the new arrivals and smiled at seeing Tracy standing inside, gazing around.
"Hello." She walked around the counter and gave Whip's sister a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Rick has the kids at the clubhouse, and I thought I'd pick up some dessert for tonight and surprise him." Tracy pressed a hand to her stomach. "Is that apple pie I'm smelling?"
"Just out of the oven."
Tracy groaned. "I was set on getting a huckleberry pie, but now I want apple, I think."
She leaned closer and whispered, "Or both?"
"Yes." Tracy laughed. "Rick will eat them both, I'm sure."
"Let me put those in a box for you." She went around the counter and packaged the sales.
"I'd be so fat if I worked here." Tracy peered inside the glass showcase. "Sweets are my weakness."
She had the same problem for the first couple of weeks she'd worked here. During every lunch break, she'd eat a piece of pie. The novelty of it quickly wore off when her jeans became too tight.
Telling Tracy the total, she rang up the sale. Amy came over and checked her out of the register. Knowing it was time to go home, she told Tracy to wait, and she'd help carry the pies out so that she could put them in the truck without them sliding in the boxes.
After she grabbed her purse and sweater, she waved goodbye to her coworkers, who were also hurrying to their cars to leave, and walked with Tracy across the parking lot.
"Are you heading to the clubhouse?" Tracy set one of the boxes in the truck.
"No, not tonight." She handed the other pie to her. "I have laundry I need to do and told Whip I was going straight home."
A loud rumble turned Twyla's head. A biker rode into the parking lot. At first, she thought Whip had come to surprise her at work, but she quickly realized it was Big.
"Shit." She grabbed Tracy's arm. "Get in and go."
Tracy leaned to the side, looking around Twyla. Her eyes rounded, and she stared at the Cusclan member. Not wanting Whip's sister around if Big opened his stupid mouth and embarrassed her, she gave Tracy a shake to get her moving.
"I'll see you later, 'kay?"
Tracy never stepped up into the truck, only stood there staring as Big came to a stop behind the pickup. Turning around, Twyla blocked Big from seeing Tracy. If he knew he had an audience to showoff to, he'd be impossible to deal with. She couldn't guess what he would do if someone else confronted him.
Big shut off the engine and got off the motorcycle. "Do you have what you took from me?"
At first, she shook her head, not knowing what he was talking about, but then realizing it was always about the pistol. If she had it on her, she'd give it back to be done with him.
Except, it was at home. Since she no longer needed protection and had moved in with Whip, she'd stopped carrying it in her purse.
"Leave me alone, Big." She squeezed the strap of her purse.
"Thinking you're something now?" Big stepped closer. "Bouncing from one biker to another."
She rolled her eyes. If he meant to hurt her, he'd need to try harder. Whip was more of a man than ten of Big.
Big's hand snaked out and grabbed her jaw between his thumb and finger, holding her immobile and forcing her to look at him. "I'll be back tomorrow. Bring it. If you don't, I might have to come have a visit at your new place. I don't think you want to find out what your old man would say about that."
She jerked, breaking away from him.
Her heart pounded. Whip would kill him.
Big walked backward a few paces and got on his motorcycle. He roared away. Twyla glanced around the parking lot, hoping his visit hadn't brought any added attention. Thankfully, her coworkers had left and missed the altercations.
She turned around to apologize to Tracy. "I'm sorry. He's such a..."
Tracy stared straight ahead, visibly shaking. Twyla rubbed Tracy's upper arms, concerned about how Whip's sister seemed shocked.
That was one of Big's calmer visits. Usually, he became mean and lost his temper.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Getting no response from Tracy, she turned toward the truck and urged Whip's sister to get inside and sit down.
Tracy got behind the steering wheel and sat there. Twyla rubbed her leg.
"It's okay." She was useless in comforting other people. "He's gone."
A shudder rolled through Tracy. Twyla palmed her forehead at a loss of what