30. Meredith

30

MEREDITH

I t's been days since I found out what happened at the club, and I've been smothered by the guys ever since. I constantly find them sitting on their bikes when I come out of class or sitting in the parking lot of the dorm. Addy is getting very suspicious, but I've told her there's something going on that warrants their behavior.

I'm lying on my bed reading when there's a loud knock on the door.

"Mer, open the door," Grizzly growls from the other side.

I sigh and get up from the bed to let him in. "What is it, Grizzly?" I ask, annoyance lacing my tone.

Before he can answer me, Dart and Trap come through the door as well. I roll my eyes at their presence, and I turn to glare at Grizzly.

"Don't look at me like that or I'll throw you over my knee and spank you," he grumbles.

"Hmm, don't threaten me with a good time," I chuckle. "Seriously, why are you all here?"

"I need you to do what I say and not argue with me about it," Grizzly says as he sits down on the edge of my bed.

"Will you just tell me what the fuck is going on, please? You're starting to scare me," I say as I sit beside him, locking eyes with Dart.

"We've been sent some pretty sick photos of Skeeter, and honestly, I'm not sure she's even still alive at this point. We don't think it's safe for you to stay here right now. I want you to pack a bag and come with us back to the clubhouse and stay there for a while," Grizzly says as he lays a hand on my bare thigh.

I start to protest, but Trap sees it coming and shakes his head no. I bite my tongue. I know if he's shaking his head, then it's a serious situation, and I need to listen for once.

But I don't want to go to the clubhouse—I like having the freedom that I have staying at the dorm. I disregard Trap's warning and decide to argue against my better judgment.

"Grizzly, I appreciate that you're trying to keep me safe, but I can't just come running to the clubhouse every time something happens. My life is here on campus. I have classes every day and all of my things are here in this dorm. Not to mention, if I start staying at the clubhouse all the time, Addy is going to know that something is going on between us. You don't have to be so protective of me. I'm fine." I make sure to look all three of them in the eyes.

A low growl rumbles in Grizzly's chest, and I know then that I've made him angry. I lock eyes with Trap, and he shakes his head at me. I've always been a good girl who follows directions—I don't know what it is about these men that makes me want to push back.

"You need to come with us so we can make sure you stay safe. It's not up for debate, and it's not a request," Dart says.

Thirty minutes later, I find myself shoving clothes and other things I need into the saddlebags of their motorcycles. I can't believe I let them talk me into staying at the clubhouse. I have no idea what excuse I'm going to give Addy for my absence at the dorm, but I know I'll figure something out. It will be easier to explain my presence at the clubhouse to Harlow than it will be to explain my disappearance from the dorm to Addy.

I'm still a little mad at Grizzly for his interference in my life, so I climb on the back of Trap's bike. I can tell he likes the fact that I'm riding with him because of the goofy grin that spreads across his face. Grizzly zooms off ahead of us, most likely so he doesn't have to see me clinging to Trap.

We make it back to the clubhouse and I climb off the bike and start taking my things out of the saddlebags as the guys help. I look up and see Harlow looking out the upstairs window, and I can see the confused look on her face. I start thinking of an explanation for her because I know I'm gonna need one.

I carry my stuff inside and grab a spare room that no one is using. I know I'll spend most of my time in the guys' rooms, but no one can know that.

Once I put my things away, I know it's time to talk to Harlow. My presence here can easily be explained by what's going on with the Bratva, but I'm still so afraid that she'll pick up on what's going on between me and the guys. I just hope she doesn't.

I wipe my nervous hands on my shorts before walking into the hallway and toward Harlow's room. Luckily, her room is on a different floor than mine. As long as she stays there or in the rest of the clubhouse, she shouldn't pass by me and accidentally see me with Dart, Trap, or Grizzly.

Although, Grizzly has already made it clear he's going to be mostly unavailable for the next week or so. He's trying to find a way to deal with the situation so I'll be safe for good. He's a good man, and I get why he's doing this. But this makes it so much harder.

I knock on Harlow's door and wait for someone to answer. I hear muffled voices inside and hope I haven't interrupted anything important.

My eyes go wide when Grizzly opens the door. I blink, and then we share an awkward glance before we both realize we're in company who doesn't know about our relationship. He clears his throat and gives me a wry smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." I peek my head in a little and look around him to see Harlow. She smiles and waves at me, baby Daisy in her arms.

I back out and look at Grizzly again. "We were just talking about you," he says, his eyes glittering with some amusement. I don't know how he can stand here like this in his daughter's presence and not feel incredibly guilty. My stomach grumbles and twists, uncomfortable with how we're trying to hide this in plain sight.

"Oh?" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I was just telling her how you're coming to stay for a little bit. And about the fact that it's not really safe for her to go anywhere either. I'm trusting my best men to keep her safe and keep her in the house."

Grizzly moves out of the way so I can come into the room. Harlow makes a pouty face at me. "We were supposed to go out on a date night tonight. But I guess date night has to happen at home for now."

