have done anything to leave with Landon. My sister hadn’t really changed, and frankly, I didn’t want to be with her any longer than needed.
Ella, on the other hand, was sweet and kind. I hoped she was okay after Mona’s rudeness. She clearly seemed unnerved about being a club girl, which was fair. The life wasn’t for everyone and she seemed awfully young.
“I mean, handsome for sure, but nerdy. Am I right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, Mona. Whatever you say.”
“Damn, I just can’t win with any of you today.” She huffed like a spoiled child. “I was only making an observation. He’s nothing like Bryan.”
“And that’s why I’m with Landon. He’s good to me and gives me everything I need.” Which also happens to be Toby.
Most men wouldn’t want to share “their woman” with another man. Not on a regular basis or in a committed relationship. At least, I hadn’t met anyone like that, other than Landon and Toby.
“You don’t have to get defensive.”
