Holding Out: Hawks MC Ballarat Charter #1

Chapter Eight

It was hard to concentrate at dinner. Talon sat next to me; sometimes he would rest one hand on the back of my chair, and other times he would play with the ends of my hair. All of it made my brain go ga-ga. Still, the conversation went on, and by the time we'd all finished, I felt full and content.

I turned to Maya. "I'm just going to help clean up, and then we'll do your reader before bed." I rose and took some plates to the sink.

Talon came up behind me, and with an arm around my waist, he whispered, "Can I help Maya with her reader?"

I went stiff and closed my eyes.

It had always been just me.

"Kitten," he uttered, "that mean somethin' to you?"

I nodded.

"Good." He kissed my cheek and turned to Maya. "Come on, squirt, you're readin' to me tonight."

"Yay," she sang, and bounced up and out to her room with Talon following.

I turned around from the sink and my eyes met Deanna's. She also knew it meant something big to me.

With a hushed voice, she said, "Well, thank fuck—"

"Deanna. Language," I snapped.

"Oh, give me a break. I can only go so long, and she can't hear me now." She grabbed the rest of the plates and brought them to the bench. "It's good to see, Zee. It's so good to see."

"I double that," Julian said from the table, where he sat next to a smiling Mattie. "I haven't known you long, sponge cake, but you deserve this. Him."

"He's right, Zee," Mattie added. "I can see you're scared, but let it happen. I think with Talon beside you, you'll both shine for that precious girl in there." He pointed in the direction of Maya's room.

I pulled my lips between my teeth and nodded.

"No need to be holding out anymore, bitch. What you have right there in that room is fuckin' worth holding on to," Deanna said. "Right, enough said. Let's get this shit cleaned and go veg out before I gotta hit the road."

That was yet another worry I had to voice. "I don't want you going home alone, Deanna."

"I don't want to hear this. I'm fine; I reckon you're worrying over nothing. And besides, it's not like he'd come after me. Hell, he doesn't know who I am."

"You don't know that. He could be watching. I think from now on you should move in here."

She rolled her eyes and became a little rougher with the dishes as she loaded them in the dishwasher.

"If you break even one plate, I'll have to hurt you. And don't go ignoring me, wench."

"I love the relationship they have," Julian said to Mattie.

"It's a little strange," Mattie added.

"But strange is beautiful." Julian smiled.

"Whatever, meat slappers." Deanna rolled her eyes. "Look, it's going to be fine. I'm going home, and that's the end of the story."

"No, you're not." We all looked at the doorway to see Griz standing there glaring at Deanna.

"Did anyone hear him come in?" I asked. They shook their heads. "Great lot we'd be if we were ninja attacked."

I watched Deanna face Griz with her hands on her hips, head held high. With her upper lip raised, she snapped, "Yes. I. Fuckin'. Am."

"You do all this tough talking, and telling Wildcat there to keep herself safe by staying and trusting. Why don't you do the same?"