“But what if they’re both on board with it?” Sienna raises her eyebrows.
“I don’t think I can take that risk,” Tink admits.
“Honestly, I can’t say I blame you. It’s a tough situation, but it looks like the three of you need to talk about it together,” I tell her.
“We should, but I don’t know if it will happen,” she says.
My phone vibrates in my hand.
From Romeo: You hanging out with your boy toy Ruger?
To Romeo: Uh, no. He is not my boy toy. And he’s not at the clubhouse right now. Thank the gods.
From Romeo: *laughing emoji* Aw, come on. He was following you around last weekend like a lost puppy. You didn’t like that?
To Romeo: Not that it’s any of your concern, no, I didn’t care for it.
From Romeo: So you’re telling me I still have a chance?
To Romeo: In your dreams, Romeo!
“That smile says a lot more than your words do.” Sienna smirks at me.
I roll my eyes, setting my phone down. “No more guy talk. Let’s go watch a funny movie or something.”
“I’m all for that,” Tink says.
“Let’s go!” Sienna hops up from the couch. “Wait, who’s room are we going to?”
“Mine,” Tink states.
“You have a room here,” I ask.
“Yup, for the nights we have club parties and I bartend,” she explains.
“That makes sense.”
Sienna and I follow Tink to her room. I check my phone one last time. His text makes me grin.
From Romeo: Oh, how you wound me, Princess.
To Romeo: It’s not life-threatening. You’ll be fine.
From Romeo: Only time will tell.
I shake my head and smile as I turn my phone on Do Not Disturb mode for the rest of the night.
“What movie are we watching first?” Sienna flops onto the bed.
“Something funny, please,” Tink says.
“What about Magic Mike XXL?” I suggest. “Hot guys, and it’s so cheesy and funny.”
“That’s perfect!” Tink climbs in bed next to Sienna, and I slide in next to her.
“I’m surprised this bed is big enough for the three of us.” Sienna laughs.
“Have you seen how big the guys in this clubhouse are? They’re huge! They gotta have beds they’ll fit in.” Tink giggles, making me giggle, too.
“That’s true,” Sienna agrees. Tink turns the movie on. I pass out at some point before the movie ends.
Sunday was uneventful. Tink had to work a shift at Rosie’s Diner while Sienna spent time with Wren. Neither one is at the clubhouse again today. Tink working at the diner again, and Sienna went to A Novel Bunch. I’m spending the day reading and ignoring the world. Rascal is going to be back today, and I need to go back to ignoring him.
I’m sitting outside at one of the picnic tables when a black SUV with a Louisiana license plate pulls up. I watch as a couple of men dressed in fancy suits climb out of the vehicle. They look like they’re part of some kind of mafia. Maybe Russian. Sunglasses cover their eyes as they walk toward me. The first one stops at the picnic table, removing his sunglasses.
“Jenny?” he says.
“Excuse me?” I close my book.
“I’m sorry, you look identical to someone I used to know.” He’s Russian, and his accent is thick. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to a Jennifer Jones, would you?”
His words cause a lump in my throat. “Uh, that was my mom’s name.”
“Was?”
“Yeah, she passed away a couple years ago.” I fight back the tears that are threatening to fall. Talking about my mom is still a sore subject, and I don’t know who the hell this guy is. He seems to be evaluating his next words carefully.
“Can I ask how old you are?”
“Twenty-five,” I tell him.
His eyebrows furrow for a few seconds before his eyes widen as if he came to a realization. “I think I’m your father.”
12
Rascal
After texting Marley for two days, her not responding is making me feel some type of way, and I don’t fucking like it. We pull up to the clubhouse, and I’ve never been more thankful to be here.
“Damn, I forget how much I hate making that run every time.” I climb out of the car, stretching my arms and popping my back.
Shade laughs. “It’s not that bad, ya pansy.”
I flip him off and walk inside. I glance around for Marley, but she’s not in here. I turn around as Chains walks into the main room.
“Yo, where’s Marley at?”
“She’s outside, reading,” he says.
“I just came from out there. She’s not fucking there,” I tell him.
His eyes go wide. “I had to take a piss. She was out there when I came in.”
I storm down the hallway to her room, pounding on her door. I wait thirty seconds, and when there’s still no answer, I do it again.
“Marley, it’s Rascal. Open the fucking door!”
There’s movement in her room before she opens the door. She’s standing there, tears pouring down her make-upless face.
“What the hell? What’s goin’ on?”
“Nothing that concerns you, so leave me the hell alone,” she bites out, closing the door.
I stick my foot in front of it, stopping it from closing. “Uh-uh, Princess. Don’t do this. Talk to me.”
“Stop acting like you give a fuck. We both know you don’t.” She spits the words out like venom. Stung by her words, I pull my foot back, and she slams the door in my face. I stand there, staring at it for a minute. I turn around and walk toward the main room.
“Rascal.” Bull stops me. I turn to face him as Nikolay, Sovietnik of the Orlov Bratva, is walking away from him. “Let’s talk.”
I walk toward his office. “What was Niko doing here?”
I sit on the couch as he closes the door and sits at his desk.
“Niko is in town for Bratva business and decided to stop by. He’ll be around for the foreseeable future,” Bull says. “Tell me how the run was.”
“Everything went as well as planned. Got everything we ordered from Blaze, talked with Ace and the guys about becoming Riders, and Ric introduced us to some guys who want to be Menaces,” I explain to him.
“What did you think of the guys wanting to be Menaces?”
“They were cool. I think they would fit in great,” I tell him.
He mulls it over. “Have them come for a visit. We’ll have Tech vet them and see how they do with the rest of the club.”
“You got it, Prez.” I walk out of his office, coming face to face with Tink. “Hey! Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“To see Marley,” she tells me.
“Do you know what’s wrong with her?”
Tink glares at me. “Yeah, and if you want to know, talk to her yourself.”
“I tried, and she slammed the door in my face.”
“Well, then I’d say she doesn’t want to talk to you.” She smirks and walks away.