Jinx (Kings of Carnage MC) - Chelsea Camaron Page 0,36
hurt, but I refrain.
“Talia, this is Sly,” Koa introduces, and I extend my free hand to him.
He doesn’t shake my hand, but instead, looks to Koa. Before anything else can be said, another guy approaches with the word North on his leather vest.
“Aw, look guys, Mom and Dad made up,” he laughs at the joke I’m not sure I understand as he approaches. “Mom’s not gonna take the truck for a joyride again, Dad.”
Koa laughs, “North, shut the fuck up.”
“Oh hell, someone call the paramedics, Jinx hit his head. The bastard is smiling and relaxing and shit,” North continues and looks to me with eyes wide, “What did you slip him?”
I step back, not sure how to reply. Koa releases my hand, and I immediately freeze at the loss of contact. Thankfully, he drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulling me to his side.
“Damn,” Sly says, shaking his head. “That’s all it took. She steals your truck, and boom, another brother bites the dust. Everyone’s finding women left and right, soon we’re gonna have to send the club ass to the streets to get the cock they seek.”
North laughs, “I’m not going down without a fight.”
Sly slaps the guy playfully. “I don’t know who you’re gonna find to put up with all that time you spend at Centerfolds.”
I look to Koa for clarification. “We own a strip club, Centerfolds. North works there.”
I nod and swallow the lump forming in my throat. What am I supposed to do with that information? Before I can think on it too much, Koa points to the others.
“In the back is Chaos, he’s the Pres. Bash is back there, probably losing. I need to check in with everyone, so why don’t you head to the bar,” he points to the opposite side of the room, “Apple can get you whatever to drink.”
Feeling insecure but unsure of what to say or do, I follow his instructions. At the bar, a woman who looks around my age is behind the bar in a set of oversized sweats. I’m amazed how fluidly she walks around in them. She isn’t wearing makeup, and her hair is back in a basic ponytail.
“Want somethin’ to drink?” she asks as I sit on the stool.
“Water, please,” I mutter, and she moves to the fridge, bringing back a bottled water.
She keeps cleaning but engages me in general conversation. The typical where am I from, how long have I been here, everything around those lines.
“You and Jinx, huh?”
I shrug my shoulders because I don’t know how to answer her question.
“He brought me here,” she opens up, and a twinge of jealously hits me.
“Brought you here?” I can’t help but ask. Am I just one of many he somehow brings around? Have I been reading into this connection I feel? Doubts creep in fast and furious.
She throws her hands up in surrender. “No, not like that. I was looking for work. He offered me a job and gave me a ride.”
I nod and sip my water; grateful it wasn’t what I thought between them. Other than that, Apple doesn’t give up much information about herself.
Koa and I leave the clubhouse a few minutes later with a few goodbyes to his brothers. I still don’t exactly understand it, but he says they are brothers and who am I to question it.
Back at his house, Koa grills for me. I swear it’s the best steak I’ve ever tasted in my life, and that was just lunch. He says he wants to put meat on my bones, and if he cooks like this all the time, I don’t see that being a problem.
We’re sitting on the couch relaxing when his phone rings.
“Gotta run, babe. Lock the house up, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I nod as an uneasy feeling creeps up inside me. “Be careful,” I say, not really sure how to go about telling him goodbye.
After he leaves, I wander around his house, taking note that there isn’t much to it. He has more patio furniture on his back deck than he does in the entirety of the house. The living room has a single couch, no television, no tables, just a couch. The dining room is empty. And the bedrooms are empty except his, which has a massive bed and two dressers.
I’m used to silence, but being in his house, I don’t know, it eats at me.
Then a thought hits me, my bag is probably back at the station. While I appreciate the