The door opened and Ma appeared with the same sweet smile she held for all strangers until they proved whether they were worthy—or assholes.
Ma stepped forward and said in a voice full of concern, “Oh honey, who did this to you?” Yet still Savannah recoiled. She took a step back, nearly falling down the porch steps.
I reached for her and in her effort to steer clear of me; she twisted her body to avoid falling, letting out a visceral cry of pain.
“Who didn’t do this to me,” she growled in response. “I’m fine, though. I don’t need any medical attention, and I can’t afford it if I did. Sorry you came all this way for nothing.” This aimed at Ma, not me.
Ma only smiled and shook her head. “I’m Jana. Pleased to meet you, Savannah. I’m not offering the kind of medical care you pay for, just a little bit of TLC that comes with love, bandages, and antibiotic cream. Come on in.” She took a step back and waited with a patient smile. Savannah glanced around, seemed to realize we had her cornered, but in a helpful way. She had no choice but to step inside, wincing all the way.
I followed my mother inside and closed the door behind me. “Thanks for coming, Ma. I appreciate it,” slipping off my kutte and hanging it over the doorknob for now.
“You didn’t tell me she was so pretty,” Ma whispered, but Savannah’s snort of disbelief said it wasn’t spoken quietly enough.
“You must be a nun or something to find a junkie whore pretty. But thanks.”
“Smart mouth too, just what you need.” Ma’s green eyes lit with amusement as she grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the kitchen.
“It’s not like that, Ma. It’s complicated.”
“Things always are with you bikers. Go check on some food while I patch your friend up. I brought some leftover chicken casserole. Help yourself. Just made it for your Daddy the other day. He says it’s delicious. I think we’ll go into the living room.”
I didn’t want to leave her alone with Savannah just in case she tried to bolt, but Ma gave me that look, and I knew there was no arguing with her. “Sure. I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“Better leave your keys too,” Savannah called out from her spot on the couch, “just in case the urge to flee gets too strong.”
Ma laughed. “I like her. You, go.”
I went to the kitchen, but I stood right near the doorway to hear what they said, just in case Savannah opened up to Ma more than she had to me.
Savannah’s painful groans reached the kitchen. I surmised Ma was lifting her t-shirt. “What happened to your ribs?” she said. “Anything broken?” Ma’s concern was palpable, and I wondered just how badly the Jacks had wailed on her.
“Just got beat up a little. Nothing to worry about. I’m sure I’d be in more pain if they broke anything. Nothing some painkillers won’t fix.” She let out a yelp, and I knew Ma had started fixing her up.
I was a sick prick because every little hiss of pain brought a smile to my face knowing the tough girl wasn’t so tough after all. “And the split lip?”
“Part of the same beating, but it’s healing well, I think.”
“It’s not infected. Rub this tube on it three times a day to keep it that way. Take two of these when the pain gets too bad, but no more than three to four times a day. Okay?”
“Got it. Thanks for the help, it was…nice of you.”
“Any friend of Charlie’s—”
“We’re not friends,” she blurted, and there was no heat, no passion to her words.
“We’ll just have to agree to disagree on that one. Hungry?”
“Not really,” she said, even as her stomach growled loudly. “I’ll just throw it up anyway,” she clarified, her tone slightly embarrassed. “I ate a sandwich earlier.”
“Well, won’t hurt to try some homemade chicken casserole. Let’s get you in the kitchen. Come on, you can lean on me for help.”
A long moment passed and then movement. I heard shuffling toward the kitchen and they appeared in the doorway. We both helped Savannah find a comfortable position in one of the chairs around the table.
“Okay,” she said when Ma put some food on a plate. Savannah managed about five bites before she rushed off to the bathroom, leaving me and Ma alone.
“You sure you know what you’re doing, son? I know you’re the president of the club now, and you make the rules, but the guys won’t be happy with you keeping her here. Especially knowing where she’s been since she went missing.” She shook her head. “Poor girl.”
“I’m sure, Ma. She needs help. Maybe it was how you and Dad raised me, but she didn’t deserve what she lived through. No woman does. And I’m going to help her. Just to get her back on her feet.”