I shrink into the blanket’s protection a little more. Not sure I want to talk about this.
“We’ve all got things we want to leave in the past, shit we wish we didn’t do, people we wish we’d never met. What sets this place apart,” she states, gesturing to the clubhouse, “is that they don’t judge you for any of that because chances are they’re just the same and that’s how they ended up here, in a biker club.”
“With all due respect,” I say carefully. “I think my situation may have one key difference from yours.”
“That being?” She studies me with genuine curiosity.
Vanessa gives off the vibes that she’d never hurt a fly—soft and considerate through and through. But again, I can’t trust my sense of anything at the moment. I can’t trust myself.
“It’s not important. But it means that no matter what I do, these should be the last people to want me around.”
“Want to place a bet?”
I frown her way.
She smirks. “Serious. Twenty says that they accept you anyway.”
“I don’t like stealing from people.”
“You’re that confident?” she jests.
“One hundred percent.”
Vanessa seems to think it over for a while. “Even if I lose, it’s a bit of fun. Twenty on them accepting you anyway.”
“Deal.” I manage to fist the blanket into the hand with the coffee and offer her my other hand.
She shakes it gently, yet firmly. “I’ll come back and get that stuff later.” She nods to the blanket and travel mug. “I’ve got to get ready for work. But trust me when I say, Jenna, these people gave me hope when I felt like I had nothing left. Give them a chance. They’re not as unforgiving as you think.”
She turns and heads for the fence-line again, balancing her cup on the post while she climbs over.
I feel as though a fairy visited me. A little ray of light in an otherwise bleak landscape.
She shrinks into the distance, and a door creaks open behind me.
“Morning.”
I glance over my shoulder and find Jezabel, arms stretched over her head. Her yellow-and-black hair sits in knotted waves. “Hey.”
“You want to shower first?” she offers on a yawn. “I’ll get you some clean clothes if you like.”
“That’d be great. Thank you.”
Maybe Vanessa’s right. Maybe I should give them a chance.
TWENTY-FOUR
FANG
Molly wakes abruptly,tossing back the cover and sliding her ass out of bed to head downstairs. Or maybe to the bathroom first. Whatever her mission, she doesn’t waste time on her surroundings, completely oblivious to the fact that her father’s awake, arms crossed behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
As I have for the past four hours.
“Make sure you eat something before you put cartoons on.”
The small scuff of her feet stalls most of the way to the door. “Okay.” No bargaining, no fucking around. Just a moment to think over the request, deem it reasonable, and carry on as asked.
Why can’t Jenna be the same?
