Page 62 of Playboy’s Purgatory

I guess being attached to the club does have some advantages.

We tease each other and laugh while drinks are delivered, and we settle in around the table. I don’t know what the concoction is that’s put down in front of me, but from the sparkle in Opal’s eyes, she is aware and is the one behind them.

It’s fruity and not too strong, which means it’s dangerous as hell. Does that stop me from wrapping my lips around the straw and taking a few more drinks? Hell no.

Opal reaches over and grips my shoulder gently while giving a little shake. “I’m so proud of you for letting Rumble take Vanessa out for a ride and then to his home on the compound for dinner and a movie. I’m sure he’s put together a little dinner party for all the retired bikers and their Old Ladies.”

Riti gasps and covers her mouth, but her eyes dance with excitement. “Don’t call them that too loudly. They still ride, they’re not retired,” she points out.

“Fine, you make a fair point,” Opal concedes. “I just meant retired from leadership.”

“Ohhhh,” Graycie holds out the word and points at Opal, “Jackal would be pissed if he heard you say that.” She leans closer and her lips purse. “Warden, too.”

“Damn,” Opal sighs and sends a heatless glare in Graycie’s direction, “you gotta bring Dad into this?”

“You’re the one who called him retired,” Graycie fires right back.

“You know what I meant,” Opal pouts before taking another drink.

I bump Riti’s shoulder and tease her, “I was starting to think you didn’t actually work at Ridge Tattoos since I’ve never seen you there before. Then when I did, you were on your way out.”

A complicated look crosses Riti’s face which has me instantly on edge. I’m not the only one who sees it either. I swear the rest of the women around the table lean in closer. This must be how it looks when sharks smell chum in the water.

Or you see that piping hot tea from across the way and hustle to get closer and not miss a second of it.

“You definitely have something to share,” Ezra prods Riti while Jessi nods and takes a big sip of her drink.

Jessi and Ezra are best friends and Jessi’s such a sweet chick. She’s quiet and she doesn’t have any ties to the SOMC as far as I know, unlike the other ladies at the table.

Not me. The rest of ‘em.

Not me.

I don’t have ties to the club either.

Riti rolls her eyes and drops her voice as low as she can considering where we are. “Fine,” she makes it sound like she’s finally acquiescing even though we hardly twisted her arm, “I’ll tell you.” The look she gives me says the answer should be obvious. “He’s been paying me to keep those spots open. If I already have someone booked, he asks me to reschedule and if I do it with a discount then he’ll make up the loss to me.”

My chin drops to my chest. “He’s been doing what?”

“I know you heard me,” Riti jokes.

But I’m still a little stuck. I did hear her. It’s possible I even understood all of the words and the order they were in.

But the bigger picture of it all just doesn’t make any sense.

“He wanted to be alone with you,” she teases me. “I think, partially, he wanted to help you feel more comfortable, but the rest of the reasoning has to be totally selfish.”

Opal barks out a laugh. “I’m betting on all the way selfish with no part of him thinking about her comfort.”

Graycie shoots Opal a look filled with disappointment as she enjoys her mocktail which is just like the rest of our drinks, minus the alcohol. “That’s not nice,” she admonishes Opal, “Playboy is sweet and not selfish at all.”

Everyone else around the table freezes and looks at her for a long moment. Jessi, surprisingly, is the first to crack. The moment she starts laughing, it’s all over for the rest of us.

Before our laughter can die down, the door to On Wasted Ridge swings open and a few bikers stride in. I’m not surprised to see them considering this is a club owned business. And a bar.

There aren’t a lot of places to go in Dogwood Ridge anyway.

My stomach sinks the moment Playboy walks in with Lola trailing at his heels. She reminds me of a chihuahua.