They again didn’t penetrate because as I stood there, I knew.
I had to do something. I had to put a stop to Aaron’s mission of misery.
I had no choice.
“Carissa, what was that?”
“I have to get on my knees,” I whispered.
“What?”
I pulled away from the door and looked to my side.
Joker was close.
“I was wrong. I don’t need my car,” I announced. “But I’ll wait in the office or go and browse the store. I’ll just go on over to the garage first and let them know.” I hauled open the door. “Enjoy the pie.”
I didn’t get out because Joker curled his fingers around my upper arm and pulled me back.
That got my attention, slightly, and I distractedly noticed the two other men (one still holding his baby) and three women in the room were all gathered close behind Joker and they were watching me.
I looked up into Joker’s steel eyes.
“Is something wrong with Travis?” he asked.
“He has croup,” I said, my voice flat. “I’m assured he’s fine.”
“Darlin’, got my car here. While they work on yours, I can take you—” the black lady began.
I stopped her by shaking my head. “I’m not allowed at my ex-husband’s house without his permission.
“Your kid’s sick,” the mustachioed man told me something I very well knew.
I straightened my spine and met his eyes.
“My ex-husband is an attorney. As was his father, before he became a judge. As was his grandfather, ditto the judge part. All of them in Denver. This means if he doesn’t want me at his house, I don’t go.”
“You’re fuckin’ joking,” Joker bit out and I looked to him.
“I am not,” I stated curtly.
His hand tightened on my arm.
My eyes started stinging. “If you’ll release me, I’ll get out of your hair.”
“What’s it mean, get on your knees?” Joker asked.
Dirty water washed through me, and I felt an uncomfortable charge hit the air at his question.
I shook my head, pulling at my arm in his hold. “Doesn’t matter.”
“What does it mean?”
I could take no more.
I yanked out of his hold, leaned toward him, and shrieked, “It doesn’t matter!” I threw out both hands, still screeching. “Nothing matters! Nothing but him! Travis! That’s all that matters!”
Then I whirled, hauled open the door, and ran out.
“Joker, no. Red, go,” ’ I heard a gravelly voice say as I ran. Then, “Hop, lock ’im down. Red, go.”
I heard it.
But I just ran.
Tack
The door to the meeting room opened and Tack’s eyes, along with those of the boys who were with him, went to it.
He watched his woman strut through.
Normally, he would take the time to appreciate this. It was a habit. He did it daily.
Right then, he saw the expression on her face and he didn’t take that time.
He looked around the room. With Dog and Brick in Grand Junction opening up the Club’s new store, he’d made Hop and Shy his lieutenants. Hop had been a brother for decades. Shy was newer. Hop was married to his woman’s best girl, Lanie. Shy was married to Tack’s daughter, Tabitha.
The room was rounded out with his son, Rush, as well as Boz, Hound, Speck.
And Joker.
“Where is she?” Joker clipped.
Tyra looked to Joker as she moved to her husband in his seat at the head of the table. Joker had been pacing under the watchful eyes of his brothers. Now he’d stopped, legs locked and planted wide, hands to his hips, secrets still behind his eyes, dark at the surface nearing to black.
But that black could disintegrate in a second. Tack knew it.
It would not ice over.
It would blaze hot in a way that could consume them all.
But especially a girl named Carissa.
Tack knew the minute he saw her that she wasn’t just a girl in a cute dress with shoes that were as sexy as they were ridiculous that Joker helped change a tire.
This girl was something else.
“Elvira’s taking her home,” Tyra told Joker and looked back to Tack. “Hawk let her have the afternoon off. She’s staying with her. Lanie took Nash and went back to work. She and I are going over to Carissa’s after to hang with her and Elvira.”
Tack nodded.
Tyra hefted her round ass in its tight skirt up on the table by his side and twisted her torso to the room but kept her eyes locked to her man.
He read them before she spoke. She’d been his woman a long time. She’d given him two sons. She’d given him a multitude of phenomenal orgasms. She’d given him her love. She’d given him redemption. She’d told him he turned her world to color. She made his life complete.
“Lenny wouldn’t let her back on the road in that car,” she said to Tack quietly, but the room could hear. “He said it’s a heap. Tack, honey, Lenny says it’ll take nearly four thousand dollars’ worth of parts and labor to make it safe.”
“Do it,” he said shortly.
“That car isn’t worth that,” she replied.
“She gonna take a free car from us?” he asked.
“Not likely,” she answered.
“Tell Lenny to do it.”
Her lips curved up.
He knew what that meant. It meant he’d get her appreciation for his kindness for a girl he didn’t know later.
He didn’t do it for that.
But he was looking forward to it.
“What does get down on her knees mean?” Joker asked, and Red twisted to him as Tack lifted his eyes to his brother. “She tell you that?”
When his wife didn’t answer, Tack glanced at her to see her looking at Hop and Boz.
They were closest to Joker.
It was a warning.
Tack came alert.
She gave her attention to Joker. “She was really upset, Joker. She shared a great deal.”
“She share that?” Joker bit off.
“Yes,” Tyra said quietly.
“And?” Joker prompted.
“Brother—” Hop started, beginning to unfold his body from his chair.
“And?” Joker barked, his focus on Red.
“Her ex-husband is fond of filing motions. As part of these motions, and him winning them, it means she doesn’t receive child support regardless that his income is more than triple hers. Therefore, she’s no longer able to pay an attorney’s fees,” Tyra answered.
“That isn’t answering my question, Cherry,” Joker said like a warning.
Tyra’s best girl, his daughter, some of her family, and many of her friends called his woman Ty-Ty. He called her Red. His brothers called her Cherry.
“She met one who expressed he’d like an alternate form of payment.”
Hop and Boz got close. His son, Rush, not stupid, also moved to do the same.
They did it, but they knew Joker better.
He didn’t lose it.
He got cold in the way the entire room felt a chill.
“Name,” he whispered.
Tyra looked to Tack.
Tack looked to Joker.
“She’ll give it to Boz and Hound. They’ll deal with him,” he declared.