Page 93 of Spike

Gemma glancedthrough the peephole before opening the door, then one by one, the Burning Saints’women filed through the door. First Cricket, followed by Gina, Devlin, andCallie.

“Looks like thecavalry has arrived,” Gemma said, closing the door behind them.

“What on earth?” Iwhispered.

“Heard you had alittle fright,” Cricket said, removing her incredibly stylish leather jacketand setting it over the arm of my sofa before pulling me in for a hug.

“I think that’s anunderstatement, Cricket,” I argued. “Do you know what he was doing?”

“I do.”

“Why would hedothat?”

She wrapped an armaround my shoulders. “Why don’t we go and chat while the ladies pour the wine?”

Cricket led medown the hall to my little office overlooking the water. There wasn’t muchfurniture in there yet, but my favorite high-backed chair was there and Spikehad found the matching one online that had arrived the day before yesterday, sohe’d put it together for me. Eventually, the plan was to put floor to ceilingbookshelves and fill it with books and some of Spike’s sculptures so that itcould be a place for me to read.

Cricket moved oneof the chairs so it was facing the other and smiled. “Have a seat, honey.”

I lowered myselfinto my chair and linked my fingers together while she faced me. “What’s goingon?”

“Do you know whySpike was fighting tonight?”

I bit my lip.“Honestly? No.”

“But your mind’srunning rampant with the possibilities, right?”

I grimaced. “Yes.”

She gave me agentle smile. “Well, sweetie, whatever you’re coming up with, it’s worse.”

I gasped. “Howcould it possibly be worse?”

“Because he’sfighting off the debt your father created.”

Cricket filled mein on theentirestory. Everything. The bad, the ugly, and the worse. Isat and I listened, the bile filling my throat threatening to spill with everyword and not just because of what she was telling me.

But because of howI’d treated Spike. These people my father had ‘gotten in’ with had betrayedSpike at the last minute and he still did the fight in order to protect me andmy stupid father.

My whole life, myparents touted that the ‘way of the church’ was the only way, and the world wasdangerous and of the devil. Yet, here was this group of ‘sinners’ who had givenof themselves, their safety, and their love to help them, and me, when theycould have just left us to rot.

“Oh my word,” Ibit out, now sobbing uncontrollably, unable to breathe, almost to the point ofhyperventilating.

“Honey, it’s goingto be okay,” Cricket crooned.

“I don’tunderstand why he just didn’t tell me,” I said once I calmed down a little.

“One of the thingsabout being an old lady is that there will be times they can’t, or won’t, tellus everything. Sometimes they will tell us just enough to assuage or frustrateus, or they’ll tell us everything. But, honey, there will be times we don’twant to know. Trust me.” She took one of my hands and squeezed. “This life canbe difficult at times, I get it, but I promise, it’s so worth it.”

I nodded. “I getthat part of it. I just don’t understand, considering all of this was about meand my family, why he didn’t tell me himself. I mean,youknow, whywouldn’tIknow?”

“I know becauseMinus is the president, and I’m not only his wife, I run the club with him. Theother ladies only know what their men have told them, and, honestly, I doubtthey’ve said much. As a rule, we don’t talk about a lot of club businessamongst ourselves. Once you and Spike chat, and you feel like you want to talk,vent, whatever, you’re welcome to share with the rest of them, but it’s yourstory, so it’s up to you. We are a vault, Trixie, and we will always have yourback. I’m sharing because Minus asked me to come and told me I could tell youeverything. He saw you run out of there so upset and couldn’t reach you, and hehad a feeling you’d need me. Spike doesn’t know we’re here, but I think he’llbe glad we are.”

“Well, I certainlyam.” I squeezed her hand. “Wait. Minus saw me leave?”

Cricket nodded.“Yes. He sent Tacky to follow you home.”

“Oh,” I breathedout. “That makes more sense now.”

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