Spotting who she wanted to talk to, Jewell walked to the table in the middle of the kitchen and took Freddy out of Ginny’s arms, plucking the baby down on Reaper’s lap. Then, grabbing Ginny’s arm, she pulled her out of her chair. “We need to talk.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. “It can’t wait until I’ve finished eating?”
Jewell started tugging her toward the side door that led outside as Reaper handed his son over to Viper and started to rise.
“Jewell, what the fuck?”
Ginny raised her hand to stop him. “It’s okay, Gavin. I think I know what she wants to talk about. We won’t be gone long.”
Shutting the door with the heel of her shoe once they were outside, Jewell released Ginny from her grip. “You told Reaper you knew what I want to talk about!” Jewell spat out. “I don’t want to talk.” Jewell scrunched the arm of her sweater up to her elbow. “Buckle up, bunny ears; I’m about to beat your ass.”
“Quit yelling!” Ginny hissed. “They’ll hear you inside.”
“That’s fine by me.” Jewell fixed the other arm of her sweater and got into her fighting stance. “They won’t be able to pull me off you before I get in a couple of punches.”
Ginny took a step backward. “I’m not going to fight you. I don’t understand why you’re so upset. I told you that someone new would enter your life. Instead of trying to fight me, you should be in there getting better acquainted.”
“You sent me a gigolo while leaving the playing field wide open for you to land Reaper!”
“I was already pregnant with Freddy!” Ginny stopped backing away. “You were going to move to Ohio,” she reminded her. “And I didn’t send him. He’s the one meant for you. I don’t think calling him a gigolo is polite just because—”
“I called him a gigolo because that’s what he is. And I’ve never believed in that hokey-moly my entire life!” Jewell ranted, waving a hand in front of her face. “Why on God’s green earth did I listen to you in the first place?”
Ginny grabbed Jewell’s flaying hand. “Because, deep down, you felt he was coming—”
“Believe me; I wasn’t feeling anything but jealous of your ass.”
Ginny pulled her toward her and started shaking her. Pure shock was the only explanation that Jewell could give as to why she didn’t hit Ginny.
“Are you shaking me?”
“I’m trying to shake some sense in you.” Ginny released her and took a hasty step back. “If you got your head out of your tail, you would realize you were given a gift most women aren’t.”
“Then you take Rory, and I’ll take Reaper. Sounds fair to me.”
Ginny brought her hands to her hips. “Give him a chance. What did you expect—”
“I expected a fucking Last Rider!” Fuming, Jewell started to go back inside when she saw the sea of faces watching them through the windows. “Or someone who could be. Look at his nails—they’re manicured. I bet Aisha could beat him in a fight.”
“Jewell, please give it a chance,” Ginny pleaded. “Reaper brought you a Christmas present. Let me get it—”
“Keep it. You got everything I wanted, anyway.” Stonily, Jewell looked at her over her shoulder.
Chapter Ten
Hating every living soul, Jewell breezed through the kitchen, silently daring anyone to say a damn word. She walked through the club and then stomped her feet on each of the steps.
In her room, she grabbed her purse and the suitcase she had already packed for Ohio. Rolling it out of the room, she was halfway down the hallway when Viper turned the corner.
“Before you say anything, I know I made an ass of myself. I’ll apologize to Ginny before I leave.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything. I was just going to carry your suitcase for you.”
Her shoulders slumped. “You’re throwing me out of the club?”
“No. I just wanted to carry the suitcase for you. Sometimes you just need someone to carry a load for you.”
Jewell could feel her face cracking. Leaning her head on Viper’s chest, she started to cry. “Why couldn’t he love me? I tried so hard. I mourned him more than his fiancée ever did.”
“I know.” Viper rested his hands on her arms, but he didn’t enclose her in his arms. “It won’t hurt this bad forever.”
“I can deal with the pain; it’s how happy he’s making her that I can’t bear. I know how Bliss broke, and if I don’t leave, I’ll break, too.”
“You don’t consider what you just did breaking?”
“No. I didn’t destroy one of Ginny’s favorite things, and I won’t make a move on Reaper, despite me saying to her I would.”
“It might be better if you quit telling me stuff you said to her.”
Jewell lifted her head from Viper’s chest. “I’ll go talk to her.”
“It can wait until you come back from Ohio. Reaper might not be so understanding.”