Tears burn my eyes. I’m busted. That’s the new reality I’m going to have to live with. All of this… my gaze darts around the shop… was for nothing. The money I stashed, the escape, the risks I took… Brick is going to haul me back to the Devil’s Crusaders and collect a nice reward. Then I’m going to get a beat down and be forced to marry Silver, if I survive the violence.
“Tell me,” he presses, giving me a gentle shake, his eyes searching mine for answers.
“S-Sammy,” I stutter, all my strength sucked out of me the moment I utter my dead husband’s name.
“Fuck.” Brick releases me and scrubs his chin. “Do you know what this means? You deceived me, girl. Put me and my club in danger.”
“How?” I demand. “You picked up a stranger on the side of the highway.”
“Damn it, Starlet. I knew there was something wrong… should have asked more questions.”
“Save it,” I say. “Sammy is dead and buried.”
“What?”
“You didn’t break any bylaws, Brick. My husband is dead, killed in a bike accident a few weeks ago.”
He leans against the nearby counter, shaking his head in disbelief. “So, I fucked a grieving widow? Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No. You slept with an ex old lady who’s trying to start over.”
“Short mourning period?” he asks sarcastically.
I snort. “There’s no mourning for Sammy. He was an abusive asshole who fucked anything in high heels. Now that you know the truth, will you please go?”Please. Please. Please.I can tell by the way he’s looking at me that Brick has more questions—that’s he’s not satisfied with my explanation. When brothers die, the charter usually takes care of his family.
“You have a thing for leather?”
“If you consider a death wish a thing,” I shoot back.
“Why are you on the run?”
“Listen.” I straighten my posture and fist my hands at my sides, ready to face this mess. I take a second look around the shop. This is the first time in my life I really have something worth fighting for. I’m not going to let Brick or anyone else trample on that. “It’s a free world.”
“If you live in that world,” he counters, twirling me around and pulling my tank top strap down on my left shoulder, staring at my ink. “DC royalty,” he reads aloud. “That’s not normal—it means something more than being an old lady. You’re a goddamned lifer. Either born into it or paid for.”
I shrug away from him, fixing my shirt. “The door is that way.”
“Starlet…”
“Go. Please.”
He growls, his stubborn nature coming through in spades. “I won’t walk away without knowing…”
Juanita appears in the hallway with a gun in her hands, aimed at Brick. “You heard the lady. Leave.”
“Sonofa…” He pulls his own weapon out and cocks it, aiming it at Juanita.
I can’t believe this is happening. Why can’t everyone just leave me alone? I insert myself between them, hopefully blocking the trajectory of any bullets. “Put your weapons down and we can talk this out.”
Brick gives a humorless laugh. “Tell your pit bull to lower her gun first.”
I nod, and turn around to face Juanita. I know she’s only trying to protect me, but by pulling a gun on Brick, she’s taken this to another level. Threatening a brother is a serious violation. “Juanita, please put that pistol away. Brick hasn’t threatened me at all. He just wants answers.”
“Answers you don’t want to give,” she reminds me.
“Yeah,” I agree, glancing over my shoulder at Brick again. “But it looks like I really don’t have a choice anymore, do I?”
“Maybe not,” Juanita mutters and reluctantly lowers her gun. “I hate this, Starlet, I really do.” She sighs and returns to her office, slamming the door.
“So do I,” I whisper.
It’s time to purge my soul.
