AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s a question that’s been plaguing my mind since Cara was banished, but I haven’t had the opportunity or courage to ask until now. I mean the Rose part doesn’t matter. But the part with Alana does because she ran a big risk, and I feel like it was an unfair ask of Cara. And in the end, it got Alana punished in a demeaning and cruel way.
“Oh,” Alana gasps. “That’s an easy one. Because I was the one who told her she should do it.”
“You what?” I almost screech.
“I’d told her many times that you didn’t belong here. Even before the… err… gunpoint incident. But after that, I started harassing her almost hourly about it until she gave in.”
My jaw practically hits the table with how slack it’s gotten. All this time I thought it was Cara’s idea, even admired her for facing her consequences with so much dignity. At the same time I felt it was unfair of her to drag Alana into it.
But now I know she was covering for Alana, and that paints Cara in a very different light.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Alana spits defensively. “I know it’s my fault she was banished. She took her punishment from her fucking husband of all people and lost her found family all because of me.”
Something else clicks in my head. “That’s why you never fought Rocco on you getting punished, isn’t it?”
She shrugs. “Yes, and no. I mean technically he was operating inside club rules. But you’re right, even if he wasn’t, I’d gladly take my punishment because I deserved it.”
“No more,” I hiss. “I want that fucking rule book destroyed. And then I’ll make a new one where we actually fucking listen to people instead of this bullshit.”
Alana laughs. “As the Mama you can do almost whatever you want.”
That reminds me… “I need a second-in-command,” I say. “Will you be it?”
Her eyebrows shoot up her forehead in surprise, and she lets out a surprised gasp. “Really?”
I playfully roll my eyes. “Of course. Who else would I pick?”
With a squeal, she darts to my side and pulls me in for a bone-crushing hug. “I’ll be the best fucking second, Z. I’ll do you proud,” she vows. “Thank you.”
As I’m about to tell her there’s no one else I’d trust to have my back, Slasher and Gray emerge from the office. They mumble something I can’t hear, and then Slasher literally takes Alana from my arms and throws her over his shoulder.
“Time for bed,” he says, slapping her ass loudly. “Say goodnight, Candy.”
She chirps, “Goodnight, Candy,” and laughs when he slaps her ass again.
As soon as they’re gone, Gray joins me at the table. He shifts nervously in his seat like something’s bothering him.
“What is it?” I ask, immediately imagining the worst. “Is everything okay?”
He sighs and runs a hand down his face. “Slasher asked me something about you, and I don’t know the answer. But I don’t really want to ask.”
“You can ask me anything,” I gulp.
“You know we have to fight the Reapers, right?”
I nod.
“And you know guns will be involved, right?”
Oh… shit, yeah. I didn’t think about that because the truth is that it doesn’t matter to me anymore. But Gray doesn’t know that… yet.
“I know,” I say, my voice cracks so I clear it before carrying on. “But they don’t bother me anymore.”
The fact is that guns haven’t bothered me or made me uneasy since Gunner shot Chris. How could something like a bullet scare me when living was so much worse than deathcould ever be?
Gray tilts his head to the side and scrutinizes me. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” I say. When he doesn’t look convinced I close my eyes and count to ten.
