Page 57 of Vengeance

Lex

Pulling up to Lily’s house, Lex sees the long line of cars and sighs. What the fuck am I walking into? All she got was a vague message from Autumn to meet at Lily’s house at three that afternoon to discuss something important. Whatever it is likely isn’t that important, but it’s no secret that everyone’s worried. What happened to her, Melanie, and Heidi at the clubhouse hasn’t eased any tensions. If anything, it’s gotten worse.

She steps out of the Mustang and hears noise floating from the back of the house. Deciding it best to follow it rather than go through the house, she’s shocked to see most of the old ladies from Griffin’s Beach. In one place outside the clubhouse. It amuses her how everyone seems to be broken out. First-generation women, parents, and non-parents.

Her mother, Emma James, stands with Karmen, Lily’s mother, Amy, and Tess. Looking at Lily and Emma is like looking at Lex and Lily in twenty or so years. Of course, the matriarchs group together. There aren’t that many of them left.

The second group, the parents, consists of Felicity Short, Lily, Millie Fox, Avery Molloy, Lex’s sort of sister-in-law, Lane Wilson, Summer Bradshaw, and Reagan Gentry. Summer and Reagan don’t join the others as often because they’re the two who don’t feel as though they quite fit. Summer’s posh upbringing and Reagan’s past law enforcement career factor in pretty heavily. Lane rarely makes an appearance these days, but that may have more to do with being a large target with the club bunnies.

The third group, the non-parents, has Kai, Heidi, Melanie, Autumn, and Erica and Emily Smith. The only ones not present appear to be Tara and Ashley, and if Lex didn’t have such a bad feeling, she’d find this to be a great turnout for a party.

“Lex is here,” Autumn calls. “We can get started.”

Everyone turns to look at Lex, but she eyes up Lily who just shrugs. She may be the host, but she’s not the leader of this shindig. From the response from most of the women, only a handful of them have any idea why they’ve been summoned. Which does not bode well, and Lex wishes she’d stayed home.

“Okay, I know this will probably take some by surprise, but we wanted to get everyone together to give anyone an opportunity to participate in what we’re proposing. We also have the expectation that everyone won’t say a word to their men about what we talk about,” Felicity says, her dark hair hanging in her signature long, loose curls.

Lex moves to sit next to Tess at the back of the group on the seat of a picnic table. Her eyes never leave Ky’s wife, and Lex worries something they can’t come back from is about to happen.

“What are you talking about?” Melanie asks, standing to her right.

“We want to talk about how we can protect ourselves from the Slashers,” Lane says, surprising Lex. Her brother’s girlfriend doesn’t usually speak up. Especially in large groups.

Looking at the ground, she shakes her head, guessing where this is going. “Fuck.”

“Shit,” Tess mutters beside her in agreement.

Lily looks around. “And you want us to participate in what, exactly? Self-defense courses? Go to the shooting range together? Buddy system? Neighborhood watch?”

“Things are getting really scary around here, and Melanie, Heidi, and Lex are perfect examples that we’re not really safe anywhere. Even in our own clubhouse,” Felicity says.

Heidi snaps her head up as Lex looks at her fellow tortured gals, and Heidi says, “Leave me out of this shit. Don’t use me as an example to justify whatever terrible idea you’re about to propose.”

“Same,” Melanie says, and Lex nods in agreement without opening her mouth. No, she must stay silent.

“We can’t,” Autumn says. “If the men can’t protect us, there are very few options we have left.”

“And what would those options be?” Melanie asks.

Avery turns and locks eyes with her mother-in-law. “We could leave.”

Tess gasps, and Lex stares at the only woman who could walk away from the club and be exempt from resentment. That woman has been through hell and back, and it’s amazing she’s still here as it is. And the fact she’s spoken the words to possibly leave Tripp tells Lex how much fear she has.

“And where would we go?” Melanie asks. “If we agreed to do this. We’d still have targets on our backs.”

“I have a friend who could get us and the kids new identities. Something Brock wouldn’t be able to trace,” Summer says.

If Brock loses his wife and daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to find them. All his time would be spent tracking them down, and then he’d go mental. This is not good.

Lex’s mom looks around and says, “I know this is a frightening time, but these men would all die for us.”

“That doesn’t mean they can stop the Slashers from getting to us,” Millie says. Lex can’t help but smile when she sees the cute redhead with more freckles than not on her face. She’s just adorable.

Lily snaps her head to stare at her cousin’s old lady and mother to his three kids. The woman who brought Lily back to the club talks about leaving, and it’s not hard to see the confusion mixed with anger on Lily’s face.

“I know better than most how the club ebbs and flows with the shit going on, but it’s never been like this before,” Millie continues.

“That you remember,” Karmen says and looks at Tess. “You weren’t around when shit got bad with the Devils. It was worse than this.”

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