Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Mandy

I'm practically bouncing into the clubhouse, a grin plastered on my face.

Fluttering butterflies still fill my stomach, and I feel like I'm walking on a cloud.

It's been seven days—a whole damn week—since my first official date with Doc and I can't stop reliving all the perfect moments in my head.

His easy laugh, the rough stubble of his jaw under my fingers as I pulled him in for a kiss, the electricity I felt when his hands finally touched my skin.

I let out a dreamy sigh as I enter the main room.

Zoe's sprawled on the leather couch, a playful glint in her eyes as she eyes my beaming expression.

She winks suggestively. "Well someone's in a good mood! I take it things are still going great with biker boy?"

"Better than great." I flop down next to her, unable to contain my giddy grin. "I know it's only been one date but...I've never felt this way before, Zoe. It's like something just clicked into place, you know? Like this is exactly where I'm meant to be."

She throws an arm around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze. "I'm so happy for you, Mandy. You deserve this after all the shit you've been through. And Doc is one of the really good ones. I mean that!"

I lean into her familiar embrace, savoring her approval and support.

Zoe's opinion means the world to me. "Thanks babe. I think...I think this could really be something special. Well, as long as my luck doesn’t run out."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, just basking in the joyful glow surrounding me.

For the first time in longer than I can remember, I feel hopeful and excited for what the future might bring.

It's all because of a certain bearded, green-eyed biker who's totally rocked my world.

Zoe seems to sense the swirling subject of my thoughts.

She arches a brow at me, her gaze probing. "You nervous for Doc out there on this run?"

I exhale shakily, running my fingers through my hair. "Yeah... I mean, I didn't think I’d be. But something's shifted, Zoe. These days, I find myself thinking about him constantly. About Kash. About our potential future... It's like my heart's on the line in a way it never has been before."

A slow smile spreads across Zoe's face and she reaches out to squeeze my hand. "Babe, I'm so damn happy for you. You deserve this, Mandy—you deserve a love that consumes you, challenges you, changes your whole fucking perspective."

I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. "Okay, okay, enough ego-stroking! I know Doc and I have a connection, but let's not get carried away here. You know I prefer women anyways."

Zoe snorts, rolling her eyes. "Girl, I'm not blowing smoke up your ass. You should hear the way Doc talks about you. It’s like you hung the goddamn moon. I swear, he's completely smitten. Told me the other day that he wishes Kash was yours, that you were building a family together..."

I nearly choke on my own spit, my eyes bugging out of my head. "He... he said that? Holy shit..."

A bittersweet pang lances through me at the thought.

I adore Kash, but the reminder of Doc's baggage, of the other woman who bore his child... damn, it's like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head.

"Speaking of the baby mama," I say, desperate to change the subject, "any idea what happened to Sassy? Where she fucked off to after ditching her own kid?"

Zoe's expression darkens, her mouth twisting in distaste. "No clue. And frankly, I couldn't care less. As far as I'm concerned, Kash is better off without that toxic skank in his life."

"Fair enough," I mutter, but I can't entirely quash my curiosity—or the nagging sense that Sassy's disappearance is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the secrets and sins lurking beneath the surface of this MC.

Zoe leans in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But here's the real tea. Apparently, Sassy was the rat all along. Feeding info to Seraphina's bitch of a mother, the one who's been gunning for the club."

My eyebrows shoot up so high they nearly merge with my hairline. "What?!" I hiss, my mind reeling as I try to process this bombshell. "Sassy was working with Sera's mom? Against the MC?"

Zoe nods, a humorless chuckle escaping her lips. "Yeah, it's a lot. Like some fucking soap opera shit, I swear."

I slump back in my seat, my head spinning with the implications.

If Sassy betrayed the club, betrayed Doc... God, no wonder he's been so on edge lately.

The fury and hurt that must be eating away at him.

Sera chooses that moment to saunter over, a bowl of chips cradled against her chest as she plops down beside us. "What are you two gossiping about?" she asks, popping a chip into her mouth with a loud crunch.

I open my mouth to brush off her question, but Zoe beats me to the punch. "Oh, you know, just filling Mandy in on the latest club drama. The whole 'Sassy is a backstabbing bitch' thing."

Sera's eyes widen, her hand freezing halfway to her mouth. "Shit, I almost forgot about that. It's been a wild fucking week, huh?"

"Understatement of the century," I mutter, snagging a chip from Sera's bowl.

The salty crunch is a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions churning in my gut.

