Fucking hell.

“Hey, isn’t that the nurse you’ve been secretly crushing on?” Sarah asks beside me as I watch Bell laugh across the club with her friends. I ignore her, and continue to shoot daggers at Bell’s table, hoping she will finally look my way. It’s been a week since Jackson left the clubhouse delivering his ultimatum. I still haven’t made up my mind, even though I know what I want to do. I want to tell him to go fuck himself, tell him I don’t give a fuck, but if I’m being honest, it would be a lie. I haven’t seen Bell since she left, but I have spoken to her a couple of times. Our normal texting and nighttime chats have kept up. Which is why I’m surprised I’m seeing her tonight since she didn’t mention she was coming. I don’t know why I don’t just walk over there and say hi, and demand to know why she won’t look my way, but something is putting me off. I noticed her as soon as she walked in thirty minutes ago. At first, I was excited to see her, thinking she came for me, but as the minutes tick by, my excitement turns to anger. It’s not like I’ve got any claim to her. I made it clear when I shut down Conner’s remarks about her being mine. Yet now, there’s no denying I’m feeling some pent-up issues.

“Earth to Jesse.” Sarah snaps her fingers in front of my face, breaking my stare.

“What?” I ask, forcing myself to turn away.

“Holy shit, you like her,” Sarah accuses, catching on to my strange behavior.

“What?”

“Like, like her.” She fires a smile, having figured me out.

“Fuck off.” I go back to cleaning up the bar and keeping one eye on Bell.

“She keeps looking over here every time you look away. It’s so tragic.” She shakes her head and begins to walk away.

“She has?” I ask, wondering what she’s up to. If she knows I’m here, then why the fuck hasn’t she come over?

“No, but that just proves I was right, you like her.” She pushes my arm as I decide to go find out. “Aww, don’t be sad, Jesse,” she calls after me, but I block her out. I’m going to find out what the fuck is happening and put an end to it.

I push through the crowd and walk up to her table. I decide I’m not going to think. I’m going to act. The table halts as I come to stand next to her. I don’t greet anyone; instead, I take Bell by the hand and pull her to her feet.

“What?” she answers flustered, but I don’t let her get another word out before I smash my lips against hers. She doesn’t fight me, opening as my tongue seeks access. I don’t know what I’m thinking; claiming her in front of every asshole here, but my body just takes over.

“Holy shit, I need a biker,” someone says at the table, but I don’t stop kissing. My hands find her waist and I pull her closer to me. The need to be inside of her grows stronger the longer we continue to kiss, but I can’t pull away. I don’t want to. I don’t ever want to stop.

Eventually, her hand pushes at my chest, breaking our connection and she steps back.

“What was that?” She looks up at me, her brown eyes drowning in arousal.

“That’s what happens when you walk into my club and ignore me for half an hour.” I take her hand, sit in her chair and pull her onto my lap.

“I w-wasn’t ignoring you,” she stutters, trying to stand, but I don’t let her. My grip on her tightens as she tries to shift.

“You didn’t look at me once,” I whisper closer to her, aware the whole table is quiet and staring.

“I didn’t want to seem needy,” she whispers back, which makes me laugh. Fuck me, she’s cute.

“Sweetheart, I would never see you as needy. If anything, I wish you were needier,” I tell her. Fuck, I should just give her my balls now.

“If it makes you feel any better, I really wanted to look.” She offers and it does something to me that I never knew possible. It soothes me. Ever since I found out about my father, a knot in my gut has been twisting, but when I’m around her, it loosens. It’s fucking dangerous, and I know I shouldn’t want her to soothe me, but I can’t help it. I need it.

“It doesn’t, but we can talk about it later when I put you on the back of my bike and take you home.”

“Umm, I’m staying with Lissy tonight.” She points and my eyes follow her gesture to a waving Lissy.

“Oh, hello, Jesse, I didn’t see you there,” she remarks and I can’t hold in my chuckle at her smartass remark.

“I like her.” I look back to Bell.

“I think she likes you,” she replies and I know she does.

“How are we all, ladies?” I ask the table, finally giving them my attention. They all answer enthusiastically with huge smiles, and I ask Bell to remind me of their names.

“This is Manda.” She points to the dark-haired girl to my left. “This is Kate.” She points to the cute blonde woman, who shyly waves back.

Yes, I remember this one.

“And of course, this is Lissy.” She points to the fiery redhead.

“Please! He didn’t forget me,” she jokes, before laughing at herself.

“I won’t forget now.” I smile at them. “What are you ladies doing out tonight?”

“Just a girls’ night,” Lissy answers. And the others all nod, still looking between Bell and me. I’ve watched them all talk and laugh the last thirty minutes, and now, they’re stunned silent.