Page 104 of Burning Ember

Mav introduced me as Doll. He paused for a moment before saying my nickname as if he hoped I’d supply my real one. When I didn’t, he told Bethany I go by Doll or Pumpkin. She didn’t bat an eyelash about the two names. Actually, she laughed and said, “Well, at least they’re better than Possum. I’ve always hated that name.”

Medda’s eyes spark at the word doll. She pulls her thumb from her mouth and starts to squirm in her mother’s arms until Bethany puts her down. Once on her feet, she walks into the house and comes out a minute later with a naked, blonde baby doll that’s been colored with what looks to be red and yellow marker. She holds it out to me. “Doll.”

I laugh. “That’s right. Doll.” I hold out my hands and she lets me take it. “Wow. She’s real pretty, and very colorful.”

Bethany chuckles. “I buy her washable markers, but those aren’t the ones she wants to play with.”

Medda tugs on my finger and pulls me down the front steps into the yard. She drags me all over the yard, showing me all of the flowers lining the house. She can point out the pink flowers and the blue ones, but gets the rest of the colors confused.

When we’re finished, we sit on the grass and she starts making the baby doll a blanket made from plucked grass. I catch on to what she’s doing and help.

The purr of a motor driving up the road has me glancing up, and Bethany coming down the front steps.

“Oh, good. She’s here.” At my questioning look, she explains, “Lil’ thought it would be fun to have a girl’s night. I have the kids, so we’ll have to stay here, but she’s bringing Chinese, wine, and a flick.”

The black beamer pulls into the driveway, gravel crunching under its tires. Lily rolls down her tinted window. “You girls better not be having too much fun without me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Bethany replies.

Wearing a skintight red skirt, black high heels, and tight black top that scarcely covers her assets, Lily exits her car.

Bethany whistles. “Wow. Look at you.”

“Well, seeing as I won’t see Goose for a couple of days, I wanted to remind him of what he’d be missin’ if he didn’t behave.”

We take everything into the house and Bethany shows me where the plates are so I can dish out the food while she feeds Medda. Lily changes in the bathroom. When she comes back out, she’s wearing yoga pants, a pink T-shirt, and her long hair is pulled into a ponytail.

Bethany broaches the topic I didn’t dare ask. “Are you worried about Goose stepping out?”

“No, but pussy . . .” Bethany’s eyes widen and Lily pauses. “Erm . . . cats . . . pussycats aren’t the only thing those boys tempt him with. I wanted to give him a little incentive to keep clean. You know how the guys get a little crazy on the runs especially when they’re staying with another MC.” Looking at me, she adds, “Other MCs don’t keep their nose and veins clean like the HOCs do. Actually, compared to some of the other MCs, our boys are saints. I worry about Goose when he’s gone, because one hit for him is a highway straight back to his addiction.” Shaking her head, she adds, “But I don’t want to ruin our girls’ night with worrying about Goose. After all, he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do.”

Her eyes brighten as if a thought just struck her. Lowering her voice to a brisk whisper, she says, “How about you tell me what the hell went down with Mav last night? I’ve heard everything from he stabbed you to he kicked you out when he caught you with . . . uhmmm . . .” Her gaze shifts to Bethany.

I glance up to see both women watching me. They wait for an explanation. “He thought I brought drugs into the clubhouse. I didn’t. I’ve never done drugs a day in my life. But Lita told him it was me and he was drunk. They caught the hang-around who was high, but no one bothered to tell Mav until after he attacked me.” I grimace because it sounds like I’m making an excuse for his behavior, which is something I did early on with Warner. “Nothing happened with . . . what’s his name.”

“So what’s goin’ on between you two anyway? There’s like some crazy chemistry . . .” Seeing Bethany sharply turn away, Lily clarifies, “Between you and Mav.”

“He kissed her,” Bethany breathes out.

“He what?” Lily gasps.

Bethany turns and there’s an apology written all over her face. “I’m sorry. It just came out.”

My cheeks grow warm.

Lily’s gaping at me. “He kissed you? Mav? Maverick Gunn kissed you?” My stomach does a summersault every time she says his name. Then she scowls. “He kissed you after he did that to your neck?”

Yeah, I was shocked at his one-eighty personality flip too. Then I saw the moment when clarity hit him. I witnessed the shock flash over his face when he realized what he’d done. I will never forget the remorse and pain in his eyes as the guys pulled him off me, or the sound of the beating he took. It was as if he knew he deserved it, and took his punishment willingly. A big part of me burns with this feeling that was the moment everything changed—for him—for me—but how do I explain it to Lily and Bethany.

“Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on. I haven’t even had time to wrap my own head around it.”

Both women look reluctant to let it drop.

Pointing the spoon in my hand at Lily, I say, “You don’t want to talk about Goose.” I swing it toward Bethany. “And you don’t want to talk about what’s his name, so how about we make this a guy talk free night? I’m not saying I won’t talk about it. Just not right now.”

Lily looks like she wants to argue. She opens her mouth to do so, but Bethany cuts her off by saying, “Yeah, for now. But I can’t promise I won’t bring it back up after the kids go to bed and we have a few drinks. I’m a motor mouth when I’m tipsy.”

Lily laughs. “She’s not lying. Her filter completely disappears when there’s alcohol. We’re so getting smashed later.”