“Is she gettin’ used to you being all up in her space?”
“Not yet.” I grinned. “But she will.”
“Just remember to treat her like a queen,” Jill said.
Needles cocked his head. “You do know who you’re talking to, right?”
“What?” she challenged. “Bikers can’t treat their women like queens?”
“You’ve known this life long enough, Ma,” I pointed out. “We can’t show the world our women are anything more than property.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s a load of shit.”
Needles and I chuckled.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “Sierra’s pretty vocal about what she will and won’t tolerate.”
Jill nodded. “As she should be.”
She handed a bowl of potatoes and a peeler to Needles, then opened the fridge. “Okay, no asparagus. Otis hates…”
We all froze as Jill’s back went straight. She stood staring into the open refrigerator for several minutes and didn’t say anything, the only indication that she might be breaking was when her head dropped.
And then her knees buckled.
She never made it to the floor, however, because Needles caught her, pulling her close as she burst into tears.
Fuck.
“I’ve got her, brother,” Needles said.
I nodded, summarily dismissed, and made my way out to my bike. I stuffed down my sadness, heading back to the cabin and dragging my way up to my room.
I found myself slamming my fist into the wall, unable to control the sudden burst of rage at the sight of my surrogate mother in so much pain.
If I could, I’d kill the fucker all over again.
“Wrath?”
“Sierra, just give me a minute,” I growled.
I heard the door close, and I slammed my other fist into the wall right next to the first hole. Dragging my bruised hands through my hair, I turned to find Sierra hadn’t left at all. She was standing against the closed door with her arms crossed, her face scrunched up in concern.
“I asked you to give me a minute.”
“What happened?” she asked.
“Besides my best friend being murdered in front of me?” I bit out.
“Yes, honey, besides that.” She closed the distance between us.
Jesus, she was brave. I didn’t know a man alive who’d approach me when I was this pissed, but my tiny woman had no fear.
“Sierra,” I warned.
She walked right up, and into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “You don’t scare me, Booth. Tell me what happened.”
I fisted my hands at my sides, the heat in my belly still burning hot.