Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Sure.”
“I think Trinity was puttin’ y’all in the room next to ours,” Shelby says.
“Great,” Jigsaw groans.
“Hush it!” Shelby blushes and laughs.
Rooster just rolls his eyes.
The four of us cross the parking lot. Shelby keeps up a steady stream of chatter, but my anxiety about stepping inside seems to drown out everything else. I smile and nod, but I’m not quite sure anything she’s saying penetrates my fog.
Inside is even more overwhelming. We step into one large, high-ceilinged great room. Close to the door, there’s a wide coat closet, its door left open to reveal a cavernous space full of jackets, footwear, and farther back what looks like a gun safe the size of a small vehicle.
My questioning gaze lands on Jigsaw’s face, but he doesn’t seem to notice my surprise.
“Trinity’s got all the room stuff sorted out here,” Shelby says, pointing to what looks like it’s usually a bar, but tonight is being used like a hotel reservation desk.
Jigsaw looms behind me like my lethal protector as he nudges us closer to the bar. His hand rests at my waist, keeping me close to his body. Is he worried I’m not safe in his club’s house? Or does he realize how nervous I am?
The blonde behind the bar lifts her head and flashes a welcoming smile. “Hey, Jiggy!” Her pretty, light-brown eyes slide to me. “Welcome, Margot.”
“Are we checking in now?” Jigsaw asks.
She lifts one shoulder. “Since a lot of people were coming up, Wrath and I thought it would be easier to keep track of where everyone’s staying and hand out rooms early instead of waiting until the last minute.” Her lips quirk with amusement. “When everyone’s high and horny.”
That’s quite a mental image Trinity just painted. And now it’s seared into my brain—the whole place teeming with bikers drunk, high, and desperate to get their hands on someone.
“If I’d known that, we would’ve come up sooner, “Jigsaw says, casting a stink-eye at Rooster.
Trinity laughs and shakes her head. “Come on now. I got you.” She picks up a tablet and taps her fingers over the screen. “I put you in the room next to Rooster.” She points her finger toward the ceiling at an awkward angle. “Two doors down from the end on the left.”
“Thanks,” Jigsaw says.
“Oh! And we installed new locks on all the doors.” She grabs a green sticky pad, glances at the tablet screen, then jots down a four-digit number. “That’s your code for the weekend. If you have any issues, just let me know.”
Jigsaw glances at the number, then hands the piece of green paper to me.
1051
Easy enough, but I’m still so nervous I’m not sure it’ll stick. I shove the paper in my back pocket.
While we’re still crowded around the counter, a woman in a green sweater and dark jeans walks toward us. “Hi!” She throws her hand up in a quick wave.
Trinity glances up and grins. “Hey, mama bear. Where’d you come from?”
“That’s Hope,” Jigsaw whispers in my ear.
I nod quickly, remembering her from the wedding. Did I say anything embarrassing to her that night?
Hope stops in front of Shelby. “You made it!” she gushes. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“I missed ya!” Shelby throws herself at the woman and they embrace like long-lost twins who’d been separated at birth. I’m so focused on them, it takes a second to notice the man close behind Hope. Rock. The president. The man, according to Jigsaw, who probably decides how the brothers get punished for their bad behavior.
“Relax,” Jigsaw whispers in my ear. He reaches down and pries my hand off the hem of my shirt and curls his fingers around mine.
How does he know?
Hope turns toward us and flashes a smile so warm and welcoming, I’m finally able to take a breath.
Stay present. Don’t retreat into yourself. I organize entire funerals. Why is this stressing me out so much?
“Hi, Margot. I’m so happy you could join us.” Her arms hang awkwardly at her sides as if she wants to embrace me the way she did Shelby, but hasn’t decided if I’m a hugger, yet.
“Yes, thank you. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.” I work my mouth into a smile and pray it doesn’t look as uncomfortable as it feels.
Forget my palms. With all this attention focused on me, I think my butt is sweating now.
Jigsaw
Margot presses tight to my hip, like she’s trying to crawl inside me and hide. She deals with people all the time—counsels families, talks to vendors on the phone, consults with religious leaders and who knows what else. At the car show, she talked to lots of people. Why so shy here?
“What’s wrong?” I whisper in her ear once Hope has moved on to talking to Trinity.
Her lips tremble into a smile. “I want your friends to like me and not think I’m weird.”