Page 35 of Haze's Jewel

Trix nods, “I was getting freaked out. Vapor took me to the doctor’s office that morning, my gynecologist did an early scan and confirmed it’s just the one baby. But the panic attack I had wasn’t just a panic attack, turns out pregnancy is playing havoc with my allergies, and I now have asthma.”

“Oh, poor you,” I say.

“It’s okay, the inhalers are helping.”

I take a mouthful of my drink, “Damn, I would have loved a nice glass of wine.”

Mel shrugs. “By the way, Haze wasn’t talking about your personal business. He got me to fill your prescription after you got out of hospital, that’s how I know about the meds. Haze is a great guy. You two were lucky to have found each other.”

Suddenly, Trix jumps to her feet. “Sorry, I have to pee for like the twentieth time today.”

Mel laughs, “All part of the joys of being pregnant, I’m afraid.”

A few minutes after Trix runs off to the restroom and Mel goes back to the bar to serve a customer, two club girls wander over to my table and slide into the empty seats without asking if it’s okay to join me. I can tell they’re club girls by the way they dress. There’s an obvious trend at this clubhouse where the old ladies dress slightly more conservatively than the club girls.

“Hello,” I tell them politely. “I don’t think we’ve met. My name is Anna Bryan.”

One of the girls is wearing a tight leather skirt and a black halter top that shows almost everything that God gave her.

She lifts her chin in a gesture that seems slightly arrogant. “My name is Bella, and this is Candy. We know who you are, what we’re confused about, is why you’re here?”

So it’s gonna be like this, is it? I take a deep breath and reply in kind. “I’m here because, much like yourself, I was invited. Is that going to be a problem for you?”

Candy is quick to respond. “No. Of course not. We just wanted to drop you a hint that he always goes back to Brittany.”

“Who always goes back to Brittany?” I ask, knowing full who they’re referring to. I just want to put them on the spot and make them say it out loud.

“Haze has been with just about every club girl who comes here and a few from outside when he gets really bored, but he always ends up dumping them so he can go back to Brittany. They have a strange relationship, but it works for them.”

“Is that so? Why don’t you go and get Brittany? I’ll see what she has to say about Haze dumping everyone for her.”

Candy’s expression turns mortified, and she stammers, “Brittany isn’t allowed at the clubhouse anymore.”

“But Haze is, right?” I ask.

The girls exchange nervous glances before nodding in unison. Candy explains timidly, “Yes. Of course he does. Haze is a fully patched member of the Savage Legion MC. He comes and goes as he pleases.”

“Why isn’t Brittany allowed at the clubhouse anymore?” I know full well that it’s none of my business, but my curiosity gets the better of me.

“Um, she got into an argument with Haze and Siege kicked her out. The brothers don’t like a lot of drama and the bottom line is that it takes a full vote of the brotherhood to get rid of a fully patched brother, but club girls have no personal power, so we’re targeted quite frequently when things go wrong.”

Bella adds, “You’re even more vulnerable than we are because you’re just a guest, whereas we’ve been given permission to hang around anytime there is an open bar.”

Oh, they’re bar flies. This is making a lot more sense now.

Candy adds hesitantly, “We just thought we’d give you a heads up about Haze. Everyone knows he likes to get a little strange every now and then. He likes the girlfriend experience where he gets to dote on a fresh new face for a few weeks. It always fizzles out and he ends up right back in Brittany’s bed.

An angry, but familiar voice comes from behind us. “What a load of hogwash that is. Haze is part of my family now that I’m married to Vapor. He’s nothing like what you’re saying. Sure, he’s slept with Brittany a bunch of times, but that doesn’t mean they have a relationship.”

“They were fucking a long time before you and Vapor got together. You don’t belong here and neither does she,” Bella practically growls.

Gesturing for them both to leave, Trix directs her next sentence to me. “Club girls always think they run the show. The truth is they simply have too much time on their hands to plot and plan all kinds of crap. If these two aren’t careful, they’re going to run afoul of Siege’s good grace and wind up ousted as well.”

Bella shouts, “You have no right to talk down to us. You’re nothing but Hellfire Hounds trash, and an enemy of our club. Vapor doesn’t know he’s sleeping with the enemy, but one day he’s going to realize what marrying you cost him.”

A deep masculine voice states firmly, “No he’s not. Hope you don’t mind me pointing out how inappropriate it is for you to be putting words in my mouth.”

All the color drains from Candy’s face and she actively tries to get up from her chair and flee. In her haste to get away, she trips and breaks her fall with her hands on the floor. Bella walks over and helps her up.

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