Page 88 of Jackal

Right now, though, I wished for more populated areas. I’d only been out of the clubhouse a few times, but most of the restaurants and shops were nearly forty minutes from it.

One of the SUVs was still in front of us, and the other moved to our side as soon as the road broadened into four lanes.

“I wonder where we’re going,” Jeannie said.

“At least we all made it in before the rain started,” Mama Hen said.Way to dodge that.

Katie was sitting ramrod straight and her face still looked impeccable, but the color had drained from her neck and chest.

“You alright, sweetie?” I asked. “Need a baggie?”

“I’m not going to throw up.” She wrung her hands together. She was seated next to Jeannie, who was jammed in next to Penny, with Mama Hen rounding out that seat. It was a huge, extended limo. I’d been in a few limos before, but not one quite as swanky as this one.

It got quiet again until Penny said, “Fuck,” as her eyes widened and she looked behind me.

Turning so I could see out the back, I said, “Fuck.” We had company.

“Scoot,” Mama Hen said as she smushed in between Lacy and I. “Mother fucker.”

Mama Hen turned, looking around frantically.

“Mama Hen, what are you doing?” Lacy was also looking out the back but turned to see what she was doing.

“Is that Butch?” Daisy asked as she squinted.

“Yes,” Mama Hen and Lacy said in unison.

I’d only really gotten a good look at him the night Lacy and I got plucked off the side of the road. It was hard to recall his features because everything happened so fast, I was crying, and then bullets were flying everywhere. I mostly remember his size and his hair. And these guys were wearing helmets, so it could have been anyone. At least I’d hoped it was anyone else. Because Jackal said we’d be safe, but I didn’t have a great feeling about our number one enemy coming up behind us.

Mama Hen grabbed something, then went to the door, rolling the window down.

“What are you doing?” We all screamed.

The partition rolled down and Petrov echoed us. “Cindy, what are you doing? Please move your hands.”

“I’m old enough to be your mother!” she shouted then stuck her head out the window.

We all lunged for her, trying to pull her back inside. Our panicked voices drowned each other out and overtook Petrov’s shouts.

“Come on, you little shit. Come fucking face me!” she yelled as she tossed a champagne bottle behind the car.

All of our gazes shot to the back, still clutching her dress. The bottle flew back and shattered as it hit the pavement. Butch and the other biker with him swerved but were able to stay upright and keep coming at us.

“This is crazy,” I said before grabbing her shoulders and forcing her back inside. “Roll it up and lock it!” I yelled for Petrov.

Mama Hen tried to fight me, but I held her arms. “Don’t make me hit someone I call mama!”

Mama Hen stopped struggling with me, plopping on the floor of the car and cackling as rivulets of rain rolled down her face. Her short hair was soaked and fell across her forehead. Her eye makeup was nearly intact, but the foundation was streaked all to hell. Her head flew back, and her shoulders bounced as she kept laughing. We all watched, unsure of what to do.

But Penny slipped from her seat and scooted behind her mom, wrapping her arms around her. The cackles slowly turned to sobs, and her body shook, even as Penny held her tighter.

Mama Hen’s hands gripped Penny’s and she wailed, her face twisted in torment. “Raven!” she cried out, new moisture dripping down her face, finally sending her mascara under her eyes.

I swallowed hard, but it was no use. She was in so much pain that it was palpable. Looking around, we had all teared up. Mychest jumped as I tried to fight a full-on sob. But as Mama Hen cried harder, we all piled onto them, holding them and shaking ourselves as we all sniffled and cried with her.

“Ladies, please do not worry. I’m rolling this up, but everything is going to be fine,” Petrov said before the partition went up again.

Our circle of tears was disrupted when the sound of bullets pinging the car had us all squealing.

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