She looks around at her three men, all of them looking extremely somber. Grizzly must've shared the same details with Harlow and her men as he did with me. There's something that warms my heart about the fact he's being as protective of me as he is of his own daughter. However, it makes me a little bit worried for Addy if they still go looking for me there.

"Yeah, I guess I'll have to do school at a distance…get my assignments from my professors through email or something." I shrug, not sure what else to say. This room full of people feels awkward and small. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I swear Grizzly's looking at me.

"Well, I know you have a lot of work to get to, Dad." Harlow comes up to Grizzly and gives him a soft peck on the cheek. I watch the spot where she kissed and blush, having to turn away.

As if on cue, Grizzly looks up at me. We share another glance, his eyes glittering, but he quickly looks away. No one seems to notice anything even though the air is full of electricity. How much longer are we going to be able to hide this with us being in the same building all the time?

"You're right. I have to come up with a plan to protect everyone. I don't want any member getting left behind. I don't want any more women being kidnapped." He frowns, furrowing his brow at both of us. The worry's obvious, and it's aging him at least another ten years. I want to just reach out and hold his hand and let him know it's going to be okay, that he's strong enough to figure all this out. But I can't. There would be far too many questions.

"Keep us updated?" is all I can think to say as he walks out of the room. He gives me an odd look and then shuts the door behind him.

Now, I'm alone with Harlow and her three significant others.

I walk over to the baby in Harlow's arms and give her little hand a shake and place a kiss on her forehead. Her skin is so soft. And she smells like lemons.

"You think they'll always stay this cute?" Harlow asks, looking at her child with pride.

"Any child of yours, absolutely."

Alto, Bane, and Colt all laugh and agree with me, and then Harlow sits down on the chair in the corner. I sit down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"Well, of course, I didn't know you were coming. I would've made other plans for us. Not that we can do a whole hell of a lot." She gives me a sad smile and then glares at her three men. She seems to be as upset as I am about being trapped here.

Alto gives her a wink. "We'll make it a fun night for you, baby. We promise."

Harlow blushes and turns back to me. "Does Addy know you're here?"

I shake my head. "I really didn't have time for that. They seemed to think I was in immediate danger and wanted me out. But I'm going to have to tell her something. I just didn't know what to say. I don't want to scare her or burden her…"

I'm careful to tiptoe around the truth of what I don't want to tell Addy. She already knows something strange is going on. I don't need more getting back to Harlow.

"Well, even if I knew you'd be coming here tonight, I promised to spend this evening with my guys here." She points to them lovingly. "I've actually asked one of the other girls if she'll watch the kids for us. I think it we'll keep it that way just so we get the time together. It's so hard these days to get time alone. But maybe tomorrow night or the night after we'll all have a get-together. I'll invite Addy over, and we'll tell her together what's going on. We're not in this alone." She reaches her pinky out to me and I grab it out from under where she's got her hand on the baby's legs.

"It's almost like old times," I say with a nervous laugh. In my head, I finish it with, except for the fact that I'm screwing your dad .

I have all night for the guilt to eat away at me, because I'm soon shooed out by her three men and the female club member whose name I don't know who comes in to take the children to their nursery.

When I get back into my room, I find a young biker I don't recognize standing outside of my room. Inside my room, sitting on the edge of my bed, is Grizzly.

I put my hand on my hip and give him a look. "What the hell is this about?" I point to the guy outside the door.

"He's there for your protection. I'm serious about this, Meredith. These men, they don't fuck around. I don't know what else they're going to try to do. And you're probably number one on the hit list. So, arguing with me is futile. I'd guard you myself, regardless of the risks, if I didn't have an entire motorcycle club to run with all this chaos."

He sighs and rubs his forehead. I sit down next to him, resigned to forgive this. I reach over and rub his thigh comfortingly.

He looks up at me with a fire in his eyes. "You can't be doing that right now. I need to focus."

The words come out deadly serious, but he gives me a smirk. I find myself blushing again and move my hand away only for him to grab it and bring it to his lips for a soft kiss.

"I wish I could give you more time, but I'll be really busy. Likely Trap and Dart won't be as involved in this as I am. The guard can go when they show up. I hope you have a good time. For what it's worth, calling this place home looks nice on you."

He lets my hand go and stands up, nodding knowingly at me. Before I know it he's walking out of the room, and I'm suffocated by the idea of some stranger just standing outside my door with me trapped in here.

With nothing else to do, I put my hair up in a ponytail and begin to unpack.

He called it home. It means I'm going to be here for a while. When I think about the fact that living here means being closer the three of them, it's not so scary after all.

Boredom is getting the best of me. I'm sure Harlow is several drinks in, partying with her guys. Who knows what they're about to do in their room. She's perfectly preoccupied, and it's after ten, so where are Dart and Trap?

It sounded to me like Grizzly was confirming they'd be here to see me at some point, but for hours now I've had almost nothing to do. I watched a few videos online, commented on social media, but I just can't find myself comfortable enough to sit still. I keep getting up to stretch my legs, unable to figure out what to do with my body.

Finally, just before eleven, a knock sounds at the door. I can hear muffled voices talking to the guard outside.

