Hold Me Close (Devil's Chariots Motorcycle Club Book 1) by Miranda Banks
Book: Hold Me Close (Devil's Chariots Motorcycle Club Book 1) by Miranda Banks
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Authors: Miranda Banks
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deeply. But it wasn't acceptable. He was abiding by that. But looking at her and her looking this way, it made it damn near impossible to keep to his expected code of honor.
“Didn’t think I would be here.” She didn't really answer the question.
Johnny needed to blow her off. He didn't want them to discuss any of this. At all, preferably. But especially here. Publicly. Where the brothers were watching his every movement.
“Well, it was nice seeing you both,” she added, and with that she turned to her friend and they walked off. Johnny sat there, suddenly hating his decision to stop at the clubhouse, and tried to figure out just what he was going to do now.
The guys seemed to approve of his actions. Beth did not. He didn't understand why she'd expect any different. Did she not know how it went with this sort of thing? It wasn't easier because Dan was dead. The two of them being close would make the brothers think something worse. That maybe Beth hadn't been the kind of old lady they'd thought. Maybe she'd cheated. Or worse, maybe he'd been eying her the entire time. Either way, they'd both be fucked.
***
“Liza,” Steph had said her name three times. “Of all people,” she huffed.
Bethany didn't want to hear the name again, but she couldn't say that without revealing that she had some sort of feelings for the man that was with her. It wasn't something she'd felt comfortable sharing. The guilt was still too strong.
“I know,” she agreed, and found a table in the corner next to a couple of attractive guys.
“I mean I guess the guy is what he is, but it’s a small town,” she kept rambling.
Bethany wanted to slap her friend and make her shut up, but it seemed a bit much. Part of her had planned to discuss Johnny and the “obviously not a date” the following day with her best friend. Then she'd seen him with the woman and realized it wasn't a good idea. Especially considering the looks she'd seen on Steph's face.
The truth was that no one was going to accept her feelings. Johnny was everything they would want her to stay away from. After losing Dan in such a horrible way, no one that loved her would be okay with this. Not only would she be with another of the gang, but one that lived far more recklessly. They wouldn't want to see her get hurt all over again.
Not that it mattered. He was sitting on the other side of the bar with the biggest slut she'd gone to school with. He obviously didn't care about her feelings. Damn him. He'd made her think that it was going somewhere.
“Beth?” Her friend's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Everything okay?” She looked concerned.
There was nothing to say. It wasn't like she could tell her that she was falling in love with a man that was bad for her and didn't love her back. Steph wouldn't understand the way she felt. No one else saw Johnny the way she did. They saw the hard and rough biker. They saw the guy downing whiskey and rubbing up against tramps at the bar.
Bethany saw the kind eyes that looked at her when she was hurting. She saw the smile that melted her heart. She saw the man that showed up just when she needed him most. The pain that mirrored her own. The lonely guy that wanted nothing more than to feel a little less alone.
But was it real? Was he the person she knew? Or was he the guy they all saw? That was the question that burned in her mind as she watched Liza lean in close like she was going to kiss him.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Beth looked up at the sound of the voice.
He was cute. Tall, young, sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. A biker from another charter. Someone she hadn't met, but someone who was still welcomed here. She had no interest, but she recognized an opportunity when she saw one.
“Only if you join me to have it.” She smiled at the guy and gave him false hopes for how this night would end.
***
Johnny could barely stop
“Didn’t think I would be here.” She didn't really answer the question.
Johnny needed to blow her off. He didn't want them to discuss any of this. At all, preferably. But especially here. Publicly. Where the brothers were watching his every movement.
“Well, it was nice seeing you both,” she added, and with that she turned to her friend and they walked off. Johnny sat there, suddenly hating his decision to stop at the clubhouse, and tried to figure out just what he was going to do now.
The guys seemed to approve of his actions. Beth did not. He didn't understand why she'd expect any different. Did she not know how it went with this sort of thing? It wasn't easier because Dan was dead. The two of them being close would make the brothers think something worse. That maybe Beth hadn't been the kind of old lady they'd thought. Maybe she'd cheated. Or worse, maybe he'd been eying her the entire time. Either way, they'd both be fucked.
***
“Liza,” Steph had said her name three times. “Of all people,” she huffed.
Bethany didn't want to hear the name again, but she couldn't say that without revealing that she had some sort of feelings for the man that was with her. It wasn't something she'd felt comfortable sharing. The guilt was still too strong.
“I know,” she agreed, and found a table in the corner next to a couple of attractive guys.
“I mean I guess the guy is what he is, but it’s a small town,” she kept rambling.
Bethany wanted to slap her friend and make her shut up, but it seemed a bit much. Part of her had planned to discuss Johnny and the “obviously not a date” the following day with her best friend. Then she'd seen him with the woman and realized it wasn't a good idea. Especially considering the looks she'd seen on Steph's face.
The truth was that no one was going to accept her feelings. Johnny was everything they would want her to stay away from. After losing Dan in such a horrible way, no one that loved her would be okay with this. Not only would she be with another of the gang, but one that lived far more recklessly. They wouldn't want to see her get hurt all over again.
Not that it mattered. He was sitting on the other side of the bar with the biggest slut she'd gone to school with. He obviously didn't care about her feelings. Damn him. He'd made her think that it was going somewhere.
“Beth?” Her friend's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Everything okay?” She looked concerned.
There was nothing to say. It wasn't like she could tell her that she was falling in love with a man that was bad for her and didn't love her back. Steph wouldn't understand the way she felt. No one else saw Johnny the way she did. They saw the hard and rough biker. They saw the guy downing whiskey and rubbing up against tramps at the bar.
Bethany saw the kind eyes that looked at her when she was hurting. She saw the smile that melted her heart. She saw the man that showed up just when she needed him most. The pain that mirrored her own. The lonely guy that wanted nothing more than to feel a little less alone.
But was it real? Was he the person she knew? Or was he the guy they all saw? That was the question that burned in her mind as she watched Liza lean in close like she was going to kiss him.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Beth looked up at the sound of the voice.
He was cute. Tall, young, sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. A biker from another charter. Someone she hadn't met, but someone who was still welcomed here. She had no interest, but she recognized an opportunity when she saw one.
“Only if you join me to have it.” She smiled at the guy and gave him false hopes for how this night would end.
***
Johnny could barely stop
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