When I was within arm’s reach, she swung her beer at me, but I ducked and kicked her feet out from under her. Then I stood, looking down at her.
She laughed, the bottle rolling away. Kristie picked it up, moving away from us again.
Daisy held Lacy’s shoulders as Jeannie stood, knocking dirt off of her. I waited, watching as she decided if she wanted to really try me.
Kristie finally said, “Jeannie, I think you should go.”
Jeannie scoffed. “Wow.” She looked back at Daisy and Lacy. Daisy just pulled Lacy closer, giving Jeannie a tight-lipped glare.
Jeannie pointed. “You too, Lacy? You want me to leave?”
I heard the door behind me, but I didn’t look back.
“Hey,” Mama Hen called out. Once she was beside me, she asked, “What the fuck is this?”
Jeannie brushed more dust off her. “Nothing, Mama Hen.”
Without looking at Mama Hen I answered, “She insultedme.”
Jeannie laughed and said, “Hey, I’m not the president. I’m not sure you’re aiming that anger at the right person.”
“Jeannie, maybe go cool off at home,” Mama Hen said.
Jeannie sucked in a breath, and her mouth formed an o briefly. Then she clenched her jaw. She looked around and shook her head before she walked toward the garage.
Mama Hen squeezed me to her side and said, “C’mon. Let’s get you a drink and some food.”
But as we approached the clubhouse, Hawk was coming out. The other women walked past us, heading inside, but Mama Hen stayed by me, her hands falling from my waist.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
I gritted my teeth and pushed him with all my might, sending him back a few steps.
“What the fuck?” he asked, more shock in his tone than anger.
“No,youwhat the fuck.”The accent was back and I didn’t care. “You say all those empty words to me and let me be humiliated all this time. Fuck you.”
Niko peeked out the door then rushed over. Instead of coming to my side, he stood with Hawk. “Katya, this is not how we handle private matters.”
“Fuck you, too, brother.” Looking at Mama Hen, I said, “I’m sorry. I need some space. Klara, come.”
I started to walk to the house with Klara, but Hawkstopped me, turning me to face him. “I haven’t humiliated you. What the fuck just happened?”
Breaking his grasp on my shoulders, I wrapped my arms around his, gripping his arms and stopping just short of breaking them, or at the least pulling them out of socket.
“Fucking hell, Kat!” Hawk shouted.
“Katya!” Niko shouted.
Pushing his arms down, I shoved him again. “Where’s my patch, Hawk?”
He stopped his forward progress and didn’t say anything. His jaw ticked as his blue eyes turned to slits.
“That’s what I thought. Just leave me alone.”
I hustled to the house, arm and arm with Klara, practically dragging her.
“I can’t believe that bitch just ruined our night. I have to leave soon and haven’t even entertained one of these bikers,” Klara said as I started punching in the code. “Hawk is an idiot man.”
