Page 17 of Xander
“Respect the brothers and the old ladies, and the families.” He said.
I scrunched up my nose, then asked, “Umm.... isn’t respect supposed to be earned?”
He chuckled then nodded, “Yeah. See your point. How about this? Try to be understanding until they earn your respect. Better?”
I thought about it and then nodded. “Better.”
He grinned.
And then he winked, “Welcome home, Nola.”
I smiled up at him.
Aunt Tempie and Uncle Merlin told me a few other rules that Nuke had left out.
Like, not going into a brother’s room unless you were invited by that brother.
Or not repeating anything you see or hear outside of the clubhouse.
All in all, it was pretty straightforward.
Then they told me about where I would be staying.
I felt tears prick my eyes.
Aunt Tempie just smiled at me, “We know.”
They had rented me an apartment close to where their house was. They had thought about turning their guest bedroom over to me, but they knew I had been away at college for the past three years, and I was used to being on my own.
After I met a few of the brothers, Grey, the VP, Khal, the Road Captain, and Wolf, the Secretary, I climbed into my car and followed them to the apartment building.
And the moment I opened the door, I couldn’t help but smile.
They had thought of everything. Literally everything.
Furniture was set up.
The kitchen was stocked.
Literally, the only thing I had to do was unpack, wash my clothes from the three days I had been on the road, and I would be moved in. Fully.
That night, as I lay in my new bed, I whispered, “Miss you, Mom and Dad.”
***
It was as I was helping make lunch for everyone the very next day that I happened to look up and see a man walk into the clubhouse.
I felt something in my chest ignite.
What in the world?
He was tall.
Taller than my five-foot-eight height.
And he was big.
I don’t mean big.
