West (The Henchmen MC 19)

"Well, we can paint something neutral," I suggested. "Just to cover the scratches. It looks like a crazy person lived here."

"Thought medical professionals didn't say shit like crazy people."

"Well, there are those with things like schizophrenia or bipolar. And then there are just plain crazy people. Crazy people write murderous haikus in the closets and claw across the bedroom walls. What time is it?" I asked, hoping I had an extra half an hour to shower. West had woken me up early to start my day off right with a few orgasms. But the only thing better than going to work after a few orgasms was going to work after a few orgasms, and a nice, long shower. Maybe a scone or two. I'd asked West to hide one of the blueberry ones for me. I never thought to double-check.

When my gaze shot over to him, a slow, lazy smile pulled at his lips. "Don't worry. I hid a scone. In the back of the vegetable drawers. Figured it would be safe there. And you warm it up anyway."

That was a surprisingly pleasant fact about West, something I was sure others overlooked because you couldn't trust him around your food, or you always had to look out for some terrible—and ingenious—prank. He was incredibly observant. When he'd picked me up from the safe house to deposit me in his temporary room at the new clubhouse, there was a big box of tampons on the bathroom counter along with a king-sized chocolate bar and a bottle of Midol.

Because he knew I was due to start.

It was surprisingly refreshing. Not to have to tell a guy who should have understood a woman's monthly cycle that shark week had arrived.

I never needed to tell him there'd been a death at work, he just brought me home and wrapped me up in bed.

Underneath all the silliness and cockiness, there was a heart of gold. I figured his mom, sisters, aunts, and all the other women he constantly praised in his life were who to thank for that. They'd raised him to be kind and considerate. Add in the fact that he had a wild side and a good sense of humor and, yeah, he was damn near irresistible.

He was easy to love.

And I did.

I hadn't noticed it at first. Or had been trying to deny it because it didn't fit in well with the idea of the life I wanted and needed that I'd created in my mind.

But as time went on, it got harder and harder to deny it.

Then I didn't even want to deny it.

It felt better to bask in it.

In private, of course.

I knew men well enough at this point to understand that you did not tell the ones who were transient in your life that you loved them.

"Alright. You're on coffee and scones. I am going to grab a shower."

"Sure sure. Make me your breakfast bitch," he grumbled, but he climbed out of bed, slipped into a pair of pants, and pressed a kiss to my temple before moving off into the hall.

Nothing about this day seemed any different than the others since they'd moved into the clubhouse about a week before.

We got up.

I got ready for work, cursing them out for not having a proper ironing board, trying to use the bathroom counter as best I could to press my scrubs while West made fun of me for being so anal about the creases. I said good morning to the guys who were gathered around the dining table over a pile of paperwork. They didn't sleep much these days, always planning, plotting, brainstorming.

After that, West drove me to work where he had to drop me at the door and wait outside for me to get in. We were still under lockdown. No one was allowed in but essential workers.

We had to protect our elderly.

Even if West wanted to walk me up for my protection.

Ayanna and the other her girls were let out of the safe house around the same time I was after some extensive meetings with her man and my brother's crew, everyone deciding they were at next to no risk since their connection was not a close one. And, as much as it bothered me to hear it, they were all going to further distance themselves from me for the time being.

I knew Ayanna would still be there for me once all the dust settled. The others, though, would likely attach themselves to some new crew.

Which was just as well.

I figured once West was gone, I would be in no mood to go out and be crazy. At least not for a while.

If or when the desire came back, new friends were never hard to find. Hell, I heard that girls hung around biker clubs all the time. Maybe I could connect with the club girls.