I watched Wren go, eyeing her delicious ass I’d sunk my teeth in the night before, the memory the only perk of her walking away from me.
“Max, wasn’t sure you’d make it out,” X goaded as he handed me a beer.
“A warm, soft woman or you assholes? It was a tough choice.” I snorted.
He grinned, clinking his beer with mine. “I know exactly what you mean,” he replied, his eyes on Ginnie.
“Mad around?” I asked, surveying the room packed with club members, old ladies, and a few cherries.
“Out back. Scar made her ribs, so I was just headed that way.” X tilted his head toward the back patio where a fire pit was lit and the barbeque was getting a workout. Cole’s wife, Scarlet, made the best damn ribs I’d ever had. But that wasn’t what I was focused on tonight.
That source of Mad’s had been bothering me ever since the attack at my house. I wanted to know who it was to make sure we didn’t get caught with our pants down again.
“There aren’t many left,” Maddox said by way of greeting as he mowed through the last rib on his plate.
“I’m good,” I declined. “I wanted to talk to you.”
Sensing my mood, he stood up straighter, dropping the rib on his plate. “What about?”
“Your source,” I replied. “Bad information almost got my woman snatched. I want to know who it is.”
He cocked his head to the side, his gray eyes assessing me. “No.”
“No?” I demanded as X and Gunner joined our tense discussion.
“What’s going on?” Gun asked.
“I want to know who Mad’s source is,” I told him.
Mad sighed, running a hand over his whiskers. “Listen, I understand why you’d be pissed.” He was clearly trying to diffuse the situation. “But that information? It had nothing to do with my source. She was fed wrong information herself.”
“It’s a she?” I demanded, incredulously.
Maddox winced. Clearly, he hadn’t meant to share that piece of information. “Fuck. Yes, it’s a she,” he acknowledged. “And she’s risking her ass telling me anything. All her intel up until now has been good. I promised I’d protect her identity, even from you, and I intend to keep that promise.”
I cocked my head to the side, studying my friend. “You have feelings for this woman?”
He looked torn as to how to respond. “It’s complicated.”
“Isn’t it always?” Gunner snorted.
Mad eyed me steadily. “My feelings have nothing to do with her intentions, which I know are pure. I trust her, Max. I need you to take my word on it. I’m not telling you who she is.”
“Fine,” I agreed after a pause. The truth was, I trusted Maddox implicitly. Though that wouldn’t stop me from digging deeper the next time we got intel.
“Thank you,” he replied seriously.
“Phew, now that’s over, let’s have a fucking drink, yeah?” Gunner chortled, always the first to try to lighten the mood.
“Yeah,” I agreed as Wren slipped under my arm. Instantly, my mood lightened. “Hi, babe. What are you girls up to?”
“Not much. I’m going to spend part of the morning at the salon with Ginnie and Grace tomorrow,” she shared as Ginnie sidled up to X, and he promptly pulled her in close.
I looked at my girl, not eager to have anything change about her appearance. “What are you doing at the salon?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll like whatever we do.” Ginnie tried to reassure me with a wink.
“You don’t need to change anything. You’re perfect,” I mumbled grumpily.
Wren laughed a bit uncomfortably. “I’m glad you think so.”
I knew so but sensed I’d embarrass her if I pressed the subject. “We’ll need to get a man on you. I have shit to do for a few hours in the morning, but I can take over in the afternoon.”
“I can do it,” X offered. I wasn’t surprised; it would give him an excuse to be close to Ginnie, even if that meant hanging around the salon.
“Okay, well now that the babysitters are lined up, we can live our lives,” Wren mumbled.
I kissed her temple. “It’s temporary, babe. Not that I won’t always want to follow you around,” I added.
I was only partially kidding.
“I know.” She sighed. “I just hate feeling like a burden.”
“It’s not a problem,” X was quick to assure her, and I shot him a grateful look. “I need to get my tips frosted anyway,” he added, pointing to his bald head.
Ginnie rolled her eyes with a grin. “Yeah, babe. While we’re at it, we’ll get in that time machine and go back to when that was actually cool.”
“And to when you had hair,” Cash put in with a grin.
“Fuck off,” X rumbled without malice, grabbing the last of the ribs, the ultimate revenge.
Chapter 26
WREN
“You look hot,” Gracie assured me the next morning as she blew out my hair after a cut that had left me with badass layers and sideswept bangs.
“I love it.” I beamed at her. Grace was hell on wheels with scissors. I was proud of my friend and all too happy to reap the benefits.
The salon was beautiful, with a sleek modern design and top-of-the-line products.
“We should go out tonight!” she exclaimed, looking over at Ginnie who was cutting hair at the station to the right.
“We totally should,” Ginnie agreed readily.
“I’m not sure Max will be cool with that,” I hedged, fretting. “He’s been in super vigilance mode.” I grimaced, knowing it was warranted given the danger I was in.
“We’ll get a bunch of the guys on board,” Grace suggested. “Will you let me dress you?” she added hopefully.
“She’s not a Barbie doll, Grace.” Ginnie snorted.
“Oh fine,” I huffed as Gracie pouted. It was so hard to say no to her. Whatever man claimed her was seriously fucked.
She gave a little hop of excitement. “We’ll get ready at my place. I’ll text Em.”
I nodded, knowing it was out of my hands at this point and not really minding.
“We’ll have to make sure Mr. Clean can come with,” Grace added, her gaze on Xavier who had crammed his huge body into one of the chairs at reception. He was hunched over reading a tattoo magazine and looked the opposite of comfortable.
“Hey, lady, don’t make fun of my man,” Ginnie warned. “That’s my right and my right only.”
Gracie laughed and nodded her agreement as she continued to contort my hair into all kind of loops with the brush in her hand. She’d given me a tutorial, but I knew I’d never recreate what she’d done.
“Voila.” She beamed a few minutes later when she finished putting a bit of product in. I stared at myself in the mirror, shaking my head back and forth, reveling in the lighter feel. She’d taken off several inches, though my hair still hung well past my shoulders. The layers added a dimension I hadn’t had before, and the bangs made my eyes pop.
“You’re awesome, Grace,” I complimented. “Seriously.”