Page 124 of Diary of a Biker Queen

She may as well have slapped me in the face with a dead fish. I started at her. “You’re joking. She’s the prez’s woman?”

Kiki shook her head. “Was the prez’s woman. He excommunicated her after he found out she murdered his father.”

Kyle’s mouth dropped open.

So did mine. “What the fuck?”

Kiki grabbed my hand, pressing her fingers to it. “As long as you’re a member of this club, you cannot speak to her, Chirp. If War found out… He showed her compassion by letting her go, not reporting her, and not ending her life himself. But no one in the club can talk to her.” She looked off into the space where Siren had disappeared before she looked back at me with fierce eyes. “She’s as good as dead to all of us.”

4

AMBER

Music pulsed through my body, and I swung my hips in time with the beat. The vibe was high, everyone here for the same thing, everyone feeding off each other’s excitement.

Was a shame the cramps low in my belly were trying to ruin it for me.

I loved concerts. I loved this festival. Every year I looked forward to dressing up, drinking, getting away from the clubhouse and just hanging out with friends. It never disappointed.

“Jealousy, turning snakes into the sea!” Herb shouted from beside me.

I looked over at the man and felt that prickle of annoyance I’d had all day. First he’d dropped the canopy on my toe when we’d been setting up the campsite. That still throbbed like a motherfucker, even after I’d done several shots of tequila to try to numb it. Then our friends had all ditched us, and he’d spilled his beer all over me.

Singing the wrong lyrics to one of my favorite songs was just about the last nail in the coffin for me. “I’m going to go over there now.”

Herb nodded eagerly. “Coming!”

I put my hand up in a stop motion. “Nope. I’m just going to go over there and dance by myself. You stay here and dance by yourself. Deal?”

He frowned at that, confusion creasing the space between his red-rimmed eyes.

I didn’t think I’d ever seen the man sober. There was a good reason the club had given him the road name Herb. It definitely had nothing to do with him being green.

He followed me to the new spot I’d picked, despite my protests, and I sighed heavily.

He leaned in, his mouth close to my ear so I could hear him over the music. “War said we need to watch out for you and Kiki while we’re away.”

I pulled my mouth into a tight line, cursing the club prez and his pathological need to take care of everyone. “No need. I’m a big girl. You can tell War I don’t need a man watching over me.”

Especially not one as annoying as Herb. He could have been cute if he cut his hair and trimmed his beard. And bought some clothes that actually fit him properly. Eased up on the pot. And, basically, changed his whole personality so he wasn’t the most hopeless, irritating man on the planet.

I blinked at the thought, realizing how utterly bitchy that was. Even for me, which was saying something since I wasn’t exactly well known for being warm and fuzzy. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, checked my period tracker app, and realized I was due any day now.

That explained some things.

Poor Herb, having to put up with my PMS.

But if he wasn’t so freaking annoying…

A massive gust of wind kicked up, taking the loose dirt beneath our feet with it. It swirled through the air, and I instinctively covered my face with my arms, trying to keep it out of my eyes.

It was a losing battle. The wind didn’t stop, and around me, people started shouting about dust storms and getting to shelter.

I was too busy trying to wipe dirt out of my eyes to really listen. It stung like a motherfucker and only added to the irrational irritation that had been sitting on my shoulders most of the day.

Just fucking great. The one week a year I was really looking forward to was being ruined by dirt and wind and a man who reeked of pot.

Good times. I was going to kill Kiki for ditching me.