Page 67 of Playboy’s Purgatory

“Out of curiosity,” my voice is dripping with charm, the tone of it something Lola has never heard from me. But Lara has; her eyes flash in recognition while Lola stills. “What did she say to earn the slap?”

There’s no doubt in my mind that it was fucking earned, and it must have been bad. Lara’s not the kind of woman to go right to violence. Regardless of how tempted she might be.

I should know considering I’ve earned more than a slap. She could have coldcocked me and been within her right. My woman has shown incredible restraint.

“Where do I even start,” Lara’s voice is full of consideration, like she really needs to think about it. But her eyes are sharp. “She started by calling me sister in that fake ass voice of hers she thinks fools people. Then she informed me that you and her were fucking before your night out on the town began.”

“Absolutely fucking not,” I snarl the words.

Lara smirks and nods slightly. Some of the worry and fear in my gut loosens.

My woman gestures toward Lola’s neck. “She tries to use those,” she visibly swallows like she’s nauseated, “love bites as proof. Not only of the act but also of how,” she makes a sound with her tongue and widens her eyes, “vigorous you were.”

I glare at Lola, as do the rest of my brothers. It’s one thing to lie to a brother about someone not related to the club. It’s another thing to lie about a brother to someone, anyone. It is not something we take lightly.

“That’s when I reminded Lola of exactly what her position is and it has nothing to do with sitting at a table,” Riti chimes in and makes a sweeping motion over the club’s reserved booth.

When I glance around, everyone is giving us a little room, but they’re also paying attention. I don’t really give a fuck. From the look on Lara’s face, she doesn’t either.

That’s my girl.

“She then insinuated that Riti has been trying to get in your pants,” Lara’s eyebrow arches as her blue eyes bore into mine, “for a long time.”

I bark out a laugh and so do my brothers. She’s worked in my shop for years and we grew up together. Which means we know one particularly important thing about Riti.

“Which is hilarious, because while I don’t plaster myself in rainbow, anyone who knows me knows I’m a lesbian,” Riti’s voice is flat.

Lola’s eyes widen and her mouth opens and closes a few times.

“Lola, very helpfully, let me know the two of you,” Lara’s finger flicks between me and Lola, “didn’t even have time to wash up before coming here tonight and how your dick would still be covered in her fluids.”

I gag and Snake covers his mouth. Not in amusement; in sheer fucking horror.

Ryker looks like he’s tempted to pull his gun out right here and shoot her. Ezra looks like she’s considering the same thing.

“I let her know about her breath, which smells like cum.” Lara doesn’t even bat an eye as everyone’s attention moves toward her while the tiniest bit of the tension in the room breaks. “She did not seem very appreciative of the information.”

Lara’s hands come together in a loud clap and the smile on her face turns sinister. My cock perks up instantly.

Down boy.

I can hear her in my head saying it. She glances at me; she knows just what she does to me.

“This is where the real meat of the story is because Lola informed me that I should be thanking her. All because she gave me a chance at motherhood since, clearly, I am an unwanted spinster.”

Lola scoffs, “I never called you a spinster.”

Dead. Fucking. Silence.

“It was only when she told me that she hopes I don’t raise Vanessa to be as pathetic as me that I slapped her. She doesn’t get to say my daughter’s name,” Lara says the words with perfect calm.

Too calm.

The killing kind of calm.

Lola is lucky she only got slapped.

Surprising the fuck out of me, Graycie lunges toward Lola. Snake moves like the fucking wind and gently catches her and pulls her back. His lips meet the shell of her ear as he starts murmuring words far too low and definitely not meant for us to hear.