Stephie gave Cilla a sad yet understanding smile. “No, he’s not here.”
Yeah, but if this was Horde’s house, chances were that other members of the club were there, including the Slutketeers and Jaime.
Cilla narrowed her eyes at Stephie who smirked.
“Just get out of the car. I promise, this isn’t going to be as bad as you’re thinking it is. We’ll have some food, get a little tipsy, and then we’ll watch the show.”
Furrowing her brow at Stephie in confusion, she didn’t have time to ask Stephie what she meant because Horde was coming out the front door, stomping down the steps, and sidling up to Stephie’s car. Stephie opened the door and slid out, slamming it shut behind her.
Cilla checked…the keys weren’t in the ignition, which meant she couldn’t make a getaway, so that meant she had no choice but to either sit in the car like a pathetic loser or get out of the car and maybe have some fun.
Get out of the car and have some fun!
Goddamn that voice! It was suddenly frisky and sassy and shit.
Groaning, Cilla checked her reflection in the mirror on the back of the sun visor. Stephie had done her makeup, and Cilla had to admit that she looked good. It wasn’t too heavy, and the autumn colors worked well with her skin tone and eye color. Her clothes, however, were so snug, she couldn’t put her pinky between her skin and the fabric of her jeans. At least she could breathe…but how would she be eating this food Stephie spoke of?
Rolling her eyes, she got out of the car, balanced on the block heels of the boots Stephie shoved on her feet, and slammed the car door behind her. Huffing, she squared her shoulders, peered over the top of the car to the other side where Horde and Stephie had their heads together conspiratorially.
What were they talking about?
Realizing they were caught, Stephie grinned over her shoulder at Cilla, and then waved her around the car.
“Let’s go around to the back. Most everyone else parked in the field behind the house. There’s a road coming in from the farm on the other side.”
Curious…and suspicious, Cilla asked, “Why’d we come in the from this side?”
Stephie snorted. “My car would bottom out. My little Honda isn’t made for off-roading. It barely gets up the gravel driveway as it is.”
Horde chuckled, throwing his arm around Stephie’s shoulders to pull her in close and plant a kiss on her temple.
“I’ve got the blacktop people coming next week to pave it all, baby. Don’t want you to lose your transmission coming home to me.”
Stephie grinned up at Horde, love shining in her eyes.
Suddenly overcome with envy, Cilla swallowed the urge to cry. She wanted that for her very own, and she could have had that with Patriot.
You did have that with Patriot….
Shaking her head, she ignored that thought, but only because she didn’t know what to think about everything that had happened over the last six-plus months, since the night she’d met Patriot at the Unchained party. Long months of watching him, wanting him, getting to know him—and then two short weeks of being his…and him being hers. None of it had felt fake; when they’d been together, she’d actually felt adored, cherished, desired.
How could any of that been fake?
There has to be more to it….
Then again, she was a naïve idiot, that would explain everything.
She was happy for Stephie, who deserved a man like Horde, a man who loved her and showed it.
Patriot did that, too….
Yeah, but where was he? After the phone call with him, there’d been nothing but silence, and in that silence was her answer. He was all talk. And she had to remember that. She had to get over him.
“Come on in, Cilla,” Horde called, and Cilla followed after him toward the side of the house. Behind her, Stephie stopped, turned, then retrieved something from the backseat of her car before she hurried to catch up. Cilla watched as Stephie slid something on over her daffodil-colored camisole. It took her a moment to realize what Stephie was wearing.
“Is that a property kutte?” she asked, astonished.
Stephie blushed, tucking her chin, and then nodding once. “Yeah. Horde gave it to me last night. I wanted to wear it to the party today…to show that it’s official. We’ve been together for almost a year, but now…I’m his ol’ lady.”