That kiss fucked me so good that everything within me lit on fire as the warmth spread over me just from touching her damn lips. I would hate to see what her fucking body does to me. Fuck! I tried to withstand touching her. I tried real fucking hard. But I had to taste her, had to see if what she’s making me feel is even real. And I just confirmed it with that single fucking kiss—a kiss that stole my fucking breath then lit me on fire.

Fuck.

D is waiting for me as I walk through the doors. The lights are on, but everyone else has gone. He has a drink in front of him and some paperwork.

“You walked her home. I take it you didn’t fire her?”

I take the seat next to him, pouring myself a drink, drinking it all in one hit, then pouring another. “I gave her more hours, actually.”

He grimaces, taking the glass from my hand. “Of course, you did,” he mumbles. “I can see the appeal. I get it. I can even see the way you are with her.” He pauses, leans on the counter as he looks at me. “But do you really think it’s smart to mix business with pleasure?”

“I’ll fire her.”

D laughs, shaking his head. “I went through her file, she has no money. My bet is she needs this job. I would also bet if you asked her to choose right now, she’d choose this job.”

Leaning back, my hands go behind my head as I stare up at the ceiling. He’s right, she does need the job, I see the desperation in her eyes.

“I kissed her,” I say, sitting up straight and pouring myself another drink.

D simply stares at me.

“And it was the best fucking kiss of my life.” I shake my head, tipping back the drink.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” D says while standing. Grabbing his files, he taps my shoulder. “You should probably let Falcon know to back off, because to him it’s all a game. And you know how much he likes to play games.” He walks off leaving me to contemplate my actions.

“I thought I heard you come in last night.” Mom leans down and kisses my cheek, taps my shoulder before she walks to the stove. My mother didn’t have me young. Actually, I was a surprise to her. She had me when she was in her forties, and now she’s well into her sixties. I couldn’t ask for a better parent, one that loves me no matter what. And trust me, throughout my life there’s been a lot of ‘no matter whats.’

Mom starts cooking, and I know immediately what she’s cooking. It’s my favorite meal—Eggs Benedict. She makes it every time I come around in the morning, some weeks I don’t visit enough. But I try to see her at least twice a week. She’s lonely in this house by herself. I bought it for her and even give her money every week, which she refuses to spend but I won’t take back.

“Why do you look different, tell me, Creed?” She’s watching me, spatula in hand as she studies me.

“Just tired, Ma.”

She shakes her head. “Nope, tell me.”

Did I forget to mention my mother was a lawyer, a damn good one too? That’s why when I came along, I was such a surprise. She was an established lawyer, no husband, and older than she thought she could get pregnant. She thought those days had passed her, but she was wrong.

“It’s a girl.”

She smiles, turning around to get back to cooking. “Her name?” she asks nicely. I can tell she’s excited. She always asks me when I’m bringing a woman home for her to meet. I tell her she’s the only woman in my life. She wants grandchildren. It’s not something I want.

“It’s nothing.” I shake my head, reaching for the coffee that’s now gone cold.

“Oh, it’s not nothing, especially since you mentioned her. Now tell me her name at least.” She puts the plate in front of me.

“Elicea.”

Pulling the chair out, she sits down next to me. “I look forward to meeting her. How did you meet her?”

That’s the trick question, isn’t it?

“I hired her.”

Mom clucks her tongue and sits back. She has an idea of what our club really does but doesn’t ask because she knows I won’t tell.

“So she knows what you do?” Her arms are crossed over her chest. One thing I was always shitty at was lying to her. Not just because she’s a lawyer and can spot bullshit a mile away, but because I have the utmost respect for her, so lying to her pains me.

“She knows—some of what I do.”

“I see.” Mom takes my coffee cup and starts making me a fresh one. “Well, I would like to meet her. Hopefully, soon?”

“We’ll see.”

The front door bursts open and Echo walks in. He pushes his blond hair from his face kisses my mother’s cheek then sits down, stealing my plate of food.

“You back?” I ask him.

He shakes his head with a mouthful of food, my fucking food he just stole from my plate. “Don’t tell them I’m back.”

I smirk at him. “If you don’t stop eating my food, I will.”

He stops with the fork to his lips, decides to bite then pushes the plate back to me. He looks up to my mother who’s already making him his own plate.

“Darby’s been ringing me almost every day.” His hands pull at his hair. “Just because he chooses never to leave the joint, he thinks I don’t want to.”

“Why are you back then?” He slides down on the chair. Ma places a plate in front of him and before he answers, he’s already eating. She kisses the top of his head then mine before she walks into the other room, knowing he wants to talk but won’t in front of her.

“She called, again. Like she had every right, too. Who the fuck does she think she is?”

I shake my head at him. “Stop answering. Change your fucking number.”

“She wants me to come to their house to talk. Is she insane?”

If he keeps pulling at his hair, he’s going to go bald.

“Cut your hair,” I tell him.

His hands stop and he looks up at me like I’m crazy. “Fuck off! Can I crash here for a while?”

Before I can answer, Ma does. “Of course, you can. Creed doesn’t sleep here anyway, you can use his room.”

Echo gets up, his eyes looking around before they come back to me. “And don’t think Falcon hasn’t been messaging me about you. I plan to meet her soon. Will be interesting to see what kind of girl can crack that shell of yours.” He walks off in the direction of my old room.

Echo’s mother and father are assholes, they favor his brother more than they should. When he needs somewhere to go, he usually ends up here. He likes it here because Ma cooks for him like his mother used to. Plus, she loves him.

“He’s very broken,” Ma comments, walking back in and sitting across from me. She takes hold of my hand, brushing it with her fingers. “He’s lucky to have you all. Even if Darby calls every day, it’s just cause he’s worried.”

I nod my head, it’s true. We all worry about Echo, even when he gives us nothing to worry about. But a person can only experience so much hurt before they break. And he’s slowly breaking.

“I’ll look after him. But in the meantime, I want you to tell me all about this girl that has caught your eye.”

“Ma,” I say standing and shaking my head. Leaning down to kiss her cheek, I hug her tightly. “I need to go home to sleep.”

She rolls her eyes as I walk out the door.

I head off to bed, dreaming about that kiss, and the way her lips felt.

The way she made me fucking feel.

I’m fucked.