I reached the end of the hall, about to turn to Neon’s door, when the woman I saw last night came walking from the other direction. Tanit, I believed was what Neon called her.
“Um…hi,” I greeted when she passed me.
She stopped and gave me a once-over. “You’re the PC’s daughter.”
“Alyx,” I replied. “My name is Alyx.”
Her dark lashes fanned her cheeks as she scrutinized me top to bottom. The bruise on her face had darkened some since last night.
A smile curved at the corners of her mouth as she extended a hand. “I’m Tanit. We haven’t been officially introduced.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, and I wasn’t sure whether it was paranoia from Neon’s warning or a sixth sense—but I caught a slight hint of hostility in her stance and the way her eyes raked over me. I couldn’t quite place it.
I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Tanit.”
“So,” she dropped her arms to her sides, “I saw you on the news. You’re supposed to be missing, or kidnapped, or whatever.”
I scratched my temple, not exactly sure how I was supposed to respond to that. “It’s a little complicated.”
“Yeah, I bet. Everything is complicated when the Kings are involved. Talking about Kings,” she glanced up and down the hall, “is Granite here?”
“No. Um, I think he left early this morning. Not sure where or when he’ll be back.” I lifted a brow. “I don’t really know much about what goes on around here.”
Tanit grinned. “Oh, neither do I. Women riding with motorcycle clubs usually don’t know shit. We’re here to look pretty and spread our legs when they want us to. That’s all.”
I choked on a piece of apple then coughed loudly. “Well,” I cleared my throat some more, “if being pretty is all it takes, you’re pulling that off just fine.”
It was easy to see the compliment inflated her ego, her hips moving as she rocked from one leg to the other.
She smiled. “Listen, I hope it’s not going to be weird between us now that you’re with Granite.”
“What do you mean?”
She held up her hands. “You know, with the history Granite and I have. It can’t be easy for you seeing me around here. I know I wouldn’t be comfortable with it if I were in your shoes.”
“I’m sorry,” I shook my head lightly, “I don’t think I know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh.” She placed her hand in front of her mouth, seemingly surprised. But her eyes told an entirely different story, chocolate swirls of sheer amusement. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“That Granite and I used to fuck.”
This time I dropped the apple, staggered and speechless.
“Um”—I picked up my apple and straightened—“thanks for telling me, I guess.” If uncomfortable moments were able to cause physical pain, I’d be hunched up and begging for death right about now.
She fiddled with one of her gold-hoop earrings. “I’m sorry. I only told you because if I were you, I would have liked to know.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks for telling me.” I wanted to take a bite from the apple when I remembered it was on the ground a few seconds earlier, so I nervously moved it from one hand to the other. “So, I, uh…guess I’ll see you around, then?”
“Yeah. I guess you will.” Her cherry red lips pulled up in a smirk. “Good talk.” She turned on her heel and walked off. I, on the other hand, stood there, shocked and dumbfounded, unable to move because my mind was trying to wrap around what the hell she just said. She blurted out those words like it was a normal conversation fit for the breakfast table.
“Odd,” I mumbled to myself before walking into Neon’s room. The conversation I had with Tanit clearly had my mind so frazzled that I completely forgot to knock.
I stepped inside the room just as the doctor removed a bandage from Neon’s back, placing it in a bowl with other bloody and oozy mesh. Ink looked up at me, and he had to have seen the horrified expression on my face.
“Don’t worry. Doc gave her something to sleep through it. She’s not feeling anything right now.”
I closed the door and hesitated. “How bad are the burns?”