Elle dumped her few bags in her SUV's cargo and leaned against the side. “I need to sit down and rest. A handful of jelly beans wouldn’t hurt, either.”
As Elle settled in her driver’s seat and ate candy, I organized my groceries in the cargo of my SUV parked next to hers.
“I miss hanging out with people,” Elle said. “Baton Rouge is lonely whenever Zodiac isn’t around.”
“Do you think you’ll move back here?”
“No,” Elle mumbled with her full mouth. “Zodiac can’t give up his club. I’ll have to make it work.”
“What if Sutter doesn’t like it?”
“He’s already in love with our pool and the local museum,” Elle said and smiled. “Sutter and Zodiac get along really well, too. I’m surprised by how much nerd stuff Zodiac wants to hear about. I think underneath all his cockiness and tattoos, he’s a geek at heart.”
Smiling, I never would have thought Zodiac could warm up to family life in the way he had in such a short time.
“Hey, hag!” called out a male voice.
I peered around from the liftgate to see three male bikers strolling in our direction. At first, I thought they were Crimson Guard members. I was still struggling to keep everyone’s names and faces straight.
“What the fuck do you fungal infections want?” Elle asked in a hostile tone.
Realizing they weren’t from the Crimson Guard, I glanced at Lyric on the horse and hoped she stayed where she was.
“I can’t believe you let that freak Zodiac jizz a baby into your whore hole,” said one of the men.
“You’re Bob, right?” Elle said as she climbed out of the seat and peered around the door. “I heard your dad cried when he got kicked out of the club he helped build. Did you hand him tissues like a good little boy?”
“Bitch.”
“Yeah, duh. Now, what the fuck do you want?”
The men glared at her in a way that made me too nervous to remain hiding. Just months ago, Elle was involved in a shooting. I’d been so afraid that she’d lose her baby or die.
But I hadn’t helped her. Frozen with fear, I had chosen to remain hidden inside Elle’s SUV and wait for someone braver to save her.
Today, I stepped out from behind my SUV and said, “You should go away, okay?”
The men heard the fear in my voice and prowled closer.
“Exile’s slutty little sister,” Bob said while the other men smiled in a gross way. “We’ve heard how they passed you around the clubhouse every weekend.”
I shouldn’t have gasped. These men were only saying these disgusting things to rile us up. I needed to be like Elle, who didn’t react to their pig snorting noises.
“Don’t worry, Nova,” Elle told me as she texted someone. “These guys are just butthurt over how they can’t ride in Baton Rouge like their daddies did. Ignore their crying and finish packing up to go.”
Bob moved toward Elle and snarled like an animal, “I’m going to rip your fucking head off.”
One of the other guys inhaled sharply. “Bob, this is dumb. Let’s just go. Come on, Aaron.”
The one called Aaron spat out, “Fuck that. These bitches are starting shit.”
The sensible one insisted, “Tricky doesn’t want us talking to these club girls.”
“Shut up, Vinny,” Aaron snapped before shoving the car door toward Elle.
“Are you fucking crazy?” she hollered and blocked the door from hitting her stomach. “Zodiac will skin you alive if you mess with his kid and me! That’s assuming my dad hasn’t cut you into pieces by then!”
“Stop screaming, you dumb bitch!”
