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“I think she’ll love it,” Abby tells Maddy, placing down the bowl on the pink food-themed table. She checks her phone and types out what I assume is another message to her mystery internet guy, who I’ve figured out has to be Tawk. The guy's not got enough game to talk to her face, so I appreciate his tactic.
“Why don’t you invite your guy? It’s a family thing,” I tease her.
“Well then, it’s a good job I invited your old lady.” she hits me back, wiping the smile right off my face and causing even Screwy to smirk.
“Right, let’s get one thing straight.” I slam the balloon I’ve just inflated onto the bar with a loud bang, “I do not have, and never will have an old lady,” I tell everyone in the room.
“Tell that to ya old lady,” Grimm utters, nodding his head over my shoulder. The prick’s wearing a sinister smile, and when I follow his eyes to look behind me, Alex is standing in the middle of the room holding a bowl in her hands.
“The theme was pink, right?” she checks with Maddy, holding out the bowl and looking embarrassed. “It’s a blancmange. I followed a recipe online.” She looks down at it unconvincingly.
“It's great.” Mads takes the bowl gratefully and throws me a death stare as she carries it over to the table. Alex stands and chats to Abby while I finish blowing up balloons, handing them over to Grimm who’s taken over Maddy's job of placing them.
“What the fuck happened to my club?” Prez asks as he steps through the doors.
“Your daughter gave you a beautiful granddaughter, and we’re gonna celebrate,” Maddy informs him with such a wide smile, that even he couldn’t disappoint.
“Ella will love it,” he tells her, keeping his face stern as he reaches down and kisses her cheek gratefully.
“Hit me up with something strong,” I call over to Tac, who's busy helping Marilyn carry plates from the hatch behind the bar over to the table.
“No drugs,” Prez warns. “Not tonight.”
“You serious? This man here wants a buzz, and you’re going all grandpappy on us. Nyx knocks up your daughter for a second time, and we throw a mother fucking party,” I point out, trying to rattle some humor outta the old man.
“I’m with Squealer,” Rogue stretches onto her tippy toes so she can rest her elbow on my shoulder.
“No smoking or getting high until the kids have left.” Prez ain’t budging. “And you call me grandpappy again, I’ll do the lady cop here a favor and put a bullet in both your balls,” he warns, taking a beer from his favorite whore, Haven.
“I invited Ella’s mom,” Maddy tells him, doing that half-smile she always does when she’s done something she knows you won’t like.
“Still wanna stick to that no drugs till bedtime rule, Prez?” I snigger, sliding off my stool and pinching something pink and wet out of another bowl that Abby’s carrying.
“What the fuck is this?” I ask, spitting whatever it is back out into my hand.
“Watermelon chunks. It’s a fruit, and it’s good for you,” Maddy tells me before she gets back to bossing someone else around.
I turn and face the bar so I can order a beer, and Alex steps up next to me.
“I don’t have to stay. I can go.” she says.
“Do you want to stay?” I ask without looking at her. Her being here isn’t good. I’ve already been feeling us getting too close. Now she’s turning up at family things at the club. People are gonna be getting the wrong idea. Maddy’s probably already planning how she’ll decorate the place for our fuckin’ wedding.
“I came, didn't I?” she hits back sarcastically.
“Then stay,” I tell her, suddenly realizing that I don’t want her to go.
Jesus, I always knew bitches were a confusing species, but I had no idea how much they could mentally fuck with your head.
“You want a drink?” I offer, already looking over to Haven.
“I can’t. I’m driving.” Alex seems nervous but places her purse on the bar and takes a seat on the stool beside me anyway.
“About what you heard when you came in. I didn't mean it like that, it’s just people around here see a guy and a girl getting on, and they assume.”
“It’s fine, relax. I know what we are,” she shrugs it off, but something tells me she’s put out by it. Maybe she does want more, and what’s worse is that I’m even starting to think that maybe I can give her it.
“That’s Thorne. Nyx and Ella are outside.” Maddy claps her hands together excitedly, and everyone faces the door waiting for the new arrival to make her first appearance at the club.
