women’s eyes narrowed. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have sworn they’d choreographed the move.
“Honey, we’re not doing this because we’re worried about the customers and want you to do better. We’re worried about you and want to make sure you don’t need help.” Toni joined them, placing a hand on Mak’s tense shoulder before moving to stand in line with the others.
“Here’s what I know,” Shell said, adding a foot tap to the unhappy posture. “I know my husband woke me up sometime after midnight to tell me he had to run out and take care of something important.” She made air quotes for those last two words. “That is code for club business he can’t or won’t tell me about. I know he was gone for a few hours, and then this morning, I overheard him talking on the phone. Your name was dropped. So was Jazz’s.”
Oh, crap. Mak swallowed hard.
“And so was the Chrome Disciples.”
“Um…” Her face heated until it felt like it might melt right off her body. How the hell was she supposed to get out of this?
“And here’s what I know,” Jazz cut in before Mak could formulate a believable response. “I know my men have been sitting in a booth all morning like two snarling junkyard dogs. I’ve been forbidden to ‘step one goddammed foot’ outside the building and told that if I took the trash out at the end of the day, I’d ‘be sorrier than I’ve ever been in my life.’” She did the air quotes as well, accompanying it with a dramatic eye-roll. “Please, as if either of those men scare me.”
“So,” Shell continued. “We want to know what’s going on.”
As she spoke, the door to the diner opened, and Copper stepped into the building. Used to the jingle of bells announcing customers, none of the women reacted. In less than three seconds, Copper had zeroed in on his pregnant wife. Due to the way they stood, Mak was the one who witnessed his approach. “Uh, Shell…”
Shell held up a hand. “Nu-uh, don’t even try to give us some bullshit answer my husband told you to say. Something is going on that involves you, Jazz, and the CDMC, and we want to know what it is.”
“Shell.” Mak squeaked out the word this time, her gaze on the huge, bearded man with his arms crossed over his massive chest and a scowl the size of Texas on his furry face.
Shell huffed. “What? What are you looking at?” She spun around and gasped. “Oh, hi, baby!”
“Oh, boy,” Jazz whispered as all four of them took a collective step back. “Now him? He scares me. Yikes, he’s mad. I’m gonna just go—”
“Don’t even think about moving that gorgeous ass one step,” Screw said, as he strolled up next to Copper.
Jazz froze in place and pursed her lips.
“So much for not being scared of him,” Holly muttered.
“Shut up. I’m not scared. I’m only staying here for Shell’s sake. Solidarity in sisterhood and all that shit.”
Screw snorted.
Mak couldn’t do anything but stand there wide-eyed, gawking at this group of intimidating men and ballsy women. Had she defied her husband so blatantly, or any of the men in the community, she’d have had a hell of a beating coming her way. She’d lived through those beatings more times than she cared to recall.
What would it be like to feel so secure and safe in a relationship that fear never entered the mind? To know that even though they’d angered their men, they were loved, and no one would ever raise a hand against them? What would it be like to live the dream Makenna would never achieve? These women knew their men would be angry if they were caught nosing around club business. Sure, they’d probably deal with a grumbling male for a few hours, but they never had to fear pain or punishment.
They were lucky.
They were loved.
“And what were you ladies talking about, Michelle?” Copper asked in full growl mode.
“Oooh.” Jazz sucked in an audible breath before leaning closer to Mak. “Full first name. Never a good thing.”
Screw narrowed his eyes at his woman, but his lips quirked. “You better watch all that sass, Jazmine.”
“Yeah?” She tilted her head. “What are you gonna do about it?”
Just as Screw opened his mouth, the bell jangled over the door and in strode Thunder. He took one look at Mak and threw his hands in the air. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.” He stormed straight over to