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Again, I was frustrated with myself. I wasn’t giving a shit about my body’s condition and how it was truly affecting me.
Pops was, though. “Son, maybe a little shut-eye?”
I snarled.
“Oookay then,” he bitched. Lifting his chin, and moving on, he asked, “Precious, why weren’t you allowed to speak of your mammy?”
She took hold of my hand without asking, so I held it tight while she replied, “I don’t know. Lorenzo didn’t seem to want to discuss any of my past.”
“Hmmm,” Pops pondered, before asking, “This tutor you told us about, did she only teach about books?”
My head tilted, wondering where he was headed, but I quickly got my answer when Elle answered, “And how to speak without Mammy’s ‘slang’.”
He nodded as if suspecting so. “Do you know where you’re from?”
“I was born in Colorado.”
“And Mammy?”
With sadness, she shrugged, peering down at our adjoined hands. “She wasn’t allowed to speak of her past, either. I think it scared Da.”
Dagger’s brows lifted. “Any idea why?”
“No, but he thought my one friend had something to do with her.”
Pops turned in his seat slightly to see Elle better. “How do you know that?”
“Lorenzo had him killed.”
“Ah, fuck,” mumbled Dagger.
Pops’ grey eyes squinted. “Precious, who was your one friend?”
She exhaled then stared past me and out my window. “A biker, like Mammy’s da.”
Even though we had never officially met Saltbone Sinners of Ocean City, they opened their clubhouse to give us a place to rest. It was a converted old shopping mall, each outside small store now housing mini studio apartments. I was told the center of the mall was where the club’s kitchen, church, other offices, and playroom were. The whole building sat on the coastline, a seawall at the edge of their property, which gave a beautiful view of the ocean, even at night when we arrived. It was a rad place to hide out for the night. Unlike Austin, I could smell the salty water as I was swiftly ushered through the seaside entrance of an apartment.
By this point, I was so dog-tired, I told one of the Old Ladies, who was an RN, that she could poke at me in the morning. Pops griped, but all I wanted was Elle.
She was at the back of the studio apartment we were to share, next to the rear entrance of the room that led to the inner clubhouse. That doorway sat more to the right of the room. I was just inside the seaside entrance, to the left of the room, by a tiny half kitchen, watching Elle chat with Saltbone Sinners President’s Old Lady, whom he called Sweets.
Her blue eyes studied Elle while she showed her where extra blankets and bandage supplies could be found. The items were in cabinets to the left of the head of the bed. That was on my right, near the bathroom.
With a handful of items, Elle thanked Sweets, repeatedly.
This Old Lady being so kind to Elle, I assumed was out of respect because she recognized Elle was also an Old Lady, but I was mistaken.
Finally sensing someone behind me, I turned around.
Brass, this Saltbone Sinners’ chapter President, was standing in the outside doorway, tense, holding something in one hand and spinning brass knuckles in his right hand. Not only did I now understand his road name, but I wondered if he planned on putting his weapon of choice to work. He had been far more cordial when we first met, but now that his woman wasn’t within arm’s reach, I was dealing with a different man.
Having a touch of crazy myself, I easily recognized it now burning in this President, but I didn’t act on it. Knowing Elle was safe at my back, I simply observed, trying to read his intentions.
When his hands fell to his sides and his posture softened, I dared to peer over my shoulder, sure to keep my body facing his, but there was Elle and his Old Lady in a deep embrace.
One woman was sultry and motherly; the smaller one burned so brightly she simply seemed happy to be alive.
My upper body sunk as I slowly turned around to fully see my sultry goddess. “Babe.”
