“I’ll try. Promise.” He grinned. “No one’s ever called me up on it. Been cursing since I could talk.”
“That’s not what I want for Zak.”
“Is it Zak’s father?” Jayden dug into his cut and pulled out his pack of smokes. “That you’re running from?”
She eyed the cigarette he withdrew.
“Or some other dude you hooked up with?”
“His father,” she said quickly. “My husband. I’m not in the habit of hooking up withdudes.”
“Fair enough.” He clicked his lighter and a small flame appeared.
“Do you mind?” she said.
“What?” He spoke around the cigarette, and it bobbed between his lips.
“Would you mind not smoking? It’s bad for kids’ lungs. Actually, it’s bad for everyone’s lungs.”
“Jeez, you’re full of rules, huh?” He put his lighter away, then did the same with his smoke.
She walked back into the kitchen and filled a glass with water.
“Is there any way your husband can connect you with this place?” Jayden asked, following her, leaning his butt on the counter, and folding his arms.
“He met Hudson at our wedding.” She rubbed her temple. “And you know Hudson, he’s pretty memorable.”
Jayden didn’t dispute that. The guy oozed confidence and had a palpable disregard for authority. At six-four, and likely head to toe in black leathers even at a wedding, he would have stood out like a sore thumb.
“But I don’t think they spoke much,” she said, “and although California might have been mentioned, I don’t think San Clemente was.”
“So Clemente shouldn’t be on his radar if he’s looking.”
“If?” she said, folding her arms tight as if holding herself together. “You mean when? There’s no way he’ll let me leave with Zak and not try to find me.”
“And if he does find you, then what?”
She tilted her chin. “What do you think?”
“I think Hudson and quite a few other Barbarians will want a word with him, that’s what I think.”
For a moment, she was quiet, then, “He’s sneaky, paranoid, and has a foul temper, but he’s also smart.”
“I doubt that.”
She shrugged and reached for the refrigerator door to pullit open.
Jayden noticed her left wrist had a protruding lump and was slightly misshapen—as if it had been broken and not set right before it healed.
Son of a bitch. If he does turn up here, I’ll cut off his balls and make him eat them, then once they’re in his stomach, I’ll gut him so he can see them all chewed up. It’ll be the last thing he sees before he dies.
Jayden beat down the rise of anger. It wouldn’t do Tammy any good to see him that way. He got the feeling she was only just tolerating his presence as it was.
“You hungry?” he asked.
“I am!” Zak raced into the kitchen.
“Would you like a sandwich?” Tammy asked him.