“Hmmm . . . I am pretty sure he’s creating a monster.”
Clay steps into the kitchen and heads for the coffee machine. The moment his eyes lift to mine, it’s like the air is sucked clean out the room. My chest tightens, and I can’t breathe. I rise from my seat a little too quickly, snatching up my coffee just to give my hands something to do, somewhere to put the panic.
Red clocks it immediately. She doesn’t say a word, just gives me a small, knowing nod as I hurry towards the door.
The second I’m outside, I stop and drag in a rough breath, like I’ve been drowning and only just found the surface.
That’s when I hear her.
That voice.Hervoice. I would recognise it anywhere. My grip tightens around the mug until my knuckles ache. Brandy’s gigglebounces through the doorway, sharp and sickly, crawling over my skin like poison I’ve tasted before.
I square my shoulders. She might have pushed me out of one life, but she’s not taking this one from me.Not without a fight.
“Ooooh, look what the cat dragged in,” she snides as she sees me making my way through the bar area. She shimmies up to Slayer, and he suddenly looks guilty. “Did you know she had her kids taken away from her?” she whisper-yells, making sure I can hear her. I slam my cup on the nearest table and storm over. Slayer takes a step back, and it spurs me on further, suddenly understanding the power that an ol’ lady holds. Brandy might think she holds all the cards, but in reality, she’s just a fuck toy, here for the pleasure of the brothers.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I hiss.
She laughs. The bitchactuallylaughs.
“Bella, I’m the woman who stole your life, fucked the brains out of your husband ‘til he left you, and mothered those doting boys.”
I ball my fists beside me. “And does he know that you take your clothes off for money?” Her smile falters. “No, I didn’t think so.”
She recovers quickly. “Oh, hunny, he wouldn’t care.” She runs her hands along her slim frame. “Why would he, when he can have the Rolls Royce of fucks whenever he pleases?”
“He might, however, wanna know that dirty little pussy he’s been screwing has been with every brother in this room.” I smirk, and the confident mask that had been firmly in place begins to slip.
“You’re only jealous because he left you high and dry, and now, you have no one. Even these brothers wouldn’t touch you.”
“Really?”
She grins, thinking she’s got one-up on me. I see Red approaching from behind, and I shake my head.
“Maybe you didn’t get the memo.” She looks at me, confused, and I laugh at her, shaking my head. “Oh, yeah, that’s right. Club whores don’t get to know the ins and outs of club business.”
“Whatever. What would you know about this club?” she snaps, and I know I’ve got under her skin now, after all these months of her teasing and taunting, parading my own children in front of me.
“Well, I think you’ll find I’m now the VP’s ol’ lady.” I wink.
“Pah, not a fucking chance,” she says, looking across to Slayer for confirmation. He nods, and her smile fades.
“So, I think you need to show an ol’ lady some fucking respect,” I snap, turning on my heel, my heart pounding in my chest.
Brandy shrieks behind me. “You always land on your feet, the pampered fucking princess,” she screams as she launches herself towards me, grabbing my hair. My head snaps back, the roots pulling at the scalp. “You fucking bitch,” she yells.
The brothers run towards the commotion, Slayer grabbing hold of her wrist. I grab her arm, forcing it towards my scalp to prevent the pull any further.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Clay’s bellowing voice penetrates my soul, and I freeze for a second. Brandy releases my hair, strands dangling from her fist. The room is deathly silent, with just the sound of our heavy breaths.
“I said, what the fuck is going on?” he demands, looking at Brandy.
“She was winding me up,” she screeches.
I step in front of Clay before he can move, my hand already swinging. The slap lands hard across Brandy’s cheek, the crack of it echoing through the room. She staggers, eyes wide, her palm flying to her face as she gapes at me in shock.
Silence swallows the clubhouse.
Every pair of eyes is on us. I hear the low ripple of whispers from the brothers, confusion and curiosity buzzing in the air.
