Wheels of Fire

He leans down and runs his big hand over the top of her head. “Taken her out a couple times. Around the neighborhood.”

“Yeah?” Chaser’s eyes widen to cartoon size. “You like it?”

“Yes.” More little giggles.

“Cool.” Chaser holds out his palm and Trinity slaps him a tiny high-five.

Ovaries explosion.

The clubhouse door swings open behind us. Heavy sets of boots crunch over gravel. Chaser slowly rises and stands next to me.

“Ready to do this, Bishop?” a gruff voice I don’t recognize says.

Bishop grits his teeth as the man slaps his shoulder. “Yup.”

“Oh, hey, Trinity,” the man says. His gaze lingers on her too long for my taste. He’s shorter than both Bishop and Chaser but thick and muscled. Shoulders as wide as a Buick. His chiseled face could probably find work in Hollywood.

Trinity shuffles closer to me, shying away. I bend over and pick her up, running my hand over her back.

He gives me a long, slow eye-fondle. “Who’s your new woman, Bishop?”

Bishop’s expression hardens to stone. “This is Chaser’s ol’ lady.”

Chaser slings his arm over my shoulders and stares the other man down.

“Well, shit. It was your engagement we were celebrating, wasn’t it?” He lifts his gaze to Chaser. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Tyler. How you been?”

“Can’t complain.”

“Be good for Mallory and Chaser, okay, Trinny?” Bishop leans in and kisses her cheek.

“O-tay!”

He briefly touches my arm. “Thank you for this. Didn’t mean to cut into your—”

“It’s really no problem, Bishop.”

“You got a kiss for your Uncle Tyler, Trinity?”

She doesn’t answer, just clings to me tighter. Disgusted, I move to my car and tuck her into the backseat.

Bishop hands me a bag. “Some clothes. Her favorite blankie. She won’t sleep without it.”

I accept the bag, setting it on the seat next to Trinity. “Thanks.”

Bishop and Tyler shake hands with Chaser before leaving. I’ve already said goodbye to Bishop and Tyler gives me the creeps, so I slide into the front seat and start the car.

“You okay back there?” I ask Trinity.

“Uh-huh.” She peers out the window, watching her father’s truck drive away and the look on her face breaks my heart.

“It’s okay. Your daddy will be home in a couple days.”

“I know.”

Chaser knocks on my window and I roll it down. “I’m gonna follow you home, okay?” He peers in the back at Trinity. “You comfy back there, squirt?”

“Yup!”

“Good.” He taps the roof of the car twice. “See you at home.”

Chaser

Took all my control not to punch Tyler for eyeballin’ my girl. Don’t know how Bishop puts up with that asshole as his president.

I’m not exactly sure how we’re going to entertain a kid for the next couple days. Haven’t really been around many since I was one myself.

Mallory seems to have it covered though.

“Are you hungry?” she asks once we’re in the house.

Trinity found the Barbies and she’s definitely a fan. She glances up from the pile and shakes her head.

“Let me know if you get hungry, okay?” Mallory wrings her hands. “Should we take her out to like a park or something?”

“She’s fine. Stop worrying.”

It’s not a bad night. Mallory makes SpaghettiOs with Meatballs with a side of hot dogs. I pop in some Disney movie and curl up on the couch with Mallory. Trinity crawls into her lap and passes out halfway into the movie.

“She’s so sweet,” Mallory whispers, running her hand over Trinity’s long blonde ponytail. “I want one just like her.”

I think this is the point where I’m supposed run from the room but I can see us doing this in a couple years. “I don’t think you can order ‘em out of a catalog. Just to warn you, I was a pretty rambunctious kid.”

“Surprise, surprise.” She leans back and rolls her eyes at me. “Well, I was a quiet kid.”

“I want our kids to be kids. Not always afraid of doing something wrong.”

“I wasn’t…afraid. Well, maybe a little of my father.”

“You must’ve been so fuckin’ cute.”

