I can’t describe what it means that Lilly doesn’t hesitate to join me at the clubhouse again. After what went down with Shadow, I wouldn’t have blamed her if she told me to go fuck myself when I asked her to attend tonight’s party to celebrate Rooster being named our vice president.

Having her on my arm, unafraid to return to the clubhouse sends a powerful message to the rest of the club.

My woman won’t be intimidated by anyone or anything.

She has love and respect for the club. All qualities any president’s old lady needs to have.

“I’m fine, Z, really. You assured me Shadow isn’t here, so I’m not worried.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“The death grip you have on my hand says plenty.”

I ease up, placing my hand on her ass instead, and she chuckles. “Much more subtle, Mr. Frazier.”

“Watch your mouth, soon-to-be Mrs. Frazier.”

She stares at me for a second, then leans up and softly kisses my cheek without saying a word.

Inside, I’m not sure what the hell we’ve walked in on. The guys are wild, clearly needing to blow off steam after losing a brother. Even if that brother was a piece of shit, they’d shared a patch with him for a long time.

Here’s a painful truth. One of the reasons Rock, Wrath, and I decided early on to keep our club and rules tight upstate. The agony of being betrayed by a brother costs too much. To be forced to take a brother’s life stains your soul.

We take the club, its rules, and its consequences for breaking those rules seriously and only admit brothers who will do the same.

“How do you feel about flying out to California soon?” I ask after we stop at the bar and have been handed a couple drinks.

Lilly’s sinful lips wrapped around that tiny plastic straw have me thinking of something much more substantial she could wrap those beautiful lips around.

She lifts her gaze, meeting my hungry eyes, and teases her tongue over the end of the straw.

“You’re killing me.”

“What?” she asks innocently.

“Stop trying to distract me. I asked you a question.”

“I’d like that. Are you sure you can be away from the club right now?”

“Things should calm down. A couple days won’t hurt.”

“I want to bring Chance,” she says quickly. “So, he can say goodbye to the old place.”

“Was planning on it.”

She lets out a relieved breath. “Oh, good.” She presses her hand to her chest. “The thought of being away from him, even for a couple of days, was making me freak out a little.”

I laugh and pull her closer. “I wouldn’t do that.”

Lilly