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“How are you, sweetheart? Nervous about National?”
“A little,” I confess. Anything else would be a lie, so why bother?
“Don’t worry. I’ll be there to look out for you and introduce you to the other old ladies,” she assures me. In a lower voice she adds, “The national president’s wife is such a bitch.”
That’s something coming from Tawny. “Thank you.”
I catch Trinity rolling her eyes and wink at her. Tawny turns and wraps her other arm around Trinity’s shoulders. “You too, sweetie. Oh, this will be fun.”
Two weeks on the road with Tawny “looking out” for me isn’t exactly my idea of fun, but I try to muster up some polite, respectful enthusiasm. Trinity seems confused to find herself in an embrace with Tawny and doesn’t say much.
“Charlotte’s coming too, right?” Tawny asks.
“Yup. And Heidi.”
Tawny cocks her head. “What about the baby?”
“She’s coming. They rented a house near—”
Tawny nods. “Good. Good.” She glares across the room at her husband. “I’ll be happy to sit out a few events and watch the baby so Heidi can socialize.”
I glance at Trinity, who shrugs.
Tawny drops us to go say hello to Charlotte, something I don’t think Teller appreciates, judging by the scowl darkening his face as Tawny squeezes in between the two of them.
“Where’s Wrath?” I ask Trinity.
She tilts her head toward the front door. “Outside. Sway didn’t come alone.”
“Oh joy,” I mumble.
Sway’s gone through at least two VPs and two SAAs in the last few years, none of them impressive. Not my business until it spills over into my domain, I guess. In the back of my mind, I wonder if that’s something that will be discussed at National. So many unknowns.
Wrath storms in, frosty gaze sweeping the room until he sees Trinity. Then he seems to relax and even flashes a quick smile my way.
“Everything okay, angel?” he asks, twining one massive arm around her and kissing the top of her head.
“We’re fine. Tawny assured us she’ll look out for us at National,” she answers without laughing.
He rolls his eyes. “You’ll be too busy to worry about her. Lots of other old ladies for you to hang with.” He nods at me. “You too. All four of you are ‘new’ to the organization, so they’re gonna want to meet you and size you up. Especially the president’s wife.”
“Oh goodie, I can’t wait.”
The smirk on his face makes me want to smack him. “Tried to warn ya, Cinderella.”
Yes, he has, but this is so much different than any other Lost Kings event. Rock will be under a lot of pressure. I don’t want to do anything to let him down.
CHAPTER TWO
Sway showing up out of the blue last night continues to muck up my schedule the next morning. I can’t say I’m eager to have him tag along to the Devil Demons with us either.
Nor do I want him to join us for church this morning. It’s customary to invite the president of a visiting charter to the table unless there is very specific business we need to discuss. So that’s the excuse I plan to use if he says anything. As far as anyone knows, he hasn’t emerged from his room upstairs yet. I doubt he’ll care one way or another.
Wrath blows out an annoyed breath as he enters the war room and takes his seat.
Z’s in a good mood for once. He grins as he rounds the table. Murphy and Teller amble in behind him with slightly less enthusiasm.
“What’s with the faces?” I nod to each of them.
“Nothing.” Murphy shakes his head. “Tawny stopped by to play grandma to Alexa right after you left.”
“Great. I’m sure Hope’s thrilled,” I grumble.
“Where we at with them, Prez?” Dex asks in a low voice after Sparky shuts the door.
“Sway didn’t know we were making the extra stop before National. But I think he plans to tag along.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic.” Wrath sighs. “Just what we need when we’re trying to finalize this deal with the Demons.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Boss! Boss! We still meetin’ up with the Iron Bulls before the rally? Rebel and I are planning to swap some seeds.”
“Yeah, I need to call Romeo later, but that’s happening.”
Bricks whistles, low and mocking. “Holy shit. Sparky’s actually leaving the basement?”
“Every couple years he needs to air out,” Z jokes, receiving a middle finger in the face from Sparky.
“Enough.” I slice my hand through the air to call their attention to the head of the table. “Road report.” I nod to Murphy.
“All clear to Kodiak. No issues there. We’ll be riding with the Demons through Pennsylvania, so that’s good.” Preferring to plan his trips the low-tech way, Murphy shakes out the map in his hand and flips through the notebook in front of him. “You’re gonna have to call the MC outside Nashville and speak to their prez to get the okay to ride through their territory. If they’re dicks about it, we’ll reroute through North Carolina. Only adds about four hours.”
“Have you reached out to them?” I ask.
“Not yet.”
“Stick around afterward.”
“You got it.”
I glance at the schedule in front of me. “After the Demons, we have some leeway as long as our asses are in High Noon by Thursday night.”
“I’m thinking a stopover in Huntington.” Murphy taps his map. “It’s a good halfway point.”
“That’s fine.”
Dex raises his hand. “We going to the rally right after National?”
“That’s the plan. Meet up with the Iron Bulls and ride with them.”
Z signals me and I nod. “They’re probably bringing another club along.”
“Friendly to us?”
“Don’t see why not.”
“I’ll talk to Romeo about it.” I glance around the table. “Anyone else?”
“We staying for the whole rally, boss?” Sparky asks. The reality of being away from his plants for two whole weeks seems to be settling in for him.
“We’ll stay as long as Priest and the rest of the national officers stay.”
“Solidarity, fuckface,” Ravage says to Sparky.
“Priest gonna be okay with us meetin’ up with another club?” Dex asks.
I shrug. “Don’t see why not. Better to roll in with a large crew. Several clubs friendly to each other should put residents at ease.”
“And put law enforcement on notice not to fuck with us,” Wrath adds.
“That too.”
Ravage throws his arms in the air and head back. “I can’t fucking wait! Free, hot, random pussy wearing nothing but strings and body paint as far as the eye can see.”
Everyone cracks up at his degenerate enthusiasm for the weeklong annual biker rally.
Z leers at me. “Think you’ll talk Hope into a painted-on bikini?”
“Not unless I’m doing the painting and we’re staying in our room.”
Wrath lifts his chin in Murphy’s direction. “Your situation worked out?”
“Yeah, we’re gonna rent a house right outside Sunnyshore.” Murphy glances at me. “Hope said she’d watch Alexa one or two nights, so we could go to some events.”
“That’s fine.”
Teller raises his hand. “Charlotte and I are staying with them.”
Murphy nods as if they already discussed it ahead of time.
“Good.” I glance at every one of my brothers. “I don’t want anyone on their own in Florida.”
“Buddy system.” Sparky bounces in his seat. “Just like in school.”
