“Jeez. It’s nice to finally meet you. Wait one sec.” She runs to the other side of the bar and grabs her pocketbook. Runs. The woman legit runs.
While she’s gone, I gape at Jester. “Am I in the Twilight Zone?”
His laughter rings out louder than (ironically) Screaming Trees’ “Nearly Lost You” pumping from what I assume is the cabaret located in the area behind the bar. With Devil’s Den divided into three sections, that leaves only one more—the brothel directly above us. “Yeah, sorry, but I might have gotten drunk here a time or two and played the lovesick puppy to whoever would listen.”
I roll my eyes. “Good Lord.”
After a quick call, Mia comes racing back to us. “Ava is going to die when she meets you.”
“Good luck with that.” Jester kisses my cheek. “I’ll be back in a few.”
I watch, helplessly, as he walks his handsome self into Shotgun’s office. Left with Mia, who is super sweet, I adapt to the situation and make small talk with her. Which turns into a genuine conversation. And now I have a new friend.
Ava joins us, and with her cloud of wild, red hair and rapid-fire words, she’s a whip of a woman. I love her instantly. She’s also extremely close with Jamie. Oh, and she’s a member of the Tribe. This, according to Ava, means she and I are sisters.
I’ll take it.
A woman named Tempest joins moments later, who is also a Tribe member. This one has a hellishly heavy chip on her shoulder. She comes sauntering down from the brothel, and once she realizes I couldn’t care less what she does for a living, she loses the attitude. The conversation flows loud and fun, as if the four of us have been friends all our lives.
Acceptance is a hell of a thing. It’s wonderful to be among the misfits. The outcasts. Because I’m as broken and deranged (and even a bit demented) as anyone from Mayhem. To be among these unabashedly fierce and wild women is the perfect homecoming. But it makes me wish Kerri could be here because her icy exterior hides an equally fiery spirit.
How odd that in Mayhem’s most sinful establishment, I finally realize I have everything I worked so hard to have. I could travel the world over, but this place will always call me back home because this town is in my blood. And these people are my soul. Mayhem is as much a part of me as Jester Hayden is a piece of my heart. There’s no use in fighting an unwinnable war. And why would I want to when there’s a world of pleasure to be had in accepting the gifts fate handed me?
For so long, I only saw the negative. But as I take stock of my life and listen to this group of women chatting around me and watch as Jester exits Shotgun’s office and walks toward me, I finally understand the meaning ofacceptanceandhappiness.
I’m so glad I came home.
15
Jester
“The fuck is that?”
“That”—Havoc stabs his index finger at the remains of Jordy McGivern splayed out on the concrete behind Tate’s Tavern—“is a dead body.”
I roll my eyes. “You think?”
Havoc shrugs one shoulder. “Could be wrong, though.” He bends at the knees, getting in real close for a better look at Jordy, who, by the way, is disgusting with his bulging eyes and crusted foam around his gaping mouth. “It’s been a few days since I last saw one.”
“A ripe one, too,” Discord says, waving a hand in front of his face to fend off the stench.
And the flies.
Jordy’s not too far gone in the rot department, and from what Crow told us, Alan called in the discovery first thing when he opened the place this afternoon. Butgoddamn. The guy reeks after basking out here since, I’m assuming, last night. Poor bastard. Even still has the needle sticking out of his arm. Unfortunately, this isn’t a standard heroin overdose. This is a grade-A onyx OD. The tiny black envelope is right beside Jordy’s corpse like a glossy black calling card.
Mocking us.
Mocking Mayhem.
This shit has got to stop. It’s gone from a handful of tourists shooting this crap in their arms to one of our own overdosing on our watch.
Hell. No.
But if anyone from Mayhem was going to stick onyx in their vein, it would be Jordy. He wasn’t afraid to try anything, and his need to chase the perfect high finally caught up with him.
Havoc shoves Discord. “Show the man respect, little brother. He’s from Mayhem.”
Discord, unintimidated, pokes Jordy with the toe of his black boot. “He’s a problem.”
