Page 65 of Finish Line
“No shit?” I laugh. “Good for you, brother! Here I was thinkin’ you’d be shriveled up and alone for the rest of your days.”
“Y’all got jokes for days, huh?” he asks.
“How y’all meet?” Minx asks Jess.
“I work over at the Pancake House,” she starts. “Ratchet came in one day a few months ago and ended up comin’ back every week.”
“I couldn’t help it. They got good pancakes,” Ratchet jokes with a shrug.
“I bet they do,” Ranger laughs.
“Welcome to the crazy house,” Minx says to her. “If you can put up with Ratchet, you’ll love it here.”
We fall into a comfortable conversation. A few of the brothers head back to the shop, leavin’ Ranger, Ratchet, Gunner, Raze, and I with all the women. The clubhouse door flies open and London walks in, tears pouring down her face.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Gunner asks her.
“It’s . . . it’s Shadow . . .” she says between tears.
“What about Shadow?” I ask through gritted teeth. Athena’s hand comes to my thigh, taming my anger a fraction.
“He . . . he . . .” she stutters.
“Fuckin’ spit it out,” Raze snaps at her.
“He overdosed!” She falls to the floor sobbing.
“What the fuck do you mean he overdosed?” I roar.
“We were, um . . . doin’ coke and he took too much. I took him . . . took him to the h-h-hospital and the cops came,” she stutters out between sobs.
Minx lunges for London, but Raze stops her. “Kitty, I know you wanna kill her right now, but remember, you’re pregnant.”
“She is, but I’m not,” Sienna says as she grabs London by her hair. “How fuckin’dareyou get Shadow back into drugs.”
“I-I didn’t mean to! I swear! Please,” London begs.
“Well, since you said please.” Sienna lets go of London’s hair and instantly throws a punch right into her nose.
Crack!
London falls to the floor and Sienna straddles her, laying into her face with punch after punch. Finally, Shade wraps his arms around Sienna’s waist and pulls her off London.
“Someone get this piece of shit trash out of my fuckin’ club,” I shout. Gunner picks her up. “London, don’t youevershow your face around this clubhouse oranyof the businesses associated with this club. Do you understand me?”
“Y-y-yes,” she stutters on a sob.
Gunner turns with her in his arms and walks out of the clubhouse.
“Jase,” Athena says softly.
“I think I need to go lay down,” I tell her. She nods her head and stands. I slowly stand from the couch and walk with her back to our room.
“Will you just lay with me? I don’t wanna talk right now,” I say.
“Of course, honey. Whatever you want,” she replies.
I cup her face with my left hand and kiss her soft lips before I lay down. She cuddles next to me. I run my fingers through her hair until I drift off to sleep.
