Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“I think you’re going to break a hip, and you need three more members.”
“You’re right. I can get Stevie, Phil, and Pappy.”
6
KALI
The gravel parking lot was filled with Harley Davidsons and ten to twenty trucks. I recognized a few that belonged to the regulars. Yeah, some things never changed. It comforted me in a way, and then that made me sad.
A few guys sat outside at the tables, and a few others stood on the porch.
The music blaring was Kansas, but as soon as I walked inside, there was dead silence.
The music stopped.
In an uncomfortable, high-school kind of scene, all eyes would’ve turned my way. They didn’t. Instead, all heads turned toward the jukebox.
The song had stopped in the middle of the chorus, and holy—no one messed with Kansas. Especially “Carry on Wayward Son.”
“Hey! Where’d the music go?” That was the first grumble.
“What the hell?” came the second.
“Put it back!” That was a female grumble.
Then a new song started, and damn. Damn!
I recognized the first beats and looked at my mom, standing behind the counter. No one knew she could control the jukebox from her phone. She’d put on “Nasty Letter” by Otis Taylor. The whole song was about leaving a nasty letter for someone.
My mom started laughing, but I glared. “Not. Funny.”
She kept laughing, but reached for something under the counter. The music stopped, again. She yelled, “Everyone! A nice welcoming hello for my daughter. She hasn’t graced Ruby’s with her presence in twelve years.”
There was a smattering of cheers. More grumbling. I caught some chilly looks.
Someone yelled, “Put ‘Wayward Son’ back on!”
My mom waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget who runs this place.”
The same voice returned, “I mean, bring on more ‘Nasty Letters’! We love those nasty letters.”
She chuckled, the same hearty and almost baritone voice she’d always had, and Kansas came back on. A cheer rose up.
I walked to the end of the bar and my mom came to meet me, her arms out.
“Oh goodness, girl.” She enveloped me, though I was four inches taller than her five feet, five inches. Didn’t matter to Ruby Hinton. She was petite, but a bionic kind of petite—her hug was like cement. She rocked me, and I realized my mom didn’t have any fat on her. She was all muscle.
She patted my back, her voice in my ear. “I have missed you something fierce!” She gave me another tight squeeze before she stepped back, her hands still resting on my arms. “How are you? You look good. Holy shit, Kalista. Claude’s going to get so mad, because you could still model. I think you look better the older you get.”
I tensed and stepped back, out of her reach.
Her hands fell, and so did her smile.
“Hey, Mom,” I said.
“I used to be Mama to you,” she responded.
We weren’t talking about those days.
Noting my silence, sadness flared in her eyes before the corners of her lips moved up. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. She gently tapped me with her knuckles under my chin. “You got my looks and your dad’s smarts.”
“I got Dad’s height.”
“Yeah,” she said fondly. “You did.” Then her eyes flashed. She got serious and moved back behind the counter. Picking up a towel, she motioned to an empty stool. It was the only one considering the place was packed. “Whaddya want to drink?”
“I’m not here to drink.” I turned, scanning the bar. I’d been focused on my mother first. But now that I was looking, I remembered that Shane King was a Red Demon. All day I’d just remembered him as Shane, Connor’s Shane.
But also Ghost.
A whole bunch of scary bikers were watching me, and oh boy…
What had I just walked into?
I tensed, because how could I not?
There was a good group of biker ladies in here too. They were spread out. Some hanging on guys’ arms. Some on laps. There was a high-top in the back corner by the pool table, and a whole bunch had congregated there. They were playing pool against some of the bikers.
“Are these all Red Demons?”
I felt my mom moving closer behind me.
“Look.” She touched my arm. Her tone was serious.
I turned back, remembering that Shane had said they were helping my mom out. Did that include other MCs? I hadn’t known they were inclusive.
“I’m not saying this because of our past, and I’m due for you to be starting trouble for me, considering, you know…”
My wedding day. My chest tightened.
“But these guys can be dangerous,” she finished. “You should go.”
“No! Fucking! Way!”
We both sucked in our breaths at that high-pitched, female voice.
Well, now I knew where my sister was spending her time.
“No way! My sister! That’s my sister.”
Ruby grimaced. “She must’ve been out on a smoke break.” I caught the curse under her breath.
My sister’s body hit mine before I finished turning all the way around.