“Jinx,” she said, taking the other woman’s offered hand.
“I’m heading out. It was great meeting you. I’m sure I’ll see you around again.” Ivy waved, walked over to her husband, and gave him a kiss as he stopped inking Tiana for a moment.
“See, that’s why I’m single. I put every man I meet up to standards like the men I meet around here. Tymber, King, Traeger, and all the Royal MC men have totally ruined it for men everywhere. Legit, mylast boyfriend, who I thought was going to be a possible candidate for one who I might let past third base.” Sharon shook her head. “Sadly, he was not up to the task of finding the clit. Like, how hard is it for real? Honestly, I told him I was calling my vagina Chaos Incarnate. The clit is fucking obviously hard for him to find without a damn map.”
Jinx covered her mouth with her hand. “What did he say?”
“Oh, that bastard had the audacity to blame us women. He said it was buried so men couldn’t find it. He actually said the vagina is a badly optimized interface with folds on folds. In his words, the vagina is an aesthetically unappealing layout of inconsistent shapes, and it’s hard for men to understand. Nothing like a man's penis, which is sleek, functional, symmetrical, and easily maneuvered. Whether flaccid or hard, they have a cohesive structure.” Sharon tossed her hands in the air.
Silence descended in the shop.
Jinx sputtered, her eyes watering with tears. “How did you not throttle or laugh your ass off at him?”
“Girl, all I could think was this man truly believes the shit coming out of his mouth. He’s either gay or delusional. Neither option works for me. I wasn’t going to waste another second with him.”
“The pussy is the most beautiful thing a man can get up close and personal to. If a man is lucky to be offered the chance to learn the ins and outs of one, he should count his blessings. The fact your ex said all that...he was obviously dropped on his head as a child,” T-Rex exclaimed.
“Sharon, I promise you will find a man who knows all the things. Don’t let some asshole make you undervalue your worth. Whoever really gets you will earn the title ride or die. He will have seen you at your worst, your pain, and your silent battle, fought beside you and in front of you, and still loved you. That’s when you’ll know he’s the one,” Ayesha said.
Shit. That’s exactly how Viking said he felt about her. He’d seen her in pretty much all those situations. She’d take a leap of faith like the ladies suggested and stop thinking she wasn’t good enough for Viking.
After a couple of hours, she stood up needing to take a walk. She met T-Rex’s gaze. “I’m going to step out back and stretch my legs.”
“Let me contact Coal. He’ll watch over you.”
“He’s right outside the door, right?” she asked, not understanding the need for such protocol.
“Yeah, but I’ll make him aware you’re stepping out.” T-Rex’s tone said he wasn’t asking.
She figured by the time she got out back, Coal would be alerted, so she started out. She didn’t wait for the all clear, unaware of the rules. The EXIT sign glowed like a beacon in front of her the closer she got to the door. Jinx shoved the heavy door open, breathing deeply when she stepped out immediately. The large SUV sat in the same spot it had earlier. With its tinted windows, she couldn’t see Coal. Still, she raised her hand, figuring he’d see her.
The building to the right of Twisted Ink sat empty, but as she neared, the door opened. She stumbled back, shock held her frozen in place.
“Hello, Blair. You’ve been truly hard to find. It’s time for you to come home.”
The woman with hard eyes identical to her own and her twin sister's stared down at Jinx. Her disdainwas written on the expertly made-up face. Hilaria Clemons, Jinx’s mother, snapped her fingers as if she were getting impatient.
“What are you doing here, Mother?” Jinx asked, her voice cracking.
Hilaria waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. Jinx remembered her mother doing the same move from her childhood whenever she didn’t want to answer a question or thought they were being annoying. “Obviously, I’m here to take you home. It’s been ten years, Blair. I think that’s long enough for your little tantrum. Don’t you think?”
A hard body hit her from behind, propelling her forward. Her mother stepped aside, giving whoever shoved her a chance to maneuver them into the open doorway of the empty office space.
“Get the fuck off of me,” Jinx yelled.
She fell as the person pushed her. Using the momentum like she’d been taught, she rolled coming up in a crouch.
Horror hit her square in the chest.
“Hello, sister. Miss me?”
Fear and loathing fought inside her chest at the sight that met her eyes. “How?” she gasped.
“How am I not a fucking vegetable after you tried to beat my brains out? Or how am I standing here in front of you instead of locked up in some institution?” Benjamin shifted on his feet, bringing Jinx’s gaze down. She took in his appearance, gauging the way he stood and held himself. He stood at close to six feet, weighing less than two hundred pounds if she were to guess. Although he’d aged like her, she didn’t find him more intimidating. Not like when they’d been younger, and he’d been her and Clair’s boogeyman.
“No, I think I can guess all of that. Mommy Dearest obviously funded your medical care and facilitated your escape. I know for a fact you’re not out here free and clear. Batshit fucks don’t get out of jail free cards, even if they have all the money in the world. Not when the evidence was stacked against them, like in your case.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’re awfully brave now that you think your biker boyfriend can protect you. Newsflash, we took care of the man in the vehicle outside. There won’t be anyone coming to save you this time, sister.” Benjamin took a step toward her.
