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“Chlamydia-ridden pussies,” the blond man—Ky— said.
The redhead opened his arms. “VP, I’m as liberal as they come. I don’t discriminate against any pussy that comes to pet the anaconda. Black, white, brown, they’re all welcome . . .” He put his attention back to me and licked his lips suggestively. “Though I must say, I do have a real penchant for how the Latinas taste.”
Tanner sighed, then said, “Lita. This prick who never shuts his stupid fucking mouth is Viking.”
He bowed dramatically. “At your service, ma’am.”
I raised my hand in a wave, not sure quite how I should be greeting him. Suddenly the tall dark-haired man—AK, I remembered he was named—and Viking were on their feet. “And he is risen!” Viking shouted just as a man with black eyes, piercings, and tattoos all over his body came toward us. A beautiful woman walked beside him. They were hand in hand. She looked distinctly like Styx’s wife.
AK stood in front of the man. He didn’t touch him, just simply said, “You good now?”
“Yes.” The man said, then looked at me. His black eyes unnerved me.
AK must have seen. “This is Adelita. Tanner’s bitch.”
Flame didn’t shake my hand when I held it out. The woman with him stepped forward and shook my hand instead. “Nice to meet you.” I smiled at the woman. She was small with huge green eyes. “I am Maddie. This is Flame, my husband.” I noticed she had the same strange accent as some of the women I met the first day I was here.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Where’s Ash?” Flame asked AK.
AK shrugged. “With Zane and Slash in the compound somewhere. Doing something for Sawyer.” Flame’s eyes narrowed. He looked so tense, so angry.
Maddie took hold of Flame’s hand, and he instantly relaxed. She helped her husband onto a seat. He was favoring one side, but that didn’t stop him from pulling her onto his lap. As odd as they looked together, it was obvious by the way their hands entwined and their bodies leaned into one another that they were madly in love.
“Lita!” Beauty asked, using the shortened version of my name Tanner did. “What’s your poison?”
I frowned. “Drink, princess.” Tanner pulled me down to sit on the chair beside his. “What do you want to drink?” I looked at the whiskey and beer that was on the tables.
“Wine, right?” Beauty asked, clearly seeing my nose curl up in distaste.
“Yes,” I said. “Wine is perfect.”
Beauty disappeared into the mass of people toward the bar. I took a moment to look around. It was crazy to me that I was here. In the lion’s den. Tanner’s hand squeezed my thigh. I looked toward him and smiled, taking his hand in mine. Beauty came back with a glass of red wine and placed it before me. “Looked like a merlot kinda woman to me. Am I right?”
“You’re correct.”
Beauty winked at me and sat down beside Tank.
“So?” Tank said, talking to me. “You’re the one who finally got through to my friend, huh? Quintana’s daughter?” Tank had known Tanner for years. He knew the man I’d met who was anything but kind to me.
“I am,” I said and turned to Tanner, smiling. “Eventually.”
“He was a cunt at first, eh?” Viking was leaning over other people to hear our conversation. Tanner rolled his eyes.
“He was, let’s say, unsavory.”
The English man next to Viking pointed at Tanner. “That means you were a total fucking twat, mate. Your bitch just dropped you in it.”
“I was.” Tanner’s friends laughed, but I didn’t. They didn’t know of the life he lived. They didn’t know he was abused by his father, beaten until he became the man he was—filled with nothing but hate. They didn’t know how alone he was . . . or how kind he was deep underneath it all.
“Not anymore,” I said, just loud enough for us to hear, and ran my hand over his arm.
Beauty saw the gesture and leaned her head on Tank’s shoulder. “I like seeing you like this, Tann,” she said.
A commotion at the front of the room made us all turn our heads. I couldn’t see over the crowd, but I heard the cheers. It was several minutes before I saw Styx walking through with his wife. And in Mae’s arms was a tiny baby being cradled to her chest. She looked tired, but the smile on her face made me think she appeared the happiest woman in the world.
Beauty was on her feet and rushing toward Mae. The men got up and congratulated Styx. Tanner shook his hand. Styx’s eyes fell on me. Tanner hovered close, but when Styx nodded and moved to sit beside Ky, Tanner’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
Mae came to sit down beside her husband, when her baby started crying. She gave a tired smile. “Styx, I need to feed him.”
Viking, who had taken his seat again, got to his feet. “Mae, as a liberal man, let me be the first to say I have no problem with public feeding—”
AK pulled Viking down to his seat. Styx was glaring at the man so harshly I was surprised he didn’t turn to ash on the spot. I couldn’t help but hide my amusement when Viking saw me watching and winked my way. Who the hell was this man?
“Come on, darlin’. The rest of the ladies are waiting for y’all in the back room anyway. Maddie?” Beauty said, then turned to me. “You coming, Lita?”
My heart started racing as I remembered that room. Remembered the women who were in there . . . and what they had told me.
“I’m . . .” I said quietly. “I’m not sure I’d be welcome in there.” I couldn’t stop thinking of Saffie. The last thing she would want is for her abuser’s daughter to be sitting next to her. Beauty’s smile dropped. Maddie stood beside Mae.
But then Mae stepped forward. “You will be welcome, Adelita. I promise.”
Tanner squeezed my hand. When I looked at his face, he nodded. He leaned closer, then whispered into my ear. “Go. Mae is Styx’s old lady. If she says you’ll be fine, you will. And Beauty will be there. She’ll have your back.” He kissed my lips. “Go meet the other old ladies, baby.” Other old ladies . . . I liked the sound of that.
“Okay,” I agreed and got to my feet. Tanner’s hand slipped from mine, and he handed me my wine.
“Dutch Courage,” he said, just so I could hear.
Moving to Mae, I looked down at her son. He had thick dark hair. Even crying, he was precious. “Que bendicion,” I said, and ran my finger over his hair. “What a blessing,” I translated.
“Thank you.”
Feeling someone watching me, I turned to see Tanner’s gaze fixed on me. He wore a strange expression on his face. My stomach squeezed when I realized it was him looking at me with a baby. My heart skipped a beat when I imagined us this way, being welcomed back by friends after bringing our baby into the world. Our baby. The living proof that we had done it. That we had defied the odds and escaped our old lives. Married, with a family.
My heart grew so full I could barely contain it. But then that feeling of dread quickly washed the dream from my head. I was getting ahead of myself. I was dreaming of too much too soon.
But it was such a lovely dream to aspire to.