As the three of us sit there, munching on snacks and letting the weight of the revelations sink in, I can't shake the feeling that this is just the beginning—that there are more secrets, more lies, more dangers lurking in the shadows of this MC world I've found myself drawn into.

Despite the fear prickling at the back of my neck, despite the rational voice in my head screaming at me to cut and run while I still can, I know there's no turning back now.

Not when my heart is already hopelessly entangled with a gruff, tattooed biker and the baby boy who's starting to feel like my own.

Zoe breaks the heavy silence with a clap of her hands, making Sera and I both jump. "Well, fuck it. I need a drink after all that. Sera, you want one?"

Sera hesitates for a split second before shaking her head. "Nah, I'm good. Actually..."

She glances around cautiously, then leans in closer, lowering her voice. "I need you both to swear to secrecy, okay? I'm serious, not a bloody word to anyone."

My brows shoot up, curiosity instantly piqued.

Zoe mirrors my expression as we both nod. "Of course, babe. Spill."

Sera takes a deep breath, her fingers twisting anxiously in her lap. "I'm pregnant, and I have no fucking clue how to tell Abe."

Holy shit.

My jaw drops as Zoe lets out a low whistle. "Damn, girl. Congrats! That's huge."

A small, nervous smile tugs at Sera's lips. "Thanks. I'm excited, but also scared shitless, you know? We didn't exactly plan this."

I reach out and squeeze her hand, offering a reassuring smile. "Hey, you got this. Turmoil loves you like crazy. He's gonna be thrilled."

Sera nods, looking a little more at ease. "I hope so. I just need to find the right time and way to tell him."

Zoe snorts, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Seems like everyone around here is catching the baby bug lately." Her gaze slides meaningfully to me. "What about you, Mandy? You and Doc thinking about adding to the brood anytime soon?"

I nearly choke on my own spit, my cheeks flaming. "Jesus, Zoe. No. Absolutely not. We haven’t even talked about if we’re an item or not. You’re jumping the gun."

I glance over at Kash, smiling at the show on the tv, blissfully oblivious to our conversation. "Trust me, this little man is plenty. I am so not ready for the whole pregnancy thing."

The very thought sends a shiver of panic down my spine.

I'm just starting to figure out this whole pseudo-stepmom gig.

Throwing another baby into the mix? Yeah, no thanks.

Sera cocks her head, a thought occurring to her. "Speaking of babies... any word on Tania? She's gotta be ready to pop any day now, right?"

Zoe grins, nodding. "Oh, she popped alright. My dad had to rush her to the hospital earlier. You should've seen him. I've never seen the tough bastard so frazzled. It was high-grade comedy, I'm tellin’ you."

We all bust out into a fit laughter, the heaviness of the moment temporarily lifted. But even as we joke and gossip, my mind can't help but wander.

Wander to thoughts of the future, of the dangerous, thrilling, uncertain path I'm hurtling down with Doc and his son.

This life, this world, these people... they're starting to feel like home.

Almost like they’re my family.

That realization is as terrifying as it is exhilarating.

The sudden ping of Zoe's phone jolts me from my thoughts.

She glances down at the screen, her face splitting into a wide, joyful grin.

"It's my dad!" she announces excitedly, her eyes scanning the message. "The baby's here! A little girl. They named her Jinx Reign."

"Jinx Reign," Sera repeats, testing the name on her tongue. "I like it. Strong name for a strong girl."

"She's gonna need to be strong, growing up in this world," I muse, my gaze drifting to Kash once more.

Zoe follows my line of sight, her expression softening with understanding. She reaches out, placing a gentle hand on my knee.

"Hey," she says quietly, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "Can I ask you something? About you and Doc?"

I swallow hard, my heart rate picking up speed. "Sure. What's up?"

Zoe hesitates, choosing her words carefully. "You two seem to be getting pretty serious. Have you... have you talked about the future at all? About your job, and how it might fit into his life?"

The question hits me like a sucker punch to the gut. I feel the color drain from my face as a cold, sinking realization washes over me.

No. We haven't talked about it. Not in detail at least.

In the whirlwind of new love and hot sex and playing house, the logistics of our vastly different lives haven't even been a blip on the radar.

Now, with Zoe's words ringing in my ears, I can't ignore the glaring truth.

I'm a porn star, an adult entertainer.

I fuck my best friend for a living, for all the world to see.

And Doc... Doc is part of this.

Part of the club, the brotherhood.

A world of old-school values and fierce, uncompromising loyalty.

Can my job ever truly be accepted by him?

Fuck. Why haven't I thought of this before?