Total pages in book: 212
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
“Thanks, brother. So, you said she’s tight with Spence, right?”
“Far’s I heard, they hooked up a bunch not long before he moved here. Rumor mill, though.”
“Any other rumors about her?”
He shook his head. “Just that she’s a sweet little thing, one of Delia’s favorite bunnies at the mother charter, also that she’s related to that bitch that fucked over the brothers with that gangbang video. Oh, and she tried to show for Lick’s funeral and Rider made her leave and told her not to come around no more, told all the prospects here and in the falls not to let her in the clubhouses. My cuz said Edge would’ve argued against that but whatever he had with her ended when Jet got killed and he went underground.”
“So, she had a thing with Edge?”
“Don’t know much but yeah, sounds like it. Why?”
“Just gathering intel to help me figure out if she’s someone we gotta worry about. Thanks, Bront.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Bront said.
I shoved the food into the fridge, then found her sitting on my bed with her face in her hands. She lifted her head, and her eyes were filled with fear.
“I wasn’t tryin’ to break any rules, Jesse.”
“All right,” I said, dropping my wallet and keys on my dresser and reaching for my pot to roll up a joint.
“I’m… I’m not in shit?” she asked after a beat.
“Should you be in shit?”
There was weighted silence and then she exhaled with, “Thank you for not makin’ me go with him.”
I pivoted to face her.
“I didn’t wanna,” she added.
I found my temper rising. And not against her. Because my gut instinct was right again. “He try to make you do shit you don’t wanna do?”
Her eyebrows furrowed as she examined my face. And then she got an even more panicked expression. “I’m not tryin’ to start trouble. I’m just… not looking to fool around with him. That’s all.”
“You sure that’s all?” I asked.
“He’s married,” she whispered.
I cocked my head.
She took a big breath and then blew it out slowly, looking the other way.
I waited to see if she’d elaborate.
Finally, she did, lookin’ like she was about to spill tears.
“Met him first. From this club I mean. Met him at my job at the time and he flirted, took me out on a date. He made it seem like he… like he was lookin’ for something serious. Something real. I’m not a homewrecker.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for her to continue.
“I don’t wanna cause a problem, so please keep this between us.”
I didn’t answer, not about to make promises I might not keep.
It took her a minute before she continued. “He wasn’t single. His wife caught us at the clubhouse and…” She gulped. “Let’s just say she goes out of her way to be nasty any time I see her. I want no part of that, no part of anything with Skip. But he’s persistent. There’s been some drama. I do my best to stay away from him.”
“Still tries to get you alone,” I put in.
“I’m not tryin’ to cause problems. I just… I don’t…” she winced.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t wanna be alone with him if I can help it.”
“He push for that even when you say no?” I asked.
“I’m not trying to cause problems,” she replied.
“So you’ve said. Don’t need to keep repeating it.”
“I don’t want to be alone with him, that’s all.”
“Then you won’t be,” I stated, “Not while I’m in charge of lookin’ after you.”
“He’s gonna ask Deke if he can look after me.”
She obviously heard the conversation he and I had in the hall.
“You don’t want that, obviously, so I’ll talk to Deke.”
“If it’s him lookin’ after me, I’d rather take my chances out there with the Wyld Jackals.”
“Don’t sweat it.”
And despite her trying to downplay it, I could tell Skip had crossed a line. She was timid at the door. And Skip recently called her his favorite lay like they were still a thing. I resisted the urge to ask more questions. My gut told me Gianna Jones wasn’t in the wrong in this situation.
“You wanna come cook this food I bought?” I asked.
She winced.
“He left,” I added.
Looking relieved, she nodded and followed me out to the kitchen, wiping her hands on her shorts.
I leaned against the wall and tapped out a text to Prez.
Skip might ask to take over watching Gianna. She got upset at that idea. Trembling even. Said she’d rather risk it outside with the enemy than be under his watch. Wanted you to know.
I got a thumbs up emoji as a reply a minute later. I knew Deke enough to know those few sentences were enough and though I didn’t know Skip well, I suspected he wouldn’t bother asking. Just in case, I’d covered the bases.
“What ‘cha got?” Pudge asked, coming in.
“Chicken. Rabbit food,” I replied.