Page 18 of Hell Bent

“Morning, sunshine.”

Sway folded her arms across her chest, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. The temp had dropped significantly since she had gotten up earlier. “Damn, it’s cold out here.”

Lottie rolled her eyes at Sway as she shoved past the girl. “Are you hiding someone in here?” she asked as she unwrapped her scarf from her neck.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Lottie.”

“Well, you didn’t seem like you were going to let me in.”

Closing the door, Sway locked it and followed behind her best friend, picking up the scarf and coat Lottie had tossed on the furniture as she made her way into the kitchen. “There’s coffee in the pot.”

“Tea. Make me some tea.”

“Make your own tea, hooker.” Who did Lottie think she was, the Queen?

“Fine, but next time you come to my house, you’re going to wait on yourself.”

“I always wait on myself and you when I’m over there.”

“Oh yeah, you do.” Lottie laughed as she grabbed the kettle and began filling it with water.

Hanging up Lottie’s coat and scarf, Sway watched her carefully as she meandered around the little kitchen. “Lottie?”

“Hmmm?”

“What brings you over this morning? I mean, I love that you’ve come by, but it’s rather early for you to be up and out.”

Lottie crossed her arms, shaking her head at Sway. In a haughty move, she cocked a hip as her eyes rolled. “Can’t I just stop by?”

“Yes and no. Yes, you can just stop by. You just never do without a reason. So, again, what has you here this early in the morning?”

“It’s not that early, Sway.”

Knowing Lottie was evading the question, Sway pointed at the clock hanging on the wall behind Lottie’s head. “It’s eight a.m. You don’t rise until close to eleven a.m.”

“Fine. I think Dawson’s cheating on me.”

Sway rushed over to her best friend and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry, babe.” Leaning back, she looked at Lottie. She could see she had been crying. “Why do you think he’s cheating?”

“A girl knows when her man’s running around on her.” The whistle of the tea kettle cut her off. Walking over to the stove, she clicked it off and went about making her tea. Lottie knew she was stalling, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about her relationship problems. She didn’t want to talk about how Dawson was coming in late and how he stayed on secret phone calls when he was home. What she wanted was for her best friend to let her hang out on the sofa and watch Netflix.

“What can I do for you?”

“Let me hang out and watch TV with me.”

“It is Sunday, and I have no plans.”

“You’re the best, Sway.”

“I know.” Watching her take her tea to the sofa, Sway cleaned up the mess Lottie had left on the counter. Afterwards, she took her coffee and settled on the sofa, readying herself for a day of movies and documentaries.

Chapter Twelve

The last thing Vicious wanted, needed, or expected when he stepped into the clubhouse was to be confronted by Teller. Player had called earlier and filled Vicious in on an attack the Bloody Scorpions had launched on a few of the chapter’s hangarounds.

“Where the fuck were you last night?” Vicious looked over at Teller, who was stalking across the room toward him. His instinct screamed at him to raise his fists or to pull his weapon. Instead, Vicious stood his ground, watching as his President came at him.

“Why?” Vicious feigned ignorance. He didn’t see a reason to drag Player into the argument that Teller seemed hell bent on having.

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