“How did you know?” I widen my eyes.
“The way you went into service mode, got everyone drinks without hesitation. Just sayin’ that kind of shit is seen as Old Lady material.”
Kevlar jerks his head back. “Brother, will you stop hitting on everything with breasts.”
Hurricane twists the top of his beer open. “You got me all wrong. Not that you’re not gorgeous, Jovie, you are, but I can see you’re spoken for.”
What the hell does he mean by that?
“All I’m saying, Kevlar, is Jovie is good for the club. Savanah, too, honestly. Even though the bitch is a firecracker.”
“That bitch is right here and can hear you,” Savanah scoffs.
Hurricane takes a long sip of his beer, then smirks. “I know.”
“Heathen.” Savanah rolls her eyes.
“You love it.”
“We’re off-track. Kevlar, you were going to tell us why you’re here,” Razor emphasizes.
We all sit around the room. I move in on the bed next to Kevlar as Hurricane sits on the oversized chair opposite us.
“I know it can’t be good if you’re on the run.”
“It started with the Baron.”
“That asshole has been trouble for decades,” Hurricane scoffs.
I have no clue who this Baron is, but he doesn’t sound good.
“Well, he has a vendetta the size of New York against the club, especially against Zero.”
“Who’s Zero?” I ask.
The three NOLA bikers turn to me like I’m rude as fuck for interrupting their conversation. I purse my lips, sinking in on myself.
“He’s my president.”
“Listen, should these girls even be here for this?” Hurricane jabs.
Kevlar turns to me, and there’s hesitation in his eyes.
That’s all I need.
Standing, I reach over and grab Savanah. “C’mon, Sav, we’ll wait outside.”
Hurricane laughs. “See… fuckin’ Old Lady material.”
Kevlar grimaces, but I rush for the door without hesitation, dragging a groaning Savanah with me. As I close the door behind us, Savanah pouts. “I really wanted to hear why big ol’ Kev is on the run.”
“I’d rather he tell us when he’s ready.” Cracking open the lid to my vodka, I gulp down the burning liquid as Savanah widens her eyes on me.
“You doing okay there, babe?”
I take in a deep lung full of air. “That was intense, right?”
Savanah scoffs. “That? No, that was child’s play. They’re all big children with big toy bikes, who think they own women. The second you remember you have the pussy, which is the one thing that weakens them, you have all the power, Jovie.”
“You’re so confident…”
“You are, too, I’ve seen it. You’ve just taken a step back because of what happened with your father. Don’t let that man rule your head, Jovie.”
Leaning up against the wall, I exhale.
She’s so right.
I’m letting Father get to me.
He is stopping me from being myself.
I need to quit it.
So, I down the rest of my vodka, then turn, slamming my fist against the door to be let back in.
Savanah presses up on her toes in excitement. “Yeah, girl! You go tell him.”
My nerves wrack through my body, but I am a strong, confident woman, so asserting myself is what I need to do right now. The door flies open to Bayou, his eyes widening as I push past him, Savanah following me while I race down to the bedroom.
“Well, hey, sweet thang!”
“Stop! I am not your sweet thang. What the hell even is that? I am my own person. I am a strong, self-sufficient woman, not a slave to your fucking club. I do what I want and am not a fucking puppy to be ordered around.”
Savanah throws her hands in the air. “Whoop! There it is.”
The corner of Kevlar’s lips turns up as Hurricane bows his head. “Good to know…” He switches his eyes to Kevlar. “I’ll catch up with you again, Kevlar. This was… interestin’, to say the least.” Hurricane stands, walks over to me, chuckles, shakes his head, then signals to his two men, and walks for the door.
I spin, facing him in my outrage. “So what? That’s it? You’re not gonna say anything?”
Hurricane turns back to face me. “I think you said it all. I’m glad you stood up for yourself, Jovie. Now you really proved to me just how good for the fuckin’ club you are. You’re the entire package deal. If someone doesn’t swoop you up, I just might come back for ya.”
Bayou chortles as he leads Hurricane out the door.
Standing there shocked, I thought he’d be angry at me, not turned the fuck on. I spin back to face Kevlar, confused as hell.
Hearing the door close behind me, I throw my hands in the air. “What on earth was that?”
Kevlar exhales. “That was NOLA Defiance, and you just got a good dose.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He steps up to my side. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s get going. The voodoo shop was calling before we were so rudely interrupted.”
I roll my shoulders. “Why did they come to see you?”
He exhales. “I’m a Defiance brother from another chapter, but I am in their turf. If I’m not here for a social call, they need to know why.”
“And are they okay with you being here?”
“Yeah, for now. They don’t want trouble barging down Bourbon Street searching for me.”
“Is it going to?”
He exhales. “I sure hope not.”
“You gonna tell me what this is all about?” I ask.
Kevlar’s hand comes up, swiping a strand of loose hair away from my face. The gesture sweet and caring, which makes my nerves calm dramatically. “All in good time, sunshine.”
“Can we go to this voodoo shop already? Seeing you two make googly eyes at each other is making me nauseous,” Savanah quips.
Kevlar lets me go as he gestures for the door.
We all walk out of the room, then the hotel, and down toward Bourbon Street. It’s a little quieter during the day than it is at night, but there’s still a heap of people milling around right now. Pardi-Gras banners line the streets, the trop-rock festival alive and well in the streets of New Orleans. People dressed up in Hawaiian shirts walk around as we move as a trio toward the voodoo shop. The front is all weathered wooden paneling giving it an old-world vibe, though somehow, I feel a connection to it instantly.
“This place is freaking creepy,” Savanah whispers as she takes the rickety stairs one at a time.
I waggle my brows at Kevlar, and inside we go. My eyes widen as we enter because I’m not sure where to look first. There’s so much to take in—walls and walls of voodoo trinkets and charms. Excitement bubbles up inside me, my stomach flittering at the energy inside this place.
It’s quiet, even with the number of people inside. It is almost eerie as Savanah rushes off to the back wall where a goat shrine is located. I grimace, not really wanting to see that, so Kevlar and I make our way to the middle of the shop where the voodoo dolls are hanging from the rafters in various states. Some appear mummified, some are in what look like dresses, some are made of twine, they’re all so freaking different. So unique. Each with a tag depicting what they represent.