I can’t rest, and it’s only late afternoon. Leaving Freak to sleep his inebriation off, I decide to go to the clubroom, and get something to eat. Sighing, I realise that if the other club girls haven’t got their asses in gear, I’ll end up cooking for everybody.
I exit my room, go through the bunkhouse, then along the path. When I enter the clubroom, Pippa and Bronwyn rush over to me. Pippa goes to wrap her arms around me, but stops when Bronwyn shouts.
“Bruised ribs,” she hisses. Then, to me, she says as she gently takes hold of my arm and steers me toward the bar. “Let’s celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
Pippa rolls her eyes. “You’re one of us now, an old lady.” Her eyes narrow. “Or was Freak too pissed to tell you?”
I come to a halt. Shaking my head, I realise I hadn’t thought this through or realised exactly what being Freak’s meant. Am I really now like Pippa and Bronwyn?
“Congrats, Trix.” When Saint appears, carrying baby Jade in a sling slung over his shoulder, and holds out his hand for me to shake, I realise he’s giving me the respect that’s always been missing.
“Girl, we have really got to get you some new clothes,” Pippa announces, while unable to resist leaning forward to check that Jade’s comfortable and sleeping.
What?I look down at myself. Oh, yeah. I’m still wearing some of the only clothes I possess, a too-short skirt, and a top that barely covers my midriff.
“We’ll go shopping tomorrow,” she decides. “You coming, Bron?”
“If you can wait until I get off shift, I’d love to.” She casts an assessing glance over me. “You need jeans, shorts.”
“I got shorts,” I protest.
Bronwyn rolls her eyes. “Ones that cover your ass cheeks.”
“And I thought being an old lady was simple,” I mock moan. But inside I’m excited. In my old life I used to wear nice things, though, when I was living with Piero, I had to wear what pleased him. When I joined the Kings, I’d had nothing, only a few borrowed clothes. I’d been grateful to be provided with a wardrobe that fitted my new position. With my life limited to staying close to the clubhouse in case anyone recognised me, I’d not often ventured out, and had managed to save most of the money for necessities and extras that the club had given me. What better to spend my money on, than new clothing? I start looking forward to tomorrow.
They both laugh at me, and this time, when they approach the bar, I go with them.
Poor Knight is running around trying to make the mock cocktails that the still-nursing Pippa describes to him for her, and the full-bodied ones for me, while Bronwyn sticks to soda. I’m halfway through my third Sex on the Beach, when a thought occurs to me.
“It’s Ace’s sixteenth at the end of the month. I’d like to throw him a party. Can we get some shit to decorate the clubhouse?”
“Ace’s birthday?” Bronwyn squeals. “After the last few days, he deserves to have a good celebration. Count me in.”
“Me too,” states Pippa, then adds, sheepishly, “I’d forgotten it was coming up so soon.”
Overhearing, Saint leans over, tapping his head. “Baby brain,” he says, in his best mansplaining voice. “Makes you forgetful.”
“I’ll give you fucking baby brain,” Pippa snarls as she leaps off her barstool.
Putting a protective hand over Jade’s head, Saint’s eyes go wide as starts backing away saying defensively, “I’ve got the baby.”
“You won’t be carrying her all night,” Pippa warns.
I smother my laugh with my hand. From the way Saint’s acting, I think he just might.
Short appears, immediately approaching Bronwyn, and pulls her into his side. The stark difference in their heights still makes me smile. Even sitting on a barstool, she looks like a child in his arms. But I’m beyond delighted her story had a happy ending, even if I’m not so enamoured of her husband right now.
As I proceed to inform him. “Hey, Short?” Still holding Bronwyn, he turns. “You,” I point to him, “me,” I point to myself, “we got a problem.”
He frowns, and scratches his head.
“Swollen balls give you any clues?”
“Oh, fuck,” he winces. “Freak tell you that?”
“There are no secrets between me and my old man,” I spit out, relishing that I can claim the ownership. “And as you damaged my property, I’ll be wanting revenge.”
