Page 76 of Guarding Glenda

“Leigh’s really nice. Are you going to get a vest with his name on it like Mommy’s?” Sofie asked.

I choked on my beer and Pinkie turned away, fighting a laugh. Grabbing my napkin, I dabbed my face and the bar. “I’m not sure, sweet girl.”

“I think you should. And then you can have a baby. I want Mommy and Daddy to have a baby, but they keep telling me maybe,” Sofie said as she rolled her eyes.

Pinkie was fighting for her life behind a napkin, but her shoulders were shaking. The top of forehead, which she didn’t cover, was pink.

Linny leaned and waved her hand at Sofie. “Sweet girl, finish your dinner. You have to get ready for bed soon.”

I looked at the mirror behind the bar and scanned the room. There were bunnies and members, but no sex, and no drugs. A few people were vaping but they could be anything from nicotine to THC. “It’s pretty mellow in here.”

Pinkie sipped her drink then said, “Well, even before, you know,” she said with a head tilt, “partying had simmered down.”

That was true. They really only partied hard on the weekends usually, and when they got word the Bloody Scorpions were back around, Hammer stopped having the get-togethers with just anyone. He put limits on members and guys already prospecting, and he said no new prospects.

Being in charge of most of the clubhouse itself helped me have ears to the ground sometimes, but they still were pretty secretive and careful about sensitive information. Reggie turning out to be a rat would be something they kept hush-hush, especially until they confirmed it. Once they had, it made sense to keep it under wraps. No president wants to admit he’d been fooled.

I got it. I was fooled, too. But I wasn’t mad or upset now. It was freeing. And it certainly helped open my eyes to what’s really been there for me all along.

“Glenda,” a deep voice said behind me.

I looked in the mirror and stiffened but twisted around to face him. “Hammer, sir.”

“Come walk with me,” he said, waving me toward him.

My heart sped up. I didn’t know his expectations. Maybe women didn’t get flogged. Maybe they got fucked. And I didn’t care to do either, especially with him.

“I…” I looked back across the bar; Pinkie had stood, busying herself, but watching. Linny grabbed my hand.

“Out to the pool, Glenda,” he said, waving again. “I’m not trying to get you alone or corner you. Just need privacy.”

I squeezed Linny’s hand and slipped off the stool. I leaned to give Sofie a hug. “Hey, you. We’ll hang out soon. But you be good for Mommy and get ready for bed. I gotta go talk to Hammer.”

“If you’re not long, will you come read to me when you’re done?” she asked, her big blue eyes sparkling.

“If it’s not too late, I sure will. Pick a good one. If I can’t tonight, I will make sure to read to you sometime tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.” She wrapped her arms around my waist so I hugged her back.

I waved at the girls, looking around, wishing Allie was somewhere close. For whatever reason, he always backed down to her. She got away with shit unimaginable to do or say to the president.

Hammer went to the front doors that led to the main hall instead of the back one. Both led out to the pool, but the back one was smaller, and more private. The main hall was open and had plenty of space. He was trying to reassure me.

My heart stopped racing at max speed, but was still faster than normal. The fear had settled, but I was still nervous.

We headed outside after the long walk down, and he held the door open. The air was cool and crisp, no humidity and a light breeze.

“You cold?” he asked.

“I’m good. I love this time of year.” I was always hot, so the cooler temps suited me. Still, I’d worn long sleeves and jeans since the temps had dropped. But I’d kept the sleeves pushed up most of the day since I got warm moving around so much.

“Have a seat,” he said, pulling a chair from one of the tables.

I sat and he took a chair across from me. He lit up a cigarette and blew the smoke out away from me but the wind blew it in my face. He waved his hand, but it was no use.

“You’re good.”

“Glenda, you know what you did was against the code. I know you know that. You had to agree to uphold them to be patched in.”