Page 76 of Ridin' True
“Okay, okay—I may have done too much, but—”
“Are you kidding?” Tess interrupted with a wave of her hand. “I’m loving this. Teach us your ways.”
It hadn’t even been five minutes, and I was already having a great time—the pending threat on my life temporarily stowed away in the back of my mind.
As Jenna said, Winnie was right behind her. She came with three different kinds of wine and a bottle of sparkling cider for Tess and Mary-Kate; the latter of whom came out of her room just long enough to decide she wasn’t missing anything before returning to her toys.
We were all a glass down by the time I finished constructing two different boards. We relocated to the dining room table before we settled down to eat.
“They’re so pretty, I almost don’t want to eat them,” said Jenna, topping off our glasses.
“Mmm, wish I could say the same, but that cheese right there looks so good,” replied Tess.
“Please. Eat to your heart’s content, or Jed will make fun of me for insisting I needed all of it.”
“You mentioned earlier you could use a night out,” began Winnie, reaching for a small plate. “I heard you may not be taking the job with the Stallions, after all. Might tonight have anything to do with that?”
“What? What happened?” asked Jenna, sounding genuinely concerned.
“Yeah, actually,” I admitted. “I, um…”
I looked around the table and all eyes were on me. It wasn’t until that moment when I realized they didn’t know about the threat I received from Hoffman. Their men hadn’t told them. And I knew it wasn’t because they didn’t think it was important, it was because it wasclub business. It wasn’t need-to-know, and I happened to be an inside man, so I knew.
I knew, and I wasn’t sure it was my place to tell them. Not all of it. There was no point in handing out pieces of my fear for them to shoulder. It wouldn’t be fair.
This was a familiar feeling—one I experienced with my own family. The things mami didn’t know about Alejandro were many. She had enough to worry about, and my shoulders were strong. They were conditioned to be.
Maybe that was a sign.
“I got a behind the scenes sneak peek this week,” I told them. “And it was intense. Kind of scary, actually. But for the last couple of days, I keep thinking about how the Wild Stallions are like a family. The way they band together around a problem—I don’t know, it makes me feel like, regardless of the unknown, if I took the job, I would have their backs and they would have mine.”
“Alexia, the Stallions aren’tlikefamily, theyareone,” said Tess. “You’re new, so you’ve only seen a glimpse, but I can assure you, they don’t call each otherbrotherto be cool.”
“You’re right, though,” added Winnie. “If you took the job, they’d have your back so long as you had theirs.”
“Butit isa different world,” I pointed out, arguing the flip side. “As much as I was sold on the idea that most of my job would be handling corporate business, and that if the Stallions did what they do without being stupid I wouldn’t have to worry about defending a bunch of outlaws—they stillarea bunch of outlaws. I feel a little crazy because I know that, but I want the job anyway. At least I think I do. Or maybe I just don’t want the job I have.” I sighed and reached for a grape. “I guess I’m really on the fence.”
“My take?” asked Jenna cautiously.
I nodded.
“We’re all a little crazy,” she said with a smile and a shrug. “Winnie and Tess were born that way. I, on the other hand, tripped and fell into my own madness when I fell for Kade. But regardless of how we got here, we’re the same in that we know there’s a side of our men we don’t have access to—a darkness they protect us from. Even if they didn’t have their secrets, if they told us everything, they’d still exist in a world different than ours. They’re bred for it in a way we aren’t.
“They’rewild,but they also stand for something bigger than themselves. They live by their code. So, yeah. They’re outlaws. And yes, every once in a while, they’re going to find trouble. But most of the time, the Stallions mind their own business and take care of each other and their families.
“Would accepting the job make you a little crazy? Probably a little. But if you don’t cut loose and take chances every once in a while, what fun is life?”
“I saw you with Wrangler earlier,” commented Tess. “Maybe the nature of the club isn’t as big of a deal as you think. You two seem really happy, and I’m willing to bet it’s because you’ve seen the man beneath the kutte.
“I won’t sit here and claim they’re all alike. Every family has a couple assholes. But while they might be rough around the edges with hard, tatted exteriors, they’re not monsters. If anyone knows that, it’s us.”
“And for the record, they wouldn’t be the only ones to have your back. This table of ol’ ladies are here for you, too,” added Winnie.
“Here, here,” agreed Jenna. “Whether you take the job or not. Cause, girl, this charcuterie is amazing, and we don’t have girls’ night nearly enough.”
“Thank you,” I said on a laugh. “And I really appreciate the advice.”
“Keep us posted?” asked Tess.
