I felt safe.

I didn’t have to work, instead I could continue my studies, giving me a more promising future.

I appreciated it more than I could express.

“You’re welcome babe. You know you’re stubborn as shit though, yeah?” he says, shaking his head at me, something like admiration shining in his eyes.

I gape. “I’m stubborn? You’re a brute!”

He grins. “I gotta head out. Will you be alright hanging out here?”

“Who will be here?” I ask, not really wanting him to leave.

“People come and go babe, there’s always someone around. No one will hurt you, don’t worry about that, okay?” he says gently. “Just mind your business and try to stay out of trouble. I’ll bring you lunch on my way back.”

“Okay,” I reply. This is my life now, and I have to get used to it.

No hiding behind Dex.

I could do this.

Dex showers and dresses in jeans, a black top, and a leather jacket. Unable to keep my eyes off him, I realize that I like him.

Maybe even more than like him.

I didn’t know if that was good or bad, but I guess I was going to find out.

Chapter Seven

“You must be Faye,” a gorgeous looking redhead says to me the next morning. Dressed in figure hugging jeans and a white tank top, she looks a hell of a lot better than I do in the morning.

“That would be me,” I say, smiling at her.

“Jessica,” she says. “You want to help cook breakfast?”

Not really, but I couldn’t exactly say that. “Sure. Where’s Dex?”

“Sin? He went out with the guys. Club business,” she says, shrugging like it’s irrelevant. I woke up alone this morning, and I didn’t like it. I had a shower and awkwardly walked out of the room, not knowing exactly what I was going to find or what I was meant to do. “He told me to get you fed and keep an eye on you. I’m Trace’s old lady.”

Trace? I haven’t met a Trace yet. I tell her as much.

“He will be around this evening,” she says. I smile and help her fry bacon and eggs, until the smell begins to be too much. I then spend the next twenty minutes throwing up. I clean myself up and head back out into the kitchen. Several women sit there chatting and eating. A few of them smile at me and a few of them don’t. I ignore the ones giving me evil looks and sit next to Jessica.

“How are you feeling?” she asks knowingly.

“A bit better now,” I say, serving some toast and eggs for myself.

I’ve taken a few bites when one of the women starts talking to me. “So you’re the one then…”

“What?” I ask, putting down my piece of bread and staring at the blonde.

“The one who got pregnant on purpose to try and keep Sin,” she says, sneering at me. Wait, what?

“Right, because that was my dream in life,” I say sarcastically. “Screw going to uni and becoming a lawyer. My real dream was to get pregnant at the tender age of twenty and get kicked out of my house with nowhere to go. You’re really smart, you know that?” I tell her, turning away from her red face when I’m done.

The women are silent for a second before they burst into laughter.

“She told you Allie,” one guffaws, earning more laughter from the rest of them.

“Whatever bitch,” she taunts. “Sin will come back to me, he always does.”

“I’m sure it’s for your charming personality,” I add, keeping my tone even.

“He’ll still be fucking me whether you’re pregnant or not,” she adds with an evil smile.

“Are you a club whore?” I ask with a smirk.

“You f—”

“Allie, stop,” Jessica snaps, slamming her plate down.

Allie shoots me a look but doesn’t comment further.

I try not to let her comments get to me. Sin can be with whoever he wants. It’s not like we’re dating or anything. We had sex, and I got knocked up. Not exactly the best grounds for starting a relationship. The best I can hope for is mutual respect and friendship. Who the hell am I trying to kid here? I want him.

The women stare at me with a new light. It may even be respect I see in their eyes. Yeah—I’ve read a biker book or two in my day. I know how this all works. They are like a pack of wolves. They sense weakness. I need to show them that I’m not a pushover.

“Do you want help cleaning up?” I ask Jessica, ignoring a fuming Allie.

Jessica grins. “We cooked, they can clean.”

That sounds good to me.

“I have to get to work,” she says. “Do you have Sin’s number?”

I shake my head, a little embarrassed that I don’t.

She walks to the kitchen, digs in a drawer, and pulls out a pen and paper. Scribbling down his number, she hands it to me. “Call him if you need anything.”

“Where do you work?” I ask curiously.

“I own a beauty shop. You should come by sometime, I’d love to get my hands on your auburn locks,” she says, staring at my hair. “Maybe we could go a little darker even.”

“You aren’t touching her hair Jess,” Dex says as he walks in. His eyes find mine and roam over me, softening fractionally. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I reply, unable to tear away my gaze.

“Fine,” Jess says, grumbling, not even bothering to put up a fight.

“Hey Sin,” Allie purrs, sliding up next to him.

“Hey sugar,” he replies, turning his head to look at her for a second before returning to me. “Come on, time to meet Prez.”

How come I didn’t get a ‘Hey sugar’? I’m the baby mama!

I fume silently. If Dex is going to parade women in front of me, I don’t know how I can stay here. We never spoke about us being together, but I did only just get here. I guess I had kind of hoped… but he didn’t really promise me anything. I now feel like a first class idiot, making something out of nothing. Maybe he just wants me here because of the baby. Not because he feels anything for me besides obligation.

Rake walks into the kitchen with Irish and an older man I haven’t met before. Dex takes me by the arm and pulls me into our room.

“You alright?” he asks when the door is closed.

“I’m fine, I woke up alone, cooked, threw up, and got stared at all morning.”

He stares at me. “You were sick again?”

“Yeah but I’m fine,” I tell him, shrugging off his concern. “What am I meant to do all day while you’re out playing criminal?”

He ignores my comment and gestures to his desktop. “I bought you a new laptop. Enroll for your online units and buy your textbooks.” He pulls out a credit card and hands it to me. “For whatever expenses.”

“What’s the limit on this?” I’m unable to stop myself from asking.

His lip twitches. “Ten grand.”

I sigh heavily. “I guess that will do.”

Now he laughs at me.

“Don’t laugh! Since I apparently got pregnant on purpose to keep you, because you know, you’re such a catch. At least you come with a credit card though,” I joke.

I watch as the smile drops from his face. “What did you say?”

I blink. “I don’t remember.”

“Who said that about you Faye?” he demands, his playful demeanor gone.

I smirk. “Someone in the house you’ve slept with.”

I watch his face go blank. Jeez how many of the women has he slept with? I tap him on the shoulder. “I’m sure you will be able to figure it out. I suggest doing a chart or a graph.”

“Fuck, you’re a pain in the ass. How did Eric handle you?” he says on a sigh.

“He didn’t,” I say, smirking once more.

“I’ll bet he didn’t,” he growls, his gaze lowering to my lips.

“How many men have you slept with?” he asks, taking a step closer to me, invading my personal space.

“What a rude question,” I muse. I’m pretty sure that’s not something you go around asking people.

“How many, Faye?”

I count all my ten fingers. “Well that was just this year…”

“Faye…”

“Two, including you. How many women have you slept with?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows at him. “Do you need a calculator?”