I need you
My eyes widen, and my heart races. My immediate thought is: Is he okay?
Me
Is everything okay?
Sawyer
Long day
Why do I feel like that isn’t it? I don’t go poking my nose into club business, though I am a naturally nosy person by nature.
I need you.
Those words.
It only fuels my obsession. Wait, is that what it is? Jesus. This could be a thing after all.
After what feels like an incredibly long bus ride with singing, laughing and yapping like there’s no tomorrow, we finally arrive back at the clubhouse.
As usual, there are a billion motorcycles parked in the lot. Because it’s Manny’s birthday, it looks like everybody showed up.
The club loves him, and we all know Manny loves the attention. They go hand in hand.
Everyone makes their way off the bus, some in better states than others, and when Lace links her arm through mine and rests her head on my shoulder, I know she’ll probably be going straight to bed.
“Good night?” I ask.
She nods. “So happy.”
I smile as we approach the clubhouse doors. Weirdly, there is no sound coming from the building, and all the lights are out. I suddenly realize what’s going on: anotsurprise party.
“Hey, why is nobody here?” Casey asks.
Crystal, her sister, answers for her. “Shhh! You’ll ruin the?—-”
“Surprise!” what feels like a million voices call out before we even make it to the steps.
Manny puts on his best shocked face as Cash pulls him into a hug, grinning from ear to ear.
“Why you shouldn’t have!” Manny pretends to swoon when Cash lets him go.
“Get inside, motherfucker,” Cash laughs, patting him on the back.
Deanna folds into his arms and they kiss. It’s so sickeningly sweet. Maybe you’d expect Cash to be a big bad ass Prez, and he can be when it counts, but when it comes to his wife, he’s mush.
We all know it.
I step inside, Casey leaves my side as she finds Pipes. Suddenly, there are people everywhere greeting Manny, hugging him and wishing him a happy birthday. Seriously, you’d think he was royalty or something.
I glance around, but there are too many people. I scan the pool tables, but no luck there. Sawyer isn’t a big drinker, so he’s not at the bar. Goddamn it. More to the point, why am I so needy?
I don’t like this newly found jealousy thing that stirs inside me when I think about what he’s doing when I’m not around. Not that he’s doing anything, it’s more the chicks that hang around the club all over him. I’m not sure that Ria would survive if she put her hands on him in my presence now he’s had his hands on me. I don’t know what I may be capable of.
Then, as if he’s calling to me on another level I don’t quite understand, I turn.
Sawyer is staring at me from across the room, leaning against the wall, his head tilted sideways as his eyes dip down my body.