Page 30 of Slayin Villain (Royal Bastards MC: Nashville, TN #11)

Rachel

I didn’t make it to the car.

The tears started before I even hit the main hallway of the clubhouse, blurring the lights strung across the ceiling and the heavy wall of club laughter behind me. My hand grazed the wood paneling to steady myself, the other clutched my keys like they were going to anchor me.

I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. Weak. Wrecked. Pregnant and heartbroken over a man who couldn’t pick a side if his life depended on it.

But life at Royal Road didn’t wait for anyone to get themselves together.

The place was alive. Bourbon-fueled cackles echoed from the back rooms. Somebody dropped a pool cue, someone else howled about a busted bet. And then, there she was.

Ember.

Standing by the wall near the bar, talking to Eve. Her dark curls were back to their natural twisty state, eyes red like mine. She’d been crying too.

For a split second, our eyes locked. She opened her mouth like she might say something, but I didn’t stop. Couldn’t. I barreled forward, heels clicking like warning shots on the concrete floor.

“Hey now,” Eve’s sweet Southern drawl stopped me. “Hold up, sugar.”

I froze.

Eve Strick, Kingpin’s woman, boss lady of the outlaws in every way that mattered, walked right up to me with the confidence of a woman who’d seen too many fights end in tears and too many tears turn into war.

She handed me a tissue. “Let’s not ruin our pretty faces tonight, hmm?”

I took it, sniffled, laughed a little despite myself. “Too late.”

Ember still hadn’t moved. She stood there, eyes wide, mouth set in a line that looked like guilt or heartbreak, or both.

“I don’t think I can do this tonight,” I whispered.

Eve gave me a look. “Darlin’, you already are.”

“I’m not drinking.”

“Neither am I,” Eve said. “Neither is she.” She nodded toward Ember, then patted her belly casually. “We’re a whole damn baby brigade now.”

I blinked.

“Least I know who the daddy is,” she muttered under her breath, motioning toward Ember, and I snorted through the tears.

Ember laughed a bit too, arms crossed. “Congratulations,” she said softly, directed at me.

“Thanks,” I replied, a little stiff, but honest.

Eve clapped her hands. “That’s it. I’ve had it with mopin’ and men and all this damn testosterone. We’re going out tonight.”

I furrowed my brow. “Where?”

“Broadway.”

“Broadway?” Ember and I said at the same time, startled.

“Damn right. We’re goin’ honky tonkin’,” Eve grinned. “I need to scope out some talent, anyway. Ember’s quittin’ the band.”

That made me look up fast. “What?”

Ember cleared her throat. “I’m leaving Royal Road.”

I wasn’t proud of the little flicker of relief that lit inside me. But I didn’t try to hide it either.

Eve gave us both a knowing glance. “There. Now you’re up to speed. I need a fiddle player, so we’re checkin’ out some bars. Y’all are my wing-women. No booze. No fights. Just rhinestones, mocktails, and loud music.”

“I’m not in the mood,” I whispered.

Eve tilted her head. “Darlin’, that’s exactly why you need to come. I’ve buried too many damn tears in this concrete. You got a baby to think about, and cryin’ on dusty floorboards ain’t good for either of you.”

Her words hit something deep. Something sore.

Ember finally spoke. “I’ll go.”

We both looked at her.

“I don’t have anything else keeping me here tonight,” she added, voice brittle but brave.

Eve looped her arms through both of ours. “Then it’s settled. We’re gonna clean up, slap on some lip gloss, and show Nashville that the Ol’ Ladies of Royal Road don’t just cry, they shine.”

I glanced over at Ember.

She looked… small. For the first time, not like the girl who stole someone else's spotlight, but just a woman trying to survive the storm too.

Maybe I hated her a little less in that moment.

Maybe.

“Does Kingpin know about this?” I asked.

“He’s comin’,” Eve grinned. “Can’t leave me unattended with y’all stirring up chaos downtown.”

“Irish too?” Ember asked.

“Him and Cece,” Eve said. “Figure the boys can post up at the bar while we get what we need.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“What?” Eve put a hand to her ear.

“I’ll go,” I said. “Hell, I’ll even wear the boots.”

“Atta girl,” Eve said, squeezing my arm. “Y’all go clean yourselves up. We’re leavin’ in two hours.”

Ember walked off first, shoulders tight, and I stood there a minute longer with Eve.

“You sure about this?” I asked her.

“Baby, I was born in a place where women like us got run over if we didn’t learn how to walk in heels over broken hearts.” She smiled. “We don’t fix this tonight, but we’ll start healin’. That’s more than most men ever manage.”

And with that, she walked off toward the kitchen, already yelling at Irish to change his damn shirt.

I wiped my eyes again, tucked the tissue in my purse, and let myself hope, for the first time in weeks, that maybe I wasn’t as alone as I thought.