I go to the door and open it, my interest piqued, and there are Trap and Dart.

Trap is holding a plate piled full of chicken wings and a bag of popcorn while Dart brings in two cases of beer. Tucked under his arm are a few movies for the old DVD player in here.

A natural smile comes to my face at seeing them. They stroll into the room, and I shut the door behind them. "It's about time the two of you showed up. Honestly, I've been losing my mind here. Especially with that stranger out there." I look at the door in disgust.

Dart shakes his head. "Oh, Mikey is harmless. Unless someone were to try to come in here."

I roll my eyes as they begin to set up everything for what looks like a low-key date night.

Normally, I would think something like this would be awkward with both of them here, but the energy is fun and comfortable. It's one of the best nights I could ask for considering the situation.

They sit down on one side of the bed and leave a space for me, patting it.

"Get over here and help us pick a movie," Trap says, pointing to a small stack they brought with them.

I playfully crawl into the bed between them, and they hoot and holler like they're construction workers watching a woman in high heels walk down the road.

I collapse onto my belly and pick up the movies, sifting through them.

There's a really good mix here—comedies, dramas, action movies, and even a couple of romance movies. I look at a few of them before I decide on three possibilities.

"Which one do you two want out of these?" I ask them.

"So, not The Hobbit then?" Trap says with a frown.

"You'll have us all falling asleep with that," Dart criticizes.

"No way, it's the most interesting of all the Lord of the Rings universe books. Now we have to watch it."

Trap digs into the pile that I've left behind and pulls it out as if he's going to put it in.

"Hey now, I thought I was supposed to be choosing. I only asked you for help." I reach for the movie in Trap's hand, pulling it down so I can put it away only for him to reach over and tickle me.

I laugh, and I end up wrestling with him until I land on top of him. Trap's face grows serious, and he pulls me in for a kiss.

"Hey, can I get one of those?" Dart says, yanking me toward him and proudly shoving his tongue inside my mouth. My body is on fire as our tongues dance together, Trap's hands sliding all over my body. Movie choices forgotten, we're soon a tangle of limbs, clothes thrown to the ground. I lose track of whose hands are whose as they bring me to new peaks of pleasure until I lie spent on the bed, filled with both of their cum, happy and sated.

We put our underwear back on and cuddle on the bed, digging into the food they brought and watching Star Wars . Overall, it's a pretty damn good night. Around four in the morning I wake up, feeling a little warm and restless, and realize I'm still nestled in between the two of them who are sleeping soundly.

The guilt reawakens as I realize Harlow's sleeping in the same building while I'm falling in love with these two.

I watch as Trap and Dart get dressed, cleaning up the room from our date night. They won't let me help at all. "What am I supposed to do today?" I ask them, sounding like some lost puppy or little girl.

"Aren't you supposed to hang out with your girlfriends?" Trap asks as he buttons up his shirt and looks at me.

"Yeah, maybe later."

"Then, focus on getting some of your schoolwork done. Without us to distract you," Dart comments as he heads toward the door.

It's early in the morning, only a couple hours after I woke up the first time. They want to get out of here before they can get caught. I appreciate them being extra cautious, but there's a part of me deep down inside that wants to tell them to fuck it all. To just let people find out. Because I'd rather have them here with me.

But that would be selfish for so many reasons. Harlow deserves a full conversation before she catches us together. Not to mention that even as much as Grizzly says they're not as needed as some of the other members, they are needed to help come up with and implement whatever plan Grizzly's going to come up with to save the MC from any more trouble.

I walk to the door, not even trying to hide my sadness and frustration. I look up at both of them, each of them giving me a kiss. Then Dart pulls me in. His face turns intense and I'm afraid something awful is coming.

I shove my thumbs in his belt loops, holding on to him for dear life. He grabs my chin and caresses me. "There's something about you, Meredith. I've known you for a long time now. But you're starting to leave permanent impressions on my heart." He kisses my hand and places it on top of his chest.

His words are so sweet, I almost cry. I didn't expect this kind of confession this morning.

"I think I'm falling for you too." I lean in and give him a soft kiss before looking at Trap. I half-expect him to say something too, but instead, he looks at the ground. I don't know if he's just trying to give us privacy in this moment or what. But if I'm being honest, there's a slight bit of me that feels a twinge of pain at the fact that he has nothing to say that's even remotely close to what Dart has said.

Dart must notice it too, because he glares at Trap for a moment before both of them walk out the door and tell me to have a good day.

When they're gone, Mikey's at the door again. I dive onto the bed and have a look at the movies they left in the room. Maybe I will give The Hobbit a try. Maybe then Trap and I have something to talk about next time I see him, after I basically glared at him for not having anything to say to me in that moment.

I tell myself we're all just getting used to this whole dynamic. It's not exactly every day that three men are sharing the same woman in a serious relationship. That can't be easy for them. The thought leaves me wondering how Grizzly's feeling about it all.

But do I dare visit when he's so busy?

No, I'm sure he'll catch me at some point. He never does seem to stay away for long.