“Mmm,” I take a deep breath, curious to know why she said that. Glancing at her, I cock a brow. “What’s going on?"
Poison leans closer, a smirk dancing on her lips. “I don’t want to spoil it, but I can see how rigid you’re being. You might want to brace yourself, girl. The club’s throwing a ‘welcome home’ party for you tonight. All your favorite foods—homemade Chinese, especially.”
“You’re shitting me,” I laugh, the tension easing off my shoulders. “I thought I was smelling ginger when I walked in!”
“Yep,” she chuckles. “A lot of the ladies have been in the kitchen all day. So you should probably start drinking now.”
I feel so much lighter. This is what I mean when I say the club is my family.
“I can’t believe you guys planned something. You know I’m not the kind of person who wants to be the center of attention.”
Poison cackles, “Yeah and no one cares. You’re loved by everyone here. You went through something horrendous and then we almost lost you after you got home. We’re glad to have you back, girl.”
Poison grabs my hand and gives me a squeeze.
I force a soft smile, trying to keep my emotions at bay. “Thank you,” I clear my throat, forcing my feelings back down. “Um, how’s Asher doing?”
Her smile fades slightly. “He’s got custody of Tilly which is awesome, but Rachel’s still being a pain in our asses, trying to appeal the court or whatever.”
Rachel is Asher’s ex-girlfriend, and she’s a real piece of work from the stories I’ve heard.
“That woman needs some fucking help,” I say, shaking my head. “But that’s a win for you guys, right? You have custody of Tilly!”
“Exactly”" Poison nods, her gaze growing serious.
“Speaking of wins,” I change the subject, leaning in closer, “have you guys dealt with The Commander, or his men?”
I have to know.
I lost a portion of myself that I repaired years ago because of that man.
“Stiletto,” Poison swallows hard. “Zane doesn’t want me talking about it. He doesn’t want you getting too involved. I… I even agree with him. After everything you’ve been through, you need a break from this shit.”
Our gazes lock. “I deserve to know. What I don’t deserve is to be punished by the club or kept in the dark.”
After a few moments of tense silence, I shoot Poison a pleading look.
“Okay, okay.” She hesitates, then adds, “They’ve got the one guy stashed in the woods. He’s in an old cabin on the back part of the property. But they’re struggling to get anything out of him.”
My gut tightens. We need this fucker to talk.
Hell, I need him to talk.
“Maybe I shouldn’t be worryin’ about this shit,” I lean back, trying to sell that I don’t give a shit. “And since you told me about this surprise, I have plenty of time to get a couple of drinks in me before it all starts.”
“Smart thinking,” Poison nods, her expression softening. “If I was in your shoes, I’d need at least five to deal with the shenanigans the club is gonna put you through.”
“Yeah, well, even though I’m not a fan of shit like this… I’m grateful for the club.” I stand up and flick my hair over my shoulder, feeling the weight lift just a bit. “Thanks for the heads up, by the way. I really do appreciate it.”
“Anytime. Just… don’t let Zane see you too tipsy.” She raises an eyebrow, teasing me with a playful smirk.
I’m not worried in the least bit. Zane’s been in the club for a long time, so I’m sure he’s seen some prospects drunk as all hell and with any luck, I’ll be another drunk one.
“Please. I can handle myself just fine.” I roll my eyes, though deep down, I know he’d probably hover like a hawk—always protective, always watching.
I’ve really seen his protective nature since he visited me at the hospital.
It’s a good thing he’s the Prez of the club. I couldn’t imagine anyone else who would literally put their heart and soul into it like Zane does.