Lyric smiled and nodded. She liked being in charge. I didn’t blame her. The world was often blind to the little sibling of a smart older kid.
After guiding me to the pantry, Lyric showed me how to clean my bruise and dry it before applying the Band-Aid. Nova eventually stopped panicking and watched us. I smiled at her, hoping my cool exterior would do for her what Blackjack’s calm did for Yarrow.
Nova met my smile with her own. I felt her focusing on my presence.
“What about Skylar?” I asked Lula, who finished putting away the surviving groceries.
“Pax and Bebe went to pick up the kids,” Lula replied and checked her phone. “We’re treating this thing today like it wasn’t a few rogue players.”
“Thank you,” I told Lyric and showed Nova the Band-Aid. “Why don’t you two get cleaned up so I can put Band-Aids on you?”
“I should wait for Skylar,” Nova mumbled, getting lost in her bad memories again.
I hugged her to me. “But you look terrible. Your hair is a mess. You smell like stinky bikers. Skylar will think you went bar hopping while she was at school.”
Nova gave me a dirty look before suddenly grinning. “I’ve never gone bar hopping in my life.”
Lula nudged her with her hip. “Add that to your bucket list.”
Nova sighed and looked at Lyric. “Want to take a shower?”
“I got biker stink on me,” Lyric insisted and sniffed her shirt. “Gross.”
Picking up Lyric, Nova snuggled her in that way my mom would do to me when she was struggling to remember the good in the world.
Once Nova and Lyric were out of earshot, Lula muttered to me, “Tricky’s lost control of his club. Or he’s gone insane. Either way, life is about to get complicated in Sleepy Eye.”
“They’ve got to die,” I said, winning a nod. “Even if Clint wanted to show mercy, which he has no reason to do, Zodiac expects blood.”
“Exile does, too.”
“Yeah, but Exile can be talked down. I don’t think Zodiac can be.”
Lula's dark eyes flashed to the front door as she said, “Especially with Ford whispering in his ear.”
“Well, I don’t need anyone whispering in my ear. Those fucks need to die to make things right. The Crimson Guard and Black Rainbow outnumber the LM Jokers. If we battle, Tricky’s going to find himself alone.”
“Jarred is a member of the Jokers,” Lula said, mentioning her ex-husband and Dillon’s dad.
“In name only. Jarred’s not getting in a shootout for the club.”
“No, but he feels loyalty toward Tricky.”
“They’re friends, but Jarred is living a normal life in Little Rock. He barely rides with them.”
Lula scowled hard at me. “I don’t want Jarred hurt.”
My laughter instantly pissed her off. Shaking my head, I rested my hand on her shoulder.
“Jarred is a club kid. He’s married to a club kid. No one is messing with him, even if you don’t ask us to treat him with kid gloves.”
Lula shoved away my hand. “Don’t coddle me.”
“Actually, I was mocking you.”
“Whatever. Don’t talk to me. You’re on my nerves now.”
Chuckling as I walked down the hallway, I heard the shower turn off. While waiting for Nova and Lyric, I started texting people. First up, I asked Goldie where she was currently.
