I put my hands on my hips. “How do you know so much? Clearly, I haven’t been paying attention to where you go when I’m at work.”
Note to self:Don’t have kids. You suck at parenting.
“Conrad tells me stuff. He said when he’s old enough, he wants to prospect.”
“What’s prospect mean?”
“It’s like doing all the grunt work for the members to earn your dues and their respect so you can become a member of the club. Conrad says they’re a brotherhood. A family. They have each other’s back. Sounds awesome, doesn’t it?” He reached for his half-eaten burger, appearing lighter and maybe excited.
Internally, I trembled at his words and how he seemed to admire those bikers. It was more than a little concerning and my parents had to be turning in their graves. But it was obvious my brother was missing the family element more than I’d realized.
I grabbed my tote bag and keys. “Sounds interesting. I’ll try to be back in a couple of hours. Call me if you need anything and do leave the house.” I opened the door. “And lock this.”
“Will do.” He plodded toward me. “Be careful, sis.”
“I will. See you soon.” I left with my heart in my throat. Be careful, sis? Yeah, I didn’t like the way hearing those words made me feel.
After tonight, I would work on a plan to get us out of San Diablo and away from the Kings of Anarchy MC.
2
GQ
Seated in the clubhouse bar, I glared at myself in the mirror behind the counter. Life continued to knock me down every chance it got. Just when I thought I was doing better, something made me feel emasculated.
“What did I do to deserve this wrath?” I asked the universe.
“What’d you say, honey?”
“Not talking to you,” I hissed at Letty.
She mumbled and worked on the tension in my shoulders.
Club bunnies. These days they were nothing but irritation instead of enjoyment.
And my fucking club brothers were just as irritating. I could have helped with Slay’s girl, Cass. Yeah, yeah. I was given the job of defending the clubhouse. Jefe’s precious wife and baby. Mama Virgie and the club girls. Somebody needed to be here and that someone had been me.
And of course, not a damn thing happened.
It was embarrassing being left behind. I was the fucking Road Captain. An original member who had helped build our chapter from the ground up. My blood, sweat and tears were all over this place.
If I said I could ride, Jefe should have fucking let me. Instead, he said no. My president insulted me and now that he and thecrew were back from saving Slay’s woman, I would drink myself into the gutter.
“Cheers to the assholes who can ride and fuck.” I raised my glass of whiskey into the air. “You don’t know how good you have it.” I swallowed the amber liquid and savored the burn as it heated my chest.
“Wanna go try right now?” Letty asked from behind me. Her lips went onto my neck, and she pecked a trail up to my earlobe. “You’ve healed more since the last time you took me to your bed.”
I pondered her suggestion. Yes, I was physically better. My doctor gave me a clean bill of health months ago. He said I could resume my normal activities in small doses, working up to being completely normal.
Except, mentally, I couldn’t bring myself to try certain activities. My pelvis had been fractured in the accident. I had scarring on my torso and thighs from when I slid against the pavement after the garbage truck ran me over. Following my second skin graft surgery, I was done. I didn’t give a shit if my body was off-putting to women.
Fortunately, my face was in good condition, but that didn’t help with my erectile disfunction.
“Did you hear me, handsome?” She turned me around to face her. Sort of hated these swivel stools right now. “Or I can suck you off. You always enjoyed when I took you into the back of my throat and gagged.”
“Get gone, Letty.” El Jefe entered the bar and went to the fridge for a beer.
I had to hand it to him; his timing was perfect. Now I didn’t have to refuse Letty.
