Page 20 of Jake's Angel

“Whatever, asshole. Just dump the coins on the table and let's do this.”

“Really, you two? Again with this bullshit?” My eyes roll of their own volition. “This rivalry has gotten out of hand. Don’t you think?” They look at each other, then back to me, both shrugging me off.

They get lost in their game and shit-talking to each other and I decide it’s the perfect time to ask Sadie questions while she’s distracted.

“Why’d you leave your car here for so long?”

She doesn’t look up from the screen, her hand slapping the joystick around in a frenzy. “I had Jinx’s truck, figured I’d get Loretta after you guys got back. It wasn’t like she wasn’t going to be locked away and taken care of. Although, you better tell those jerks at the shop next time they service my baby, they need to make sure they wash their damn handprints off her body. No woman wants the evidence of her being manhandled to be seen by others.”

Hawk’s eyes snap up, and the game suddenly goes black. Sadie’s slamming on the tabletop, looking for the issue, when I notice Hawk dropping the power cord to the floor.

“What the hell, Nathaniel? I was winning!” She shrieks.

“The fuck did you just say?”

Ah shit.

“Uh, I said, Nathaniel. I. Was.Win-ning,”she draws the word out slowly. “Are you going deaf?”

“No,” he growls, standing up from his seat. “I heard you. What I want to know is who’s been manhandling you and leaving their marks behind?”

“Nunya.”

“Sadie,” I warn. “Cut the bullshit.”

“You’re all a bunch of fucking hypocrites.” Sadie gets up, shoving her chair as she takes two steps back, completely forgetting about the game, glaring daggers from Hawk to me. “If I wasn’t Thomas’s daughter, but I dressed like a skank, sucked dick like a champ, and didn't mind being passed around by every brother in this place, it'd be okay with you. But because I have some asshole’s DNA linking me to the family tree, I’m not allowed to have a fucking life. You don’t want me to find therightguy, you don’t want me to findanyguy,” she seethes. “If I wasn’t the President’s niece, but I was old enough and willing, evenyouwould be open to taking your fill so long as I was a club whore,right?”

“Jesus.” Scrubbing my hand down my face, I silently wish this crazy train would stop before it goes off the damn rails.

“Sadie,” Skyler calls out softly. I didn’t even see her making her approach. I expect Ethan to stop her since there’s a high probability of this conversation going nuclear between these two. Although, I trust Hawk wouldn’t swing on a woman, I also trust that Sadie doesn’t give a fuck who you are. Shewillswing.

“Sweetie, maybe we should save this argument for another day, huh? You just got back. We have a graduation party to plan. I’m sure the guys have some gossiping or boys’ club bullshit to get to.” The way Skyler says it, she makes it sound like we’re all here to shoot the shit. I don’t call her on it though, because somehow, she’s managed to talk Sadie down from her ledge.

“I don’t know how you dealt with them for the last six years, Sky. How did you put up with their constant double-standards?” Sadie asks, tears rimming the edge of her eyes.

“Well, for starters, I wasn’t with this group here. I was in Mountain Heights. Second, I never felt like a prisoner because I had Cash. He was myMushu.You know? The little dragon in the story who seemed to always show up at just the right moment and make things easier. And third, I never hung out at the clubhouse. It was safer for the girls if I didn’t.”

Ethan chuckles behind her. “I’m sure the guys appreciated you staying away too, Sunshine. It can be rough when all the available pussy has their jaw wired shut.”

“Huh. I always thought they appreciated what I did for them.” She smiles. “Cash said it was cool as long as her pussy wasn’t sewn shut, then she was still somewhat useful.”

The men within earshot laugh. Ethan shakes his head and Skyler smiles, giving him a look that says he knows she’s right. Without missing a beat, she turns back to Sadie and says, “Do you really want to compare yourself to a club whore? It’s not a secret aspiration or anything, is it?”

“Fuck no,” Sadie spits in response. “I mean, Mason’s good-looking, so I might consider being his plaything for a night.”

“You'll be a club whore over my dead body,” Pres shouts from across the room. “And if you don’t want the prospect to die a long and painful death, you better not let Mack hear you say another fucking word about him or how you would do him. Got me?” He crooks a brow at her, daring Sadie to say another word about it.

“Agreed,” Hawk growls.

“Fuck you,”Sadie whispers, but we hear it.

“The hell did I ever do to you?” Mason whines from somewhere behind us. Sadie shrugs.

“Sadie Jay?”She turns into Gabe’s waiting arms, smiling from ear to ear. “Hey sweetheart.” He pulls her in tighter, lifting her slight frame off the ground, and kissing her temple. “I’m glad to see you’re alright. What’s this shit I hear about you leavingyour carandditching your phone at the shop for the weekend?” He glares down at her.

“I waswith Jayde most of the time. I didn’t need my car. When I did, I borrowed Jinx’s truck. My stuff was too big to fit in Loretta’s trunk, anyway. I used Jinx’s truck to get the big stuff moved into my new house. Then I hung out with my friends after.” She twists her toe into the carpet, dropping her chin avoiding Gabe’s disapproving glare. Seems to be a lot of that going on around here. She lets out a long, dramatic sigh. “I wanted to do things for myself. If I told you guys what I was doing, you’d send prospects over to do all the work.”

Gabe nods. “Damn right we would.”

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