Jewell (Biker Bitches 7)

She hated to revisit the worst time in her life, but she would be damned if Viper continued believing that Reaper was the only reason she had wanted to join the club.

“Making me stay with Ton until I graduated from college before I could join was bullshit.” Scowling at him, Jewell still remembered the hours she had poured over her textbooks just to make decent enough grades to pass. Being around young adults her own age hadn’t changed her mind about joining The Last Riders the way Viper and Reaper had wanted. Instead, she had stood out like a sore thumb. She had nothing in common with the many of the students who had never been away from home and had at least one loving parent.

What she’d had were parents who had had scrubbed her existence from their lives.

“You needed that time to get your shit together again. You might not want to admit it, but it rebuilt up your self-esteem and confidence.” Viper gave her a crooked smile. “You became the ballbuster we all know and love.”

“Except for Reaper.”

“He does, just not the way you want.”

“Yes, well, it just sucks seeing how happy Ginny makes him,” she complained without really meaning it.

“I know you don’t think that way. You’re just down in the dumps because he didn’t give you a Christmas present.”

“He always gives me one. This year, he didn’t.”

“He will. Reaper wouldn’t forget about you.”

“Right now, I would even settle for being his friend again.”

“Then the only advice is the same advice Ginny gave me.”

Jewell went poker-faced. “The last thing I want to listen to is more advice from Ginny.”

“Then pretend it just came straight from me—talk to him.”

“Wow. How enlightening.”

Instead of becoming angry at her sarcastic jab, Viper laughed.

A sound from the doorway had them both turning to see Rory standing there with his suitcase.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m ready, if you can show me to my room.”

“I’ll show—”

“I’ll show him,” Jewell interrupted. “Go be with Winter. I saw the dollhouse you have to put together for Aisha.”

“You sure?”

“Go. I’ve got this.”

Viper left, leaving Rory and her alone in the dining room.

“This way.” Jewell walked through the opposite doorway from the one Rory was standing at, heading into the kitchen then toward a closed door to the side of the kitchen table. She opened the door then headed down the steep stairs and into the basement.

She didn’t give Rory the time to look around the large room, which was a mix between being a play area for the brothers, with a couch and mounted television, and a workout room with enough equipment for everyone to stay fit. In the middle was a stripper pole, which the women used when they wanted to have fun. Hell, there was even a space where you could wash your clothes, if you got tired of working out, playing video games, or fucking.

Waiting for Rory to say something about the stripper pole, Jewell eyed him as she opened a door beside the long sofa. When he didn’t say anything and just continued through the doorway, she followed him.

Walking through the hallway next to him, Jewell pointed toward a closed door. “There’s a hot tub in there. Also a shower you can use if you decide to work out,” she explained then pointed toward another closed door. “Changing area. You can find towels in there if you run low in your room.”

“Won’t be doing anything tonight. I need to catch up on my sleep.”

“Whatever. You can use the equipment or the hot tub, if you want. Just passing the information along,” Jewell said, not caring what he spent the rest of his night doing.

Opening the last door in the hall, she went inside and flicked on the lights before stepping aside to give Rory enough room to enter.

She motioned toward one wall. “This room has its own private bathroom.” Walking across the room, Jewell opened the mini fridge to make sure it was stocked. “If you get thirsty, help yourself to anything inside.” Closing the door, she opened a drawer in a dresser. It had been recently restocked. “Snack drawer, if you get hungry.” Shutting the drawer, she started walking to the doorway. “Do you have Shade’s phone number?”

“King gave it to me,” Rory replied, lifting his suitcase onto the bed.

“Good. You need anything or have questions, you can text him.” Jewell reached for the doorknob, about to leave the room.

“In other words, don’t bother you.”

“Sharp as a tack, aren’t you?”

Already thinking of the hot bath she was going to take, Jewell took a final look at Rory to see he had placed his backpack on the bed and was pulling out his laptop. “The password for the Wi-Fi is in the nightstand.”

“Thanks. I didn’t want to bother Shade. You saved me the trouble.”