Page 23

Brittany

T oday, I’m all dolled up and having coffee with Clara in the clubhouse. For once, I feel like my old self—attractive and desirable.

Clara asks, “So how do you like being back here on your own?”

“Now I’m in Tusk’s property cut, the other old ladies are finally warming up to me.”

“I told you that would happen,” Clara exclaims. “I think they always liked you but couldn’t get their heads around how quickly you and Tusk got together.”

“Yeah, I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t a pain in the ass before I met Tusk. I was really messed up because of being raised by what was basically a cult. I didn’t realize how much it had damaged me for a long time.”

“Maybe getting a therapist that deals with cult-related trauma would help.”

“I’ve been thinking about seeing a therapist. I want to be the best partner for Tusk that I can be and a mother who has her head screwed on straight.”

“I think you’re doing remarkably well, considering all you’ve been through. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”

“Well, I have to be if I’m going to continue hanging around the clubhouse,” I pause for a moment then say, “It’s funny how quickly I went from the queen of the club girls to being iced out by them.”

“You’ve come so far, Brittany. Don’t let them tear you down.”

I rock Victoria in her tabletop carrier until she falls back to sleep. Thinking about how much my life has changed in such a short period of time, I say, “I don’t care, though, because that’s my old life. Now, I’m with Tusk, in his property cut, and I have a baby of my own—and one day I’ll be stepmom to his other kids.”

“It’s wonderful to hear you’re taking it all in stride,” she tells me.

“Keep going forward, that’s the only way,” I say.

“I bet you’re missing Tusk,” Clara adds.

I smile, “Yeah, I know I didn’t see him for months, but after reconnecting it’s like I can’t bear to be away from him. Has Tex updated you on what they found in Utah? When they broke into the church they found Harper was abusing some teens, he had them locked up in cells and the club rescued them. They got a bunch of intel when they raided his church and house. He told me they burned his church down and did the same thing to his house when then went to gather intel there.”

Clara is wide eyed but responds, “Tex told me a bit, but he likes to play his cards close to his chest as far as club business goes.”

“You want to know what I said to that?”

“You probably told him it was poetic justice,” Clara responds.

Close, I tell her with a straight face. “I told Tusk it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

Clara rolls her eyes at me, “That sounds like the Brittany I know and love.” After a thoughtful pause she adds, “You’re lucky that Tusk tells you what’s going on. Tex tries not to tell me about club business if he can help it.”

“I have a feeling Tusk is going to be the same way. The only reason he’s telling me now is because the club business happens to also be my business.”

Suddenly, I smell the strong stench of cheap cologne, and then Silver leans over the table to stare at my baby. “Oh my God, your baby is so cute. I’d have a baby too if I didn’t care about my figure.”

I take a deep breath and say, “Go away, Silver. I don’t have time for you today.”

“Oh, honey, I’m not trying to insult you. I’m just stating facts. This baby is amazing, but being pregnant destroyed your figure.”

I’m just about to tell her where to go when a deep, masculine voice interrupts her tirade.

“I’m really confused. If giving birth to my child ruined Brittany’s figure, what happened to yours?”

Silver whirls around to gape at my old man. “Nothing, Tusk.” She bats her eyes at him and skims one hand down the length of her upper torso. “I’m F-I-N-E, fine.”

“I guess the brothers who like chubby girls will chase you all day long and then some. That is, if you don’t get yourself thrown out for aggravating the old ladies.”

“I wasn’t. I promise. I was just talking to Brittany. We’re old friends from when she was a club girl.”

Tusk nudges her back with his arm so he can approach me. “That’s strange. Brittany has told me a hundred times how much you annoy the shit out of her. You annoy the shit out of me too. Britt and I had a little bonding moment over it.”

“I’ve never said an unkind word to any of the old ladies.”

Tusk sighs. “You were talking personal shit about her body. My old lady is just as beautiful as she ever was.”

Silver smirks. “Well, she’s wearing your cut, so you kind of have to say that. We can all see it’s not true.”

“I can’t be bothered with your drama today. Out. Leave the clubhouse. I don’t want to see you here for the rest of the day.” Tusk’s tone is dismissive. I feel bad for Silver because I know what it feels like to be unceremoniously booted out the door.

She glares at me and hisses, “This is all your fault.”

“Hell, honey, I used to be you—the club girl who annoyed everybody all the time.”

“I’ve heard all about your glory days, Brittany. I like to think that I’m worlds smarter than you were.”

I just shake my head, “So far, you’re following in my exact footsteps.” Glancing at Tusk, I say, “I need to go to the restroom.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got our daughter.” Giving me a lopsided grin, he adds, “Hurry back, I’ve been missing you.”

I flash him a quick grin and head to the restroom. I’m in the stall taking care of business when I hear the door open. More than one person walks in—I can tell by the footsteps. I’m unconcerned because it’s either old ladies or club girls, and I know all of them.

When I step out of the stall, I’m confronted by Silver, who should have left by now, and Tusk’s ex, Gina, who shouldn’t be in the club at all.

I edge past them, expecting some kind of nasty, awkward conversation. Silver’s voice is thick with sarcasm when she speaks, “You really think you’re something, don’t you?”

“Why are you still here, Silver?”

When she doesn’t immediately answer, I turn to Gina. “How did you manage to get into the clubhouse? I heard you’re not allowed to be here at all. Tusk is going to be pissed.”

“I don’t give a shit what Wade has to say,” she spits out. The anger in her voice as she says Tusk’s real name sends a shiver down my spine. Rubbing her rounded belly reminds me what she did. “I can’t believe you did IVF again behind his back. That’s pretty low.”

“I can’t believe you left your baby out there in its little carrier for Wade to worry about. He’s not good with babies, you know.”

“Look, lady, what do you care if I let my daughter’s father take care of her? It’s nothing to you.” There’s something going on with these two, but I can’t figure out what.

“First of all, I have a name, it’s Gina. You should use it.”

“Leaving the baby out there with Tusk wasn’t part of our plan,” Silver says worriedly.

Gina glances at her and then back to me before speaking. “It doesn’t matter. Once this whore is gone, he’ll need a mother for his baby. And I’ll be the only woman in town interested in taking him on.”

I stare at her slightly unhinged expression. “I don’t know what you two are up to, but it’s not going to work. I have no intention of leaving Tusk or my baby.”

Gina pulls something out of her pocket. “Sorry, but you have an appointment with the man you were promised to, Eve.” Her eyes light up with glee as she lifts a stun gun and pulls the trigger.

I drop to the floor because she’s clearly got the damn thing turned all the way up. My body is wracked with pain, and I can’t manage to squeak out one single word through my locked jaw, but the minute she eases up on that trigger, I am going to beat her ass.

Silver walks around me and stands next to my head. Before I can parse through how she knew about Harper trying to get his hands on me, something bangs against the back of my head. Even though I fight to stay awake, darkness closes in on me.

I wake up to the two of them hustling me towards the back door. I’m lightheaded and try to pull out of their grasp, but they’ve got me pinned between them. I’m not worried because the minute they step outside, there will be a dozen or so people on the back patio. They’ll put a stop to this real quick.

These two must have put some time and effort into the situation because they press me into a small space between Zen’s office and the closet where they store their weapons, and one of them pulls the fire alarm while the other slams the back of my head against the wall. My world goes dark to the sound of utter chaos.