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“My thoughts exactly.”
At least my news seems to take his mind off whatever ruined his morning. He huffs a short laugh. “It’s good to have you back, Gray.” He cocks his head. “Serena okay?”
“Yeah, she’s doing well.” I pat my pocket. “Trying to plan my big surprise for her.”
“You’ll know when the time’s right.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “I’d rather stay and talk to you, brother, but I better head back and deal with this.”
I don’t envy the conversations waiting for him back at his house. “If you need something, let me know.”
“I will, brother.” He reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. “Thanks.”
Chapter Forty
Serena
“We had our talk with Sway. Tawny knows she’s not allowed on-site. You don’t have anything to worry about, Serena,” Z assures me as soon as we arrive downstate.
I’m an idiot for returning here after what happened last time.
But Gray said it was important.
“It ain’t Serena who needs to be worried,” Gray says. “Tawny shows her face, I might put a bullet in it.”
“Easy, G.”
“Fuck that.”
“You mind if I borrow your ol’ man for a minute?” Z says, nodding at the bar to indicate that’s where I should go wait. “We’ll be right in my office.”
Within screaming distance is what he seems to be saying.
Steel spine. I have to show Z I’m confident. “Sure. No problem.”
Gray steers me to the side. “You all right?”
I allow my gaze to bounce around the main room. Not many people are even here and the ones I recognize I’ve always been friendly with. “I’ll be fine. If I need you, I’ll yell.”
“All right.”
I perch at the bar, facing Z’s office so I’ll see Gray the minute he emerges. Lala hands me a glass of seltzer water and I sip it slowly, hoping I won’t have to run and pee anytime soon.
“Serena?” A prospect everyone calls Fiddle swaggers toward me with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He eyes my property patch carefully. “Grinder’s ol’ lady?”
“Yes.” Lala and I are the only two women in the area, so I don’t know why he seems so tentative.
She flutters her lashes at him and sticks her chest out. “Hey, Fiddle.”
“Hey, girl.” He flashes a crooked smile her way before focusing on me again. “Uh, Tawny’s at the gate. Prez said I’m not supposed to let her in, and she’s pretty pissed.”
Lala erupts into a fit of snort-giggles.
“Okay,” I answer slowly. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Well, ah, she said since you had her banned, you were the one who could give permission for her to come in.”
“Wait a minute.” I slide off my barstool and Fiddle backs up a few steps. “That’s a load of bull. I didn’t have anything to do with it. Her shitty behavior got her banned from the clubhouse.” The more I think about what he said, the angrier I get. “Besides, an ol’ lady can’t overrule an order given by a club president. You should know that, prospect.”
His posture tightens, fists clenched at his side, and he opens his mouth like he’s about to blast me into the next room.
“Think it through, prospect,” Murphy warns, coming up behind Fiddle. “She’s right.” He steps in front of Fiddle and glares. “You best be respectful to our ol’ ladies.”
“I was,” he protests. “I just asked.” He waves his hand toward the front door. “I don’t know what to do about Tawny. She’s out there screaming her head off.”
“Well, Sway’s busy, so she’s just gonna have to wait,” Murphy says. “Out there. If you’re not man enough to tell her that, then maybe you should hand in that cut.”
“I told her. But it’s Tawny.” The poor kid is dangerously close to whining.
“Are you more afraid of Tawny than you are of Z?” Murphy asks.
“Fuck no.”
“Then gather those marbles you call balls and go tell her to fuck off.”
Am I evil for wanting to follow Fiddle outside and dine on that scene like a five-course meal? Tawny being told no by a prospect. It’s too delicious.
There must be an evil gleam in my eyes that betrays my craving for revenge. Murphy smirks at me. “You wanna go watch?”
“Kinda.” I bite my lip. “Is that bad?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Nope.”
“Hell no,” Lala says.
“Come on, Serena.” He jerks his head to the side and turns around.
I hurry to catch up to him. “You’re not serious?”
“Sure I am.” He stops at Z’s office and knocks on the door. After a second, he opens it and leans inside. I catch a glimpse of Gray. They exchange a few words, then Gray comes to the door.
“Are you okay?” he asks me.
Unsure of what exactly Murphy told him, I shrug. “I’m fine but I don’t like her trying to get me in trouble. I just want her to leave me alone.”
“Why would you be in trouble?” Gray asks.
