Thank you, God, for small favors. I couldn’t handle one of the brothers right now. They’re like a bull in a china shop when it comes to emotions. I unlock the door.
She rushes to me with her arms stretched out. “I got here as soon as I heard. But I knew you’d need your sleep. I am so sorry.”
“I’m so glad you’re here, Blue.”
“Of course, babe. Anytime you need me, you know I’m coming. How’s Hoss doing?”
“I haven’t been today, but last night he seemed to be rallying swiftly. Told me to go home ’cause sitting there watching him sleep was creepy shit,” I say, lowering my voice to do my best Hoss imitation.
Blue laughs. “Yeah, sounds like your dad.”
She shuts the door and I lead her through the living room to the kitchen. “I have to start some coffee and pop some meds. I have a wicked headache, and I feel like shit warmed over.”
“Stress will do that to you,” Blue says.
“Right? How’ve you been?” I ask as I enter the room and start up the old school coffee pot. Pops refuses to conform and get a Keurig.
“Good. Went away with Bolton. It’s been tense around the house lately. Whatever Shadow’s been working on has him tense and snippy as fuck. They say men don’t have PMS, but I’m calling bullshit.”
I can’t contain the bark of laughter that flies from my mouth. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”
“I’m not crazy,” Blue replies with a snicker.
I love her being with Shadow. They should’ve happened ages ago, but her bitch of a sister made sure it didn’t. Thinking of her made me sick. I’ve known few people who I consider to be truly evil. Bad things happen in life. We’ve all been hurt, betrayed, and tested…it’s what we do with ourselves after those experiences that speaks to who we are. I should know. I had to make the choice a long time ago to be better instead of bitter. That sort of resentment and angst can sour a person until they’re spoiled. Picturing the leather-faced, dour sweetbutts never chosen to be more than an available hole. They made every woman’s life as miserable as they could, pushing the rules to kill their joy. Watching them showed me everything I needed to know about going down that path in life.
I learned a lot living in this life. It wasn’t all bad. Knowing you had people who would die to keep you safe was a rarity in this world. Even Mouth with all his hate would lay down his life because I’m KOC and therefore, in some fucked up loophole in the universe, I belong to him. The thought makes me shudder.
“Enough about me and my life. Have you talked to Echo yet?” Blue asks.
“No, and I don’t plan to anytime soon if I can help it,” I say, scooping the coffee from the red cylinder and dumping it into the filter.
“Come on, you know that’s not feasible,” she scoffs.
“Why?” I ask, stubbornly. Slamming the lid and hitting the green button, I turn to lean against the counter.
“What happened when you came to see me?” she asks, arching her thin eyebrow.
I grind my teeth together. “A mistake.”
“Right? There’s too much still there between you. Trust me, I know all about that. Denying it will only make the coming together more explosive.”
“Trust me, it was dangerous enough,” I mumble.
~~
San Mateo, two months earlier
I sip on my beer as I take in the party raging around me. This is our version of Mardi Gras. Scantily clad women weave their way through the crowd while engines are revving as the men open up their bikes in friendly races. I walk through the crowd, seeing familiar faces.
“Hey, Dixie Rose, good to see you,” a gruff voice calls out.
I glance up at Wrench and smile. He’d been a prospect when I left, but the wiry blond with big brown eyes had grown up well. “Hey, Wrench, came out to see my girl, Blue, take her place with Shadow.”
He laughs. “Crazy, ain’t it?”
“Nah, right on time, I think,” I reply.
“Shit, glad he got away from Calla. She’s fucking toxic.”