Page 33 of The Price of Love

“Is there any doubt?”

“No.” I drop my gaze to the table. “I’d never put the girls in danger to preserve my ego.”

Dimples gives me one of her best smiles. “And that’s why Aces chose the right person. Frost wouldn’t make the same decision. She’s showed that.”

“I can’t have someone with no loyalty sitting to my right. It’ll destroy the club.”

“Then she has to go,” Dimples says.

I nod in agreement. But I know it’s easier said than done. I can’t just go ousting the VP because she’s an asshole.

CHAPTER 15

JAZMIN

I follow Nadine as she pushes the cart into the checkout line. It’s the day before the Steel Graces’ poker run, and Storm sent us to pick up donations for the shelter. The members are buying toys and stuff for the kids, so we’re tasked with the boring stuff. Meaning the cart is half full of tampons and pads.

I’d bet money Nadine chose the lane with the young male cashier just to fuck with him. She glances over her shoulder and winks at me before she throws the packages onto the belt. She’s twisted like that.

I try finding the humor in it, but it’s been a rough week. Dimples has been acting like I don’t exist. I hear her loud and clear, but I don’t like it.

When she got back from her ride to Lake Placid with Storm, she’d changed. At first, I feared she told Storm, but I don’t think so. Storm’s been extra friendly with me ever since our chat on Sunday, while Dimples has all but ignored me. A few times, I’ve caught her eye, but she’s closed up. The warmth’s not there, but it’s not cold, either. It’s blank. Like she’s starin’ right through me. It knots up my gut, so I’ve stopped looking her way, which was probably her intention.

“Excited about tomorrow?” Nadine asks as we carry our bags across the parking lot.

Am I? After Storm invited us, I was, but now not so much. “Course. How ’bout you?”

“This’ll be my first big run with the group. I’m nervous.”

I’d been too wrapped up in my own shit to pay attention to Nadine, so I’ve been missin’ all the signs that she’s scared. “Nothin’ to be nervous about. It’ll be fun. You’ll do fine.”

Nadine drops her bags into the back of the van, and I throw mine in with hers.

“But Storm seems worried about whether we can handle riding in a pack,” Nadine says.

“I didn’t get that. She said she wanted Dimples…” My stomach churns just saying her name. “Uh, Captain to see how we do.” Saying Captain doesn’t help much since I still see her smile regardless of what I call her.

“Did you notice Dimples didn’t seem thrilled by it?”

Oh, I noticed. “I’m sure she gets sick of teaching prospects.” I climb into the driver’s seat, while Nadine slips into the passenger side.

“That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t that part of her job?”

“I suppose.” The last person I want to discuss is Dimples, so I shut that down. “Hey, ya gonna stop by and see your parents tomorrow after the run?”

“Fuck you.”

Unable to resist egging her on, I say, “Don’t they have a house in Saratoga Springs?”

She glares at me. “They aren’t there every weekend.”

I chuckle. “Hey, maybe you can take me with you to visit. I’m sure they’d love me.” I give her a huge grin.

She finally laughs. “Tempting. Maybe I could have the whole pack ride through their neighborhood.” Then she shrugs. “But I think they’re staying in their apartment in the city this weekend.”

It’s moments like this that remind me that Nadine and I are not the same. She comes from money. My mama never owned anything, while her family owns houses all over the place.

I’m not sure if she notices the change in me, or if she’s just done talking about her parents, but she says, “Why do you think the Graces don’t like the Thorns?”