Page 90 of Exile & Lula
“Sure. One quickie isn’t enough.”
Frowning, I considered when he disappeared during the party. “Fucking her more than once might imply an affection you don’t suffer from.”
Zodiac shrugged and downed his beer. “She’s a good-looking woman,” he said before adding, “She bites, though.”
I chuckled when he tugged back his shirt to show bite marks on his shoulder.
“But I’m not going to chase a woman like you are. It’s not my style. She’s also got a kid, and I’m not daddy material. But you’re good with your nieces. You have a soft side with Nova. This thing with Lula could work for a guy like you.”
“Is that my president talking or my friend saying nice things?”
“Both,” Zodiac said and gave me a warm grin. “As your friend, I think this is what you need. But from a club standpoint, having your ass planted full-time in Little Memphis is a good thing. The Void is bound to make another move against the Crimson Guard soon. That’s why I want you settled there.”
Nodding, I hated the thought of someone coming after Lula again. I’d also gotten closer to her people. They weren’t just members of the other club. These people were becoming my family.
My sister popped her head out of the girls’ bedroom and smiled brightly. Despite how happy she was to return to Little Memphis, I worried I was putting a bigger target on her.
“Don’t pout,” Zodiac said after Nova returned to helping the girls. “You’re getting what you want.”
“A man should worry about his people.”
“To hell with your drama, Exile. Our lives have never been simple, and things will likely always be bloody and complicated. If I were you, I’d focus on what you’ve got and not on what might go wrong. If you can’t do that, this life might not be for you. The problem is that your woman is already in that life. You can’t really walk away, can you?”
“I need to keep Nova safe,” I muttered in nearly a whisper. “When I asked her to leave South Dakota with me, I swore she’d be safe. I haven’t kept that promise. I’m worried I am so focused on what I need with Lula that I’ll make things worse for Nova.”
“Your sister doesn’t like it in Baton Rouge. She isn’t comfortable around the guys, even if they’re harmless toward her. She needs a support system besides you. Chicks like Nova don’t want to be loners, and the girls are getting too old to give her a reason to get up every day. They’ll be in school soon, and she’ll be fixing shit in this house that doesn’t need fixing.”
Considering his point, I admitted, “The women in Lula’s circle wrapped around Nova tight. I thought they might bully her. Nova has plenty of sass in the right element, but people push her around easily. She might do well around those strong women. Or she might end up with a bullet in her back again.”
“That could happen anywhere,” Zodiac said, waving off my concerns as usual. “If the Void wants to punish us by going after family, most of the guys don’t provide good targets. But here you are living with your sister like a flashing target sign. But in Little Memphis, she’ll be one of many targets. That ought to make you feel better.”
I chuckled at how fucking evil Zodiac sounded sometimes. He viewed people as pieces to be moved around his chessboard. The man could seem so cold, but he had stayed with Nova to keep her calm while I was gone.
“Any word from our snitch?” I asked Zodiac as he finished up his beer and pasta.
“No. He might be dead. If they’ve sniffed out their rat, they’ll take another run at Little Memphis. Just another reason for you to be up there in case trouble comes for Lula again.”
“And if it comes for the Black Rainbow instead?”
“You can use their fancy helicopter to get your ass down here quick.”
Despite sharing his smile, I felt strange, as if he was testing me. Did he want me to prove my loyalty by declining his offer? Zodiac was a sneaky guy, and he didn’t care about people like I did. But he showed no signs of pulling any tricks tonight.
Instead, Zodiac headed out, so I could let Lula know about the change in plans. I stepped into the backyard and made the call.
“Can we come back tomorrow?” I asked as soon as she answered.
“Yes,” she replied immediately.
I smiled at her enthusiasm. “Zodiac wants me to stay in Little Memphis most of the time.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants to piss off Tricky,” I said rather than go into details.
Lula sighed. “I miss you. We’ll make things work.”
The neediness in her voice alleviated my worries. I wasn’t the only one going through withdrawal. Sensible or not, I couldn’t live without Lula nearby.
