“I’ve missed you!” she shouts, squeezing me again. “I heard you were here.” Her gaze drops to my vest and she grins even wider. “And that you’d been patched. Congratulations!” she squeals again while jumping up and down.
“Thanks.”
“Hey, Shelby!”
Shelby reaches for Lala, pulling her in for a hug. “Good to see you. Where you been hiding, Lala?”
“All over.” She nods at Amanda. “Hey, can you finish helping me in the kitchen?”
“Sure.” Amanda sends a frosty look my way. “I guess you’re too good to help out now?”
My cheeks burn. “No. Not at all.” I move to follow the girls but Shelby yanks me backward by tugging on my vest.
“Her man asked her to wait here with me,” Shelby says. “We’ll come help when we get the all clear.”
Lala nods and skips off to the kitchen, while Amanda sends me a death-glare.
“What’s up with your friend?” Shelby asks after they’re gone. “She ain’t real nice to ya.”
“I…uh…” Shelby didn’t hook up with Rooster until after I’d already left the club scene. Unless someone told her, she doesn’t know I used to be like Amanda and Lala. Part of me doesn’t want to tell her and risk losing our budding friendship. The rest of me knows she’ll find out eventually, so I might as well just say it now. The other ol’ ladies seem to have accepted me, Shelby will too. “I used to, um, you know, hang around here and come to a lot of the parties.”
She blinks and glances in the direction of the kitchen. “By yourself?”
“Well, with Amanda.”
“I thought you and Grinder hooked up after he got out?”
“We did.”
She sips her drink slowly, watching me over the rim of her glass. “Did ya know Rooster back then?”
Well, damn, this girl isn’t playing. “I was always friendly with Rooster and Jiggy but not in the way you’re thinking.”
Pink stains her cheeks and she sets her drink on the bar. “Shoot. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be rude.” Her lips curve in apology. “It just comes naturally sometimes.”
“No, I get it. I…uh…was usually with the old VP. He was possessive but…not in the nice way.”
Sympathy shines in her eyes. “I think Rooster’s mentioned him before.”
Whatever Rooster told her was enough for Shelby not to ask any questions about Shadow.
“Before that, I had a terrible crush on Murphy. But Heidi knows that,” I hurry to add. “It’s water under the bridge.” I hope.
“Gotcha” She holds up one hand. “You don’t owe me any explanations, Serena. I had to hang out with Rooster’s ex when we visited Washington. It was weird, awkward, and for some cockamamie reason her husband felt compelled to punch Rooster at one point.”
“Oh shit.” I slap my hand over my mouth. “What’d Rooster do?”
“Punched him back.” Her lips curl into an evil smile that looks totally out of place on her wholesome face. “Multiple times.”
“That sounds like Rooster. I’m surprised Jiggy didn’t get in a few punches of his own.”
“Oh, believe me, he tried.” She launches one foot forward, bumping one of the barstools. “I woulda kicked the guy in the dick myself if Rooster woulda let me.”
“I bet.” Damn, she’s little but fierce.
“Anyway, it’s none of my business. Sorry for prying.” She lifts her chin toward the kitchen doors. “I just didn’t care for your friend being rude to ya.”
Emily’s the only other person in my life who’s ever worried about how anyone treated me. “Thanks.”
“You got it.” She gives me that mischievous little grin again. “The guys may say ‘Kings forever’ but I say, ‘Queens stick together.’”
Chapter Thirty
Grinder
It’s been one hell of a long weekend and I’m eager to get on the road. Unfortunately, Priest has other ideas. I’ve spent more time in church downstate than anything else. Z seems to read my irritation as I pass him to go into the war room.
“Get some rest last night?”
“Yeah.” I glance around then lean closer to Z. “You hear anything about Sway yet?” I ask in a low voice.
“Nothing.”
“Shit.”
“My sources think they’re gonna focus on him now instead of the club.”
“Well, I guess that’s something.”
He claps my back and sends me on my way. As I glance over my shoulder, I catch a glimpse of Priest and his enforcer, Blink, approaching Z. No wonder he wanted me to move along.
With Priest and Blink visiting, brothers settle into their seats faster than usual. Z walks Priest to his seat at the head of the table. They seem to argue about it for a minute, but then Priest takes Z’s place.
The noise in the room falls to a hush.
I run my gaze down the length of the table. Rock catches my eye and lifts his chin. The corners of his mouth are tight with annoyance. The only signal that he’d rather be anywhere else.
“I’m honored to be able to sit down with all of our New York brothers,” Priest says, standing at the head of the room. “Thank you for allowing me to join you for church.”