Scarlet doesn’t hesitate, bending at the waist to pick him up. “You don’t think I’m a disappointment, do you?”
He lays his head on her shoulder.
“That’s because you’re the best boy in the whole word.”
“None of us think that,” Nora says.
Scarlet snorts. “Youdon’t think that, and I love you for it. Butthey”—she nods her head toward Atlas and me—“do.”
“No they don’t,” Nora insists. “Right guys?” She narrows her eyes, staring down Atlas, until he gives a noncommittal grunt.
She turns her steely gaze my way, but Scarlet pipes up before I can think of anything to say.
“Don’t waste your breath. We all know how Ellis feels about me.”
She sounds… almost sad, and fuck if I don’t hate it. We banter, it’s our thing, but right now, she’s just sounds… defeated.
Time for a subject change. “Did I tell y’all about my new job?”
“Sure didn’t,” Atlas says.
“Congrats, Ellis,” Nora enthuses, talking over her fiancé. “Tell us everything.”
“It’s, uh, security.” I rub at the back of my neck. “With a local motorcycle club.”
“Like…Sons of Anarchy?” Scarlet scrunches her nose.
“No.” I laugh under my breath. “Not even a little.”
“Then like what?” She tilts her head to the right, studying me. “From cop to MC seems like…” she trails off, and I just know some bullshit’s about to come out of her mouth. So, color me surprised when she says, “A big change.”
“It is.” I shrug. “But it’s not.”
Scarlet laughs, and I swear I feel it in my gut. “Explain, please. I’m trying to understand you being unemployed for so long?—”
“Not that long,” I grumble.
“Only to start working for a motorcycle club.”
I don’t respond right away, mostly because I’m not entirely sure what to say. In a way, she’s right. I’ve technically been unemployed fora long time, and while I played it cool, it fucking ate at me.
For the better part of the last year, I’ve felt useless, aimless. Like I’m a dinghy drifting at sea. I knew I wanted to help people, but didn’t know how.
And sure, I could’ve gone out and gotten a job just about anywhere, but I want to do something that matters.
So, I used the money my dad and his parents left me to get by, and lucky me, it barely made a dent in it.
“You actually know my new boss,” I tell Scarlet.
“Do I?” She shifts James to her other hip. “Who?”
“Silas,” I offer up the two syllables with a shit-eating grin.
“Lovely.” Her tone implies it’s anything but.
“Anyone wanna explain?” Nora asks, crossing her arms.
“Scarlet tried to pick him up at The Creek, and he turned her down.”
