Diamond in the Dust (Lost Kings MC 18)

“Okay, simmer down,” Rock says, which seems to calm Sparky.

“Rooster!” Ravage shouts, gesturing wildly. “Come settle something for us.”

Rooster eyes him carefully. “Settle what?”

Sparky bounces over to Stash and Ravage. “We were having ourselves a little debate.”

“This should be good,” Rooster mutters.

Stash points the smoldering end of a blunt at me. “You can answer too, Shelby.”

“Uh, okay. What’s the topic?”

Sparky squeezes his eyes shut and burbles, “What color does a Smurf turn if you choke it?”

It takes me a second to realize they’re serious. “I’ll have to ponder that one.” I cock my head. “Hey, do you think if a cannibal eats a clown, it tastes funny?”

Sparky’s jaw drops and he stares at Stash with wide, red eyes. Ravage whistles. “Damn.”

Rooster slowly turns and raises an eyebrow at me.

“What?” I shrug. “I knew stoners in high school. That brain teaser used to keep ’em busy for a while.”

He squeezes me close and kisses the top of my head. “Just when I think I can’t possibly love you more, you come up with clown-eating cannibals.”

After dinner, Heidi stands and taps her fork against her water glass.

Worried she’s about to draw more attention to my new patch, I sink down in my chair.

When the chatter doesn’t subside, Murphy stands and claps his big bear paws together. “Settle the fuck down. My wife has news to share.”

Oh! This isn’t about me. I sit up, eager for Heidi’s announcement.

A hush falls over the room. Murphy takes his seat and wraps his arm around Heidi’s legs, casually leaning back and daring anyone to open their mouth. “Go ahead.”

Heidi’s cheeks flush but her eyes sparkle as she rests her hand over her stomach. “We’re having a baby!”

“Congratulations!” Lilly jumps up and runs over to hug Heidi.

“Aw, congratulations!” I clap with everyone else. I lean into Rooster. “I knew it!”

My gaze lands on Teller since I know Heidi had been worried about his reaction, but he’s focused on Charlotte. They share a few words but she shakes her head and leaves the table, quickly walking into the kitchen.

“Is she okay?” I ask Rooster.

“I don’t know.”

Whatever it is, Teller tears his gaze away from the kitchen door. He stands and rounds the table, smiling broadly when he reaches his sister.

“Come here.” He hugs her tight. “Congratulations.”

“Are you ready for another niece or nephew?” she asks.

“Absolutely.” He hugs Murphy next, thumping him on the back with brotherly affection.

“You and Charlotte need to hurry and catch up.” Ravage slaps Teller’s side.

Teller squeezes his eyes shut.

“Shut up,” Murphy snaps, shoving Rav away.

While most of the club surrounds Heidi for hugs and congratulations, Murphy slips away and into the kitchen.

After the excitement dies down, the girls congregate at one end of the table, while the guys cluster around the other end.

“Congratulations,” one of the unattached girls says to me.

“Thank you.” I blink trying to remember her name.

“Lala,” she reminds me. “We only met briefly last time you visited.”

Right! The one who doesn’t know who Dolly Parton is.

“Hey. How’ve you been?”

“Not too bad.”

Another girl bumps Lala aside, staring me up and down. She nods to my patch. “That seems awfully soon, huh?”

I don’t care for her tone. “And you are…?”

“Bonnie. I’ve known Rooster for a while. Never thought he’d patch a girl.”

The way she says known sounds way too carnal for my taste.

I shrug, pretending to be easy-breezy. “Well, he didn’t patch a girl, he patched his woman.”

“I’m not surprised at all.” Anya titters with laughter and hugs me. “Congratulations. I know what a big deal this is.”

“Thank you.” I pull away and wiggle my eyebrows. “You came with Ice. Any movement in that department?”

She blushes and ducks her head. “Nope. Told you that’s never happening.”

Maybe I shouldn’t poke at that topic. I can’t help wanting everyone to be as happy as I am, though.

Heidi and Trinity easily pull Anya into our group conversation, pushing her in the chair next to Charlotte.

Bonnie throws a stink-eye at Anya as if she stole her thunder or something.

The club girls in Washington got a little catty with me, so it’s probably a similar situation here. Anya’s even more of an outsider.

I lean in closer to Lilly. “What’s Bonnie’s deal?”

“Who knows.” She shrugs. “I’m not even sure why she’s here tonight.”

“Anya,” Ravage leans over the back of her chair. “If you’re ever looking for any co-stars, I happen to know a few well-endowed gentlemen who’ll be happy to assist.” His professional tone is completely undermined by the smirk on his lips.

“That’s a sweet offer,” Anya says. “But I’m not allowed to use any of the brothers in my productions.” She scrunches her nose into a sorry-not-sorry expression. “Ice’s rules.”

Swan snickers into her hand. “Perfect.”

Rav isn’t discouraged, though. He shrugs and saunters over to a chair not far from us. Z smacks the back of his head.

“Do you get a lot of offers like that?” Heidi asks quietly.