Chapter 55: Gentleman Wanted 4

Gent

It was almost like I had never left.

Almost.

As we were swept apart, I couldn’t help but look for her. After all of these months of looking out for her, it was second nature for me to try and find her, and as I was pulled into the main room of the clubhouse by my brothers and a frosty beer was handed to me, I found myself sweeping the room for any sign of her.

There was none, and it instantly put me on edge.

I needed to see her before I could relax. Leaning forward to put the untouched bottle back on the table, my fingertips skimmed the thigh of one of the club girls. One I didn’t know. Not that it seemed to matter to her. She stopped instantly, her pretty young face turning down to me expectantly. Her black-rimmed eyes searching my face.

“Hello.”

“Hi.” I gave her a smile. Obviously, she liked what she was seeing, and I should have been used to that. In the past, I would have been on her instantly. But now?

Behind the curve of her hip, I watched as Gem made her way into the room. Bobby was cradled in her arms, wrapped tightly in the blue teddy bear blanket that I had bought him when he was born.

Our eyes collided, and for a moment, her steps faltered.

Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.

I knew what she saw. We had only been back minutes, and already I had a club girl all over me. Well, not all over, but Gem would assume I had gone back to my old ways.

The hand that had been on the girl’s thigh dropped guiltily.

It was stupid. I had nothing to feel guilty about. I had never been with Gemma. There was nothing romantic about our relationship.

Hell. It had been almost a year since I had even been near a woman. Let alone felt the pleasure one could give me. I hadn’t even looked at another woman the whole time we had been on the run because I didn’t want to disrespect Gem.

So she had no right to make me feel bad now with her accusing eyes.

“Hello.” The club girl spoke again, and this time I did look at her.

Gemma hadn’t made me feel guilty, I realised with a start. I felt guilty because after so long looking after her, of sharing a home, I didn’t want her to see me with another woman.

I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be with another woman.

Being home was so much more confusing than I thought it would be. I expected everything to just go back to the way it was.

Five minutes in this room, and I knew it could never go back to the way it was because Gemma and I would never be the same.

“He’s not interested, love.” Wicked flung himself on to the sofa opposite me. His eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Move on.” With a laugh, he flung his long legs out. But he didn’t say another word until she had sauntered off. The old me would have watched her ass shake as she walked away. The new me? The new me couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Gemma and the group of old ladies she was with. They were all smiles as they cooed over the baby,

“It’s good to have you back, brother.”

Tearing my eyes away, I met Wicked’s gaze. “It’s good to be back,” I admitted, and it was. Strange but good. “But a lot has changed.”

Ruin had filled me in on all the major changes that had taken place since I had left.

“I can’t believe you and Chelsea.” I shook my head. Out of all the things I had heard, that one was the most shocking. “I thought at first Truth must be lying, and then I saw Ruin’s face ….”

Wicked’s mouth broke into a wide grin.  He looked genuinely happy. The smile made his eyes dance, or it could have been the liquor. I wasn’t too sure.

“Out of everything, that’s the thing you want to talk about?” Throwing back his head, he laughed loudly. “Nothing about me becoming president?”

“Everyone knew you would one day.” I shrugged. “So no, that isn’t a shock.”

“You didn’t think Ruin?” For a second, Wicked seemed genuinely interested.

Again I shook my head. “No, Ruin has never wanted to lead. He knows he’s a hothead.” I fell into silence. “You and Chelsea are the real news. How did Ruin take it?” I let my eyes scan his face. I knew precisely how Ruin had taken it. I could see the bruises on Wicked’s face.

“Better than I expected.” He admitted with a wry grin. “And you and Gem? Not that I’m surprised I always did think there was something between the two of you.”

My head snapped up. “There’s nothing between us. She’s a friend.” It sounded lame even to my own ears. “I mean, she’s pretty...beautiful even, but…” I trailed off. What did they say about people who protested too much?

I could see the laughter in my president’s eyes. “Whatever you say, Gent. There must be another reason you aren’t balls deep in some pussy right now, then, yeah? Nothing to do with the fact you can’t keep your eyes off her.”

Damn it. My hand curled to a fist at my side. I didn’t want to talk about this with him. I didn’t even know my own feelings, so there was no way I could explain them to him.

It was like he was a mind reader. Leaning forward, he steepled his fingers under his chin. “I get it. Believe me, I do. But if you want that woman, don’t make the same mistake I almost made. Make sure she knows how you feel about her. Before it’s too late.”

Was it really so obvious to other people that I had feelings for her, even though I wasn’t sure myself?

“Gem is like family.”

Wicked chuckled. “Yeah, her and that little boy are your family. Are you really sitting there and telling me you would be happy if she met someone else? If she played happy families with some other dude?”

A chill ran up my spine, and I rubbed at the back of my head thoughtfully. Not that I had to think about it for long. Like hell, would I be ok with some other guy stepping into my boots!

“See.” Wicked winked. His eyes found Gemma. He raised his glass to her and she smiled shyly in return. “Right.” He downed his drink in one. “I guess we best get down to business, hey? Now the welcome backs are all done?”

“Business?”

“We need to know what she saw, Gent, if she saw anything at all. And I would rather do it now.”

“No.” The word took me by surprise as much as it did him.

“No?”

“I can tell you more than she knows. Give her tonight, Wicked. She’s exhausted. Let her try and get some sleep. Bobby is... .”

“Ok, daddy bear, I’ll give her tonight. I will get one of the guys to take her home and stand guard. I’m pretty sure Cali will go with her anyway, probably Avery as well.”

“I would rather she stay here…” Jesus, I sounded desperate. I knew she had her apartment still. I had been paying for it, sending cheques to Cali each month. But the thought of not being under the same roof as Gemma and Bobby were, was giving me palpitations.

“They will be safe, Gent.” Wicked’s voice was gentle. “I promise you. But like you said, she needs to rest, and I think it will be good for you to be with the boys for a while. Let your hair down a little.”

Let my hair down? My eyes found Gemma’s again, and this time the smile she gave me was just as uncertain as the one she had given Wicked.

We hadn’t even been back an hour, and I could already feel the distance starting between us. It was like she was on the other side of a chasm, and I no longer knew how to reach her.

“I guess so.”

“I mean, it’s not like you are in love with Gem, right?” His eyes were knowing. A smile playing around them as he tried not to laugh. “So you can enjoy yourself tonight. I have a feeling you’ve earned it.”

Yeah, I thought, reaching for the beer that was warming on the table. It wasn’t like I was in love with Gemma or anything.