my ear, my forehead to the door, my hand clasping the handle, my eyes squeezed tight.
“What was that?’
The words came to me in a deep biker voice I knew but they didn’t penetrate.
My baby boy with his chubby cheeks and his granddad’s eyes was sick without me.
The words came again. “What was that?”
They again didn’t penetrate because as I stood there, I knew.
I had to do something. I had to put a stop to Aaron’s mission of misery.
I had no choice.
“Carissa, what was that?”
“I have to get on my knees,” I whispered.
“What?”
I pulled away from the door and looked to my side.
Joker was close.
“I was wrong. I don’t need my car,” I announced. “But I’ll wait in the office or go and browse the store. I’ll just go on over to the garage first and let them know.” I hauled open the door. “Enjoy the pie.”
I didn’t get out because Joker curled his fingers around my upper arm and pulled me back.
That got my attention, slightly, and I distractedly noticed the two other men (one still holding his baby) and three women in the room were all gathered close behind Joker and they were watching me.
I looked up into Joker’s steel eyes.
“Is something wrong with Travis?” he asked.
“He has croup,” I said, my voice flat. “I’m assured he’s fine.”
“Darlin’, got my car here. While they work on yours, I can take you—” the black lady began.
I stopped her by shaking my head. “I’m not allowed at my ex-husband’s house without his permission.
“Your kid’s sick,” the mustachioed man told me something I very well knew.
I straightened my spine and met his eyes.
“My ex-husband is an attorney. As was his father, before he became a judge. As was his grandfather, ditto the judge part. All of them in Denver. This means if he doesn’t want me at his house, I don’t go.”
“You’re fuckin’ joking,” Joker bit out and I looked to him.
“I am not,” I stated curtly.
His hand tightened on my arm.
My eyes started stinging. “If you’ll release me, I’ll get out of your hair.”
“What’s it mean, get on your knees?” Joker asked.
Dirty water washed through me, and I felt an uncomfortable charge hit the air at his question.
I shook my head, pulling at my arm in his hold. “Doesn’t matter.”
“What does it mean?”
I could take no more.
I yanked out of his hold, leaned toward him, and shrieked, “It doesn’t matter!” I threw out both hands, still screeching. “Nothing matters! Nothing but him! Travis! That’s all that matters!”
Then I whirled, hauled open the door, and ran out.
“Joker, no. Red, go,”’ I heard a gravelly voice say as I ran. Then, “Hop, lock ’im down. Red, go.”
I heard it.
But I just ran.
* * * * *
Tack
The door to the meeting room opened and Tack’s eyes, along with those of the boys who were with him, went to it.
He watched his woman strut through.
Normally, he would take the time to appreciate this. It was a habit. He did it daily.
Right then, he saw the expression on her face and he didn’t take that time.
He looked around the room. With Dog and Brick in Grand Junction opening up the Club’s new store, he’d made Hop and Shy his lieutenants. Hop had been a brother for decades. Shy was newer. Hop was married to his woman’s best girl, Lanie. Shy was married to Tack’s daughter, Tabitha.
The room was rounded out with his son, Rush, as well as Boz, Hound, Speck.
And Joker.
“Where is she?” Joker clipped.
Tyra looked to Joker as she moved to her husband in his seat at the head of the table. Joker had been pacing under the watchful eyes of his brothers. Now he’d stopped, legs locked and planted wide, hands to his hips, secrets still behind his eyes, dark at the surface nearing to black.
But that black could disintegrate in a second. Tack knew it.
It would not ice over.
It would blaze hot in a way that could consume them all.
But especially a girl named Carissa.
Tack knew the minute he saw her that she wasn’t just a girl in a cute dress with shoes that were as sexy as they were ridiculous that Joker helped change a tire.
This girl was something else.
“Elvira’s taking her home,” Tyra told Joker and looked back to Tack. “Hawk let her have the afternoon off. She’s staying with her. Lanie took Nash and went back to work. She and I are going over to Carissa’s after to hang with her and Elvira.”