She taps my chest. “Language.”

I snort. “She’s sound asleep. Besides, I’m sure she hears much worse at home.”

She glances down at Trinity again. “Think we should put her to bed? I forgot to ask Bishop her bedtime and stuff.”

“Yeah, probably. I hope she doesn’t freak in the middle of the night or something.”

“I’ll leave our door open.”

“How are we supposed to start on our own babies, then?”

She slaps my chest. “Help me carry her upstairs?”

The next morning, my father calls while the girls are making pancakes.

“What’s up?”

“Uh, I need you to get over here. And bring Trinity.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Her mother’s looking for her and she’s pissed.”

“Sweet Jesus. Are you fuckin’ kidding me.”

“Ooooo. Chather said a bad word,” Trinity says to Mallory.

Mallory throws a scowl at me and I shrug.

“All right. We’ll be there in a few. We’re in the middle of breakfast.”

“What’s wrong?” Mallory asks.

“Her mom’s looking for her.”

“Oh.”

“I want to stay.” Trinity pouts.

Mallory’s eyes shimmer with tears but she pastes on a bright smile. “It’s okay. Maybe you’ll get to come over and visit next time we’re home.”

Trinity sits at the table and picks at the plate of pancakes Mallory sets in front of her. After breakfast, Mallory packs up her stuff, tossing the dolls, coloring books, and other toys she bought in Trinity’s bag.

“You’re bummed too, huh?” I ask, watching her gather everything.

“A little.”

It’s a whole big scene at the clubhouse. As soon as Nora sees Trinity holding Mallory’s hand, she kicks up a cloud of dust racing over to us.

“Are you sleeping with my husband?” she demands, getting up in Mallory’s face. “You can have him, but you’re not taking my daughter too.”

“Whoa.” I hold my arm out, pushing her back and blocking her from getting any closer. “Ease up, Nora. Bishop asked if we could help him out. That’s all.”

She squats down and yanks Trinity into her arms.

The entire situation is fucked up.

As soon as Nora burns rubber out of the parking lot, my father storms inside the clubhouse. His thunderous voice shakes the building while he yells at Trick once again for fucking around with Bishop’s wife.

I squeeze Mallory to my side. “What a way to cap off our vacation, huh?”

She swipes a tear off her cheek. “Almost as crazy as L.A.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mallory

Somehow when our plane arrives in L.A., people already know about our engagement.

The crush of reporters vying for a peek at my ring or yelling questions, leaves me shaking.

“Who did we tell?” I ask Chaser when we’re finally enclosed in the car he arranged to pick us up.

“Alvin. I might have mentioned it to Thom. The whole entire club—but none of them would ever talk to the press. That’s it.”

He asks our driver to stop and dashes out of the car to a curbside news stand, returning a few minutes later with a handful of papers. He shows me the first page of one of the more vile tabloids.

Rock Royalty, Ready to Take the Plunge!

“Are we the ‘rock royalty’?” I ask, reaching for the paper.

“Apparently.”

Accompanying the headline is a photo of Chaser proposing.

As far as tabloid articles go, it’s tame and celebratory for a change.

“This isn’t so bad.” I tear out the article and fold it up, tucking it away in my purse. “It’s actually a nice memory.”

Chaser growls. “Had to be the boat attendant. Hope he got paid well for it. Jackass.”

I reach over and pat his leg. “It’s okay.”

“This better die down before I have to leave for Vancouver. I don’t want you putting up with those vultures while I’m away.”

“I don’t plan on going anywhere except the set and home while you’re gone.”

“You shouldn’t have to live like a shut-in. I want you to do stuff. Go where you want when you want.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll ask Cindy to come over or something. I’m sure Marilyn has auditions for me.”

Marilyn does have auditions for me. In fact, while we were gone, she left about a dozen messages on our answering machine. I stare at the phone for a few minutes and Chaser must sense my reluctance.

“Honeymoon’s over. Back to the real world, little dove.”