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I didn’t mind him worrying about me, so I didn’t complain. “Yeah, I’m picking up Gran’s jewelry. It doesn’t need to be there anymore.”
My Gran, or rather Fran, as she persisted, I called her, who was in the nursing home in Flipping, Arkansas, told me the location of her matching set last week. She’d hidden them under some floorboards in the attic. Even though Gran had a touch of dementia, she knew I’d be wearing her old wedding gown and said I needed the rest of the family heirlooms to go with it. Apparently, she liked to hide valuables all over her house. Talking to my dad, he’d confirmed it.
Kingpin muttered something to someone.
“What’s going on? Where’s Prince?” I asked, knowing he was working so someone else was watching our toddler.
“Club stuff. Prince is over at Cece’s, seeing her dog. Haven took him over there. I’ll pick him up once I’m finished here.”
It figured. Prince loved Cece’s seein’ eye dog, Lucky, and since he was a baby, Irish and her let him bother the Golden Retriever. Kingpin and I talked about getting him a puppy, but I was reluctant because it’d be more work for me. In the end, we decided he’s not old enough yet.
“Alrighty then. I’ll pick up Angel and be home soon,” I sang.
“Connie’s dropping her off tonight,” Kingpin informed me.
“Since when?”
“Got church tonight, so Dawg’s coming over,” he said, like I should know. “It’s Friday.”
“Right. I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached.” Feeling frustrated, I got off the phone with my husband.
I hardly knew what day it was anymore. I was busy with planning our wedding, my gigs, the babies, and a slew of other to-dos. But I remembered Kingpin had a lot on his plate, too. The arena was up and running. Along with the normal crowd at Royal Road, there was a fight almost every Monday, sometimes two.
Then there was the sex club down in Royal Road’s basement that just opened back up, run by a new member called simply Big. He was a big guy and all, but I’d heard there were other reasons. He’d become Memphis’s main squeeze, taking care of any worries I had about her pining over Kingpin.
And then there was everything I didn’t know, all the club business that went on behind closed doors. My ol’ man had his hands in so much, it was amazing he could spend as much time with me as he did.
Speaking of which, Kingpin had bought Gran’s house as sort of a safe house, so I’d not bothered to empty it, not yet. Once I pulled into the carport of the old farmhouse, I took a cardboard box and a hammer out of the back and headed to the door, planning to tear up the attic.
When I unlocked the front door, I was in for a surprise.
“Hob, is that you?” Biker had his back turned, but I’d know that long blond mane anywhere. It looked just like mine before I added my lowlights. He whipped himself around. Behind him was a half-naked woman. Girl ran from the room like it was on fire.
My baby brother looked like he’d been drinking Kool-Aid. There was a red ring around his mouth where he’d been in a lip lock with this broad.
“Eve Angel, what are you doing here?” he said like he’d seen a ghost.
Crossing my arms, I asked him the same. I hadn’t seen him since he’d gone into hiding. Since he became anonymous with Kingpin’s help to avoid two motorcycle gangs who wanted him dead. Our club and his old club, the Asphalt Gods MC. Hob became a Road Monster, a nomad with a different name over two years ago. And I didn’t even know it. Reading his vest, I discovered he used his old childhood nickname, Chigger.
“You didn’t tell me you were in, Chigger,” I teased him.
“Was about to.” He zipped his pants.
Realizing there had been more than kissing going on, I put my hands over my eyes and turned around to speak to him. “Listen, have fun with your friend. I’m out. Call me when you can see me.”
I left Gran’s in a hurry.
Chapter 5
Eve
Checking my mental list, I decided that I’d be back at Royal Road early. I could touch base with Rome and Ember who should be there tonight on a Friday since I wasn’t performing at Royal Road until after the wedding. They were finally an item, which made me all too happy for them. I was even gladder Kingpin had someone else to perform. And I needed to talk with Jesus about officiating. He was gonna since he’d become our club’s chaplain after he became ordained online. Kingpin and I were writing our own vows, therefore I needed to coordinate that with Jesus since we weren’t having a rehearsal.
Waving at Cricket, I didn’t even stop at the gates when I turned into Royal Road. I parked my car right next to the row of motorcycles out front, too. I’d not given up that privilege that I adopted while pregnant. Entering the club, I about bumped into Mateo. He was one of Kingpin’s many new Enforcers.
Gently taking my shoulders, he walked me backwards. “You don’t want to go in there,” he said, a serious look on his boyish face.
“Why not?” I asked, trying to look over his shoulder. Mateo wasn’t that tall, but he was broad and strong, holding me back.
