“Yeah, okay,” I say with a smile.
Chapter Twenty-Three
PAMELA
Following Gisele inside, she walks right up to the bar and hops up on a chair, so I do the same next to her.
Pinkie is behind the bar and she gives us a small smile as she makes her way near us. She’s been really quiet, kind of kept her distance from me since everything happened and we talked. I don’t know if it’s out of shame or embarrassment or what, but I decide that I can’t let her continue on feeling any kind of way around me.
“Do you have anything girlie, not so strong or beer-like tasting?” I ask, trying to sound completely normal.
She smiles and nods. “Yeah, some of the girls have those spiked sparkling water things. I’ll get you a few.”
I watch as she turns and bends down, grabbing some cans from the fridge. “Have some with us?” I ask.
Pinkie blinks, then she opens one of the cans and grins. We spend the next few hours chatting between the three of us. Whatever was bothering Pinkie, it’s gone, finally.
Gisele seems to be comfortable enough that she opens up as well. I find out why she lives out here instead of in town, she admits that she’s a recluse, she prefers to stay home and Coyote wanted to make sure he was close, so they built a place here.
“What about the other houses?” I ask.
“Oh, Trista built here too mainly because the club has always been her home. Her father is a member, and all these men are her uncles. Taz does whatever needs to be done to make her happy, plus it’s easier for him to live out here too. Hawk and Avah have the other house and Avah and Trista are best friends, so where one is, the other is usually close behind,” Pinkie explains.
“I don’t know what that’s like,” I say and curse myself for actually saying that out loud.
“Know what?” Gisele asks.
Shrugging a shoulder, I look between Pinkie and Gisele. “Friends,” I admit. “I’ve never had any.”
Pinkie snorts, and Gisele just watches me for a long moment. “That’s silly,” Gisele announces.
“You have us, and all the Old Ladies. They’re itching to get the info about you and Jag. They’ll be here soon, without a doubt, now that he’s gone and they can get you alone,” Pinkie says.
“What?” I practically shriek.
Gisele giggles. “They will, just wait. When Presley gets ahold of you, you’re toast, girl. She should have worked for the FBI.”
“You’re one of the gang now, honey. I’m only part of it because I’ve been here since before anyone arrived and I know my place. I don’t start drama and I’m not here to try and steal any man from anyone.”
“You’re also just plain nice,” Gisele says.
“You really are,” I agree.
Before Pinkie can say a word or deny our compliments, the door swings open, letting in the light from outside, and just like they said, a whole group of women walk in together. If the men thought they were terrifying, they’re kittens compared to their Old Ladies.
The women aren’t scary looking, they’re all extremely gorgeous and dressed in varying styles, but they intimidate the hell out of me and probably would any other woman on the planet.
“Pinkie,” Della shouts. “Shots for some of us, water for the others.”
“Water?” Pinkie asks.
“Pregnancies in abundance. I think it’s in the water,” Presley calls out.
I blanch at her words, then look down to my spiked sparkling water and wonder if I should switch to regular water. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I had a period. I mean, Dylan and I have only been together for a few weeks, but I don’t know how long it takes.
Leaning closer to Gisele, I whisper. “How long does it take until you know you’re pregnant?”
She gasps. “You’re not, are you?”
I shrug a shoulder and I know my face turns red when I feel it heat. “We’ve only been together a few weeks.”
She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. “I’m not a doctor, but I think maybe you should take a test soon?”
“Yeah,” I breathe. “I was kind of afraid of that.”
Before I can ask any more questions, I’m surrounded by the other Old Ladies. Gisele, Pinkie, and I are ushered to tables that have been pushed together and chairs that surround them. I settle in and get ready to be grilled.
They don’t start right away, but it’s clear they’re curious. I don’t blame them. They’re curious about Dylan and from what I’ve heard, he’s been not only a loose cannon but a mystery as well.
I don’t hold anything back. There’s no reason to. Dylan told me that these women are his family and I want them to be mine as well. This is all that I have.
JAGUAR
I shouldn’t give a fuck about leaving Pamela at the clubhouse. She’s safe and she’s mine. That is all that should matter. It doesn’t though. I know she’s safe, but I can’t help but ultimately think that she needs me there to protect her. I’ll probably never not think that, especially when it comes to my Sunny.
“You’re thinkin’ hard over there,” Silver announces.
He’s healed from his gunshot wound, but it’s clear that he’s still hurting from it too. Probably the reason he drove a cage instead of taking his bike. I stare out the front window, watching the desert in front of me.
“Yeah, I am,” I admit.
“Care to talk to me about it?”
I think about that. Silver is the treasurer of the club. We were tight. I used to be the secretary. We were part of the inner circle, officers together, until I fucked it all up. Fucked everything up. It seems to be what I do, another thing that’s been bothering me, what if I fuck up with Pamela?
“Not really,” I lie.
He snorts, shifting his gaze from my profile to the front windshield and back to the road again. We’re silent for a long moment, too
