Page 29 of Nevada

“Can understand the urgency to get information,” Cash says, “but I still don’t agree with her bustin’ into Priest’s weddin’ like that. She needs to learn how the rules around here work.”

I snicker and they all look at me. “Sorry.” I wave a hand at them. “It’s just I don’t think Star has many rules where she comes from.”

Cash sits back in his chair at the helm. “Well, I guess she’s gonna be learnin’ the hard way, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Wait, is this the same chick who held a knife to your balls after she flipped you over?” Haze laughs.

“I heard about that, too,” Brew chips in. “Bout’ time someone knocked you on your ass.”

“Yeah, yeah, she jumped me in the middle of the fuckin’ Straight, lookin’ for you two I might add.” I try not to smile at the memory. “I took the brunt of it.” Not that I minded one little bit, but they don’t have to know that.

Haze’s lips twitch, clearly enjoying the idea of my nuts almost being cut off. “Yeah, Hustle told us all about it.”

“I bet he did,” I mutter.

“Heads up boys,” Manny sing-songs. He has a plate of freshly baked cookies in his hand piled to the sky. “The first one to turn that frown upside down gets the first cookie.”

I waste no time, shooting him a big grin. “You ever need a taste tester, bro. I’m your man.”

“Ding, you get the first one.” He tosses a cookie at me and I devour it in two bites. It’s delicious. Chocolate-chip is my favorite, but anything Manny makes is good.

Then he places them down in the center.

Cash, Brew and Haze all reach for the plate at the same time.

“Why you bakin’ these?” Cash asks suspiciously.

Manny shrugs. “Can’t I just do something nice for my Prez and his heathens when they have a meeting?”

I laugh. “No argument here.”

Brew and Haze are already going back for more and I reach for the plate too before they’re all gone.

“Not tryin’ to butter us up, are you?” Cash goes on.

Manny tries his best innocent face and even adds a pout for good measure. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Cash. But I do have two lil’ ladies waitin’ to come in. Don’t worry.” He gives us a wink. “I gave them cookies too.”

I know it’d take more than a bunch of delicious treats to butter my little hellcat up, but I keep that to myself.

“Send ‘em in,” Cash grumbles.

“As you wish.” He takes a little bow before leaving and I grin at his retreating back.

“Thanks for the food!” I yell after him.

Keep the cook happy. That’s a motto I learnt a long time ago.

“How much are we gonna tell her?” Brew asks between mouthfuls of cookie.

“Anythin’ that doesn’t implicate this club in what went down. If she’s tryin’ to find her sister then that sounds legit enough to me,” Cash says.

We don’t get to say anything else because a few moments later, Star and Halo walk in.

I stare at my girl and almost rub my eyes to make sure she’s real.

Does she always look this good?

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