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The rage hit fast and I let it move through me without touching my face. I breathed it out slowly and made my jaw unclench. By the time I crossed the room I was almost smiling. Almost.

“I’m not here about Ivy.” I stopped at the edge of the table and crossed my arms, looking down at him just enough to piss him off. Rook positioned himself slightly behind my right shoulder, easy and loose, exactly where I needed him. “Wondering if you could set up a meet for us.” I said the words slowly, drew them out until all eyes were focused on me. “With the Crimson Outlaws.”

One of his men, predictably, frowned and he did it before Rex had a chance to react. To rewrite the story he needed them to believe. “We don’t fuck around with those freaks. You want an in with them, find someone else.”

The man hadn’t noticed that Rex had gone pale.

“That right, Rex?” I scratched my jaw slowly and studied him. “You don’t fuck with them?” I held his gaze. “Huh. I heard differently.”

He sputtered. “I don’t know what the fuck you think you heard about me, but you shouldn’t be listening to gossip.” His voice had an edge to it that was missing sixty seconds ago.

One of his men stepped forward, got right in my face. “Whatever the fuck you think you heard, keep it to yourself.”

I smirked, which only pissed him off further.

“You think this shit is funny?”

I shrugged. “I think it’s hilarious. The shit you think you know when the truth is you don’t know a goddamn thing.”

There it was, that flicker of doubt I came to plant.

I let the silence sit around the room for a long moment. Long enough for Rex to hear everything I wasn’t saying. Long enough for the color to drain a little further from his face. Then I stood and met his gaze. “Maybe.” I grinned and lifted my hand in a lazy wave. “See you around, Rex.”

“Fuck you.” He spat the words in my direction. His face was red and furious, but beneath all of that fear swam in his gaze.

“Maybe another time. If you remember that Crimson Outlaws hookup, let me know.” I pointed at him and started walking backwards toward the door.

Me and Rook walked out into the afternoon air, the sunshine on our faces.

We made it to the bikes before Rook lost it. “Goddamn!” He clapped me hard on the back. “That was a thing of fuckin’ beauty.” He was still laughing as he swung onto his bike. “You spooked the shit out of that man. Stone cold, brother. Stone cold.” He shook his head. “You’re gonna be one terrifying Prez.”

That put a smile on my face that stayed with me the whole ride home.

Somehow, I made it all the way back to the clubhouse without thinking about Ivy. Or Sarah.

Chapter Sixteen

Ivy

Dani burst through my door with two overstuffed bags and a look on her face that said she had a thousand questions and intended to ask every single one of them. I’d texted her yesterday, we hadn’t had a chance to catch up after my marriage, and I missed my best friend. I also had another reason to ask her to drop by the clubhouse. When I’d packed my bags and left my father’s house my belongings were meager. I’d been wearing the same three outfits in rotation and seeing how the club girls dressed, I felt dowdy by comparison. Knox had been so wrapped up in club business that I didn’t like to ask him if he’d take me shopping. And going out alone was off the cards, thanks to Rex being an asshole. She dumped both bags onto the bed in Knox’s room before pulling me into a hug that lasted until I leaned into her hold. “I’ve missed you. So damn much.”

I hadn’t realized how much I needed a hug, or my best friend, until she let me go. “Thanks for coming, Dani. And thanks for bringing me these.”

She shrugged. “My bestie asks for clothes and what, you think I’m gonna bring a pack of Wally World panties and mom jeans? Hell no!” She flashed a proud smile.

She got everything I needed. Jeans. Tops. Underwear. Dresses. Shoes. I pulled out my wallet to pay her back. I had some savings from my job at the print shop, but I needed to see if I could find something to do here that would pay. My money wouldn’t last forever, and I didn’t like asking Knox for handouts even though he’d told me to tell him if I needed anything.

“Thanks,” she said as she pocketed the cash. “So how’s married life?”

I grinned at my best friend. “First off, how’d you get in here? No one told me you’d arrived.”

Her smile beamed bright. “I told the guy at the gate I was your best friend. He called someone and made me wait like a thousand years,” she said, rolling her eyes dramatically. “But the guy who came to check me out?” She fanned her face. “Hot as fuck. Dark and wiry with long hair, looks like he already knows all my secrets.” She wiggled her brows like she wouldn’t have a problem with that.

I laughed. “Sounds like Switch, which means he probably does know all your secrets.”

“Lucky him,” she shot back with a wink. She sat cross-legged on the bed and watched me go through the second bag. “So…” The word landed heavy between us. She wanted details and there were plenty to share, but she was also worried. “You’ve been married almost two weeks, and I’ve barely heard from you. Either you were having the time of your life and too busy fucking your new husband to call, or he had you locked in a room without your phone. You’re clearly not a prisoner, so spill.”

I shoved the clothes back into the bags and smiled at my friend. “This is a talk best had under the sun.”