Desiree came around the corner, a confused look on her face. “What got into Turk?”
I followed her to the dressing room. “I just told Yak and Volt what I recalled from the night of the attack.”
She sat down in front of her makeup station. “That’s strange. Neither Yak nor Volt overreacts to things.”
I shrugged and settled on the stool next to her. “Maybe it’s something else. I need to call the police officer when I get home. I didn’t get a chance to find his card before you swung by my place.”
Desiree turned her head sharply. “You’re gonna call the cops? Why?”
My brows furrowed as I gave a short headshake. “They should know that Prime knew the guy who hit me… and him.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean, he knew him?”
I told her what I recalled from that night.
Her mouth dropped open and closed a couple times. “You do what you’re gonna do, but I wouldn’t tell the cops.”
“Why?”
She turned to the mirror and patted her neck with a baby wipe. “They’re bikers, Ava. If Prime had something to do with you being attacked… hell, he might have had something to do with Lucy getting robbed a few months back.” She looked at me again. “Believe me, they’re gonna take care of this themselves, and do it far better than the JSO.”
I stared at her for a shade too long.
“Girl… don’t tell me you don’t know.”
My eyes slid to the side because I didn’t know what she was hinting at and my stomach suddenly felt like an empty pit. “What are you talking about?”
She scooted closer to me and lowered her voice. “The Riot brothers are outlaws.” She frowned a little and scrunched her nose. “Actually, they’d tell you they’ve cleaned up their act, and they have… but at the same time, they don’t always turn to the cops like someone else would.”
I lifted my chin and nodded slowly. “All right.”
Desiree tilted her head. “If it’s all right, then why do you look like you lost your best friend?”
Those words hit home. I hadn’t lost my best friend, just my best friend’s brother. And my gut had been right. I was on my way to following in Mom’s footsteps, hooking up with a criminal.
As much as I wanted to keep everything private, I found myself sharing with Desiree. “Punc’s sister is my best friend. She and I have been friends since middle school, and I guess I’d have never expected him to be part of a group like that.”
Heaven bustled into the dressing room before Desiree could respond. “I hope you’re ready to go, Ava. I’m on a tight schedule to pick up my little girl.”
There was a heavy knock on the wall. “Everyone decent?” Punc asked.
“Yes,” Desiree called.
Punc stood outside the doorway wearing his cut, a t-shirt, and faded jeans. “You can go on without her, Heaven. I’m taking her home.”
Heaven’s eyes narrowed for a split second, then she smiled at Punc. “It’s on the way to pick up my kid, Punc. I’d hate for you to make a special trip.”
If I hadn’t known Punc for so long, I’d have thought he gave Heaven a patient smile, but I knew he was hiding his irritation. “That’s all right, Heaven. Drive safe. Ava, you ready to go?”
I shook my head. “You really don’t need to do that, Punc. Heaven’s my ride, like she said, it’s on the way.”
Punc dipped his chin, and a muscle in his cheek twitched. “Tundra is here to walk Heaven to her car, and I’m taking you home.”
My eyes darted to Desiree and back to Punc. “Are you on your motorcycle? Because I can’t—”
He shook his head. “I know you can’t be on a bike. I’m in a cage to take you home.”
Heaven zipped up her bag. “Isn’t that fraternization?”
