Page 17 of Frisco

My mom waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget who runs this place.”

The same voice returned, “I mean, bring on more ‘Nasty Letters’! We love those nasty letters.”

She chuckled, the same hearty and almost baritone voice she’d always had, and Kansas came back on. A cheer rose up.

I walked to the end of the bar and my mom came to meet me, her arms out.

“Oh goodness, girl.” She enveloped me, though I was four inches taller than her five feet, five inches. Didn’t matter to Ruby Hinton. She was petite, but a bionic kind of petite—her hug was like cement. She rocked me, and I realized my mom didn’t have any fat on her. She was all muscle.

She patted my back, her voice in my ear. “I have missed you something fierce!” She gave me another tight squeeze before she stepped back, her hands still resting on my arms. “How are you? You look good. Holy shit, Kalista. Claude’s going to get so mad, because you could still model. I think you look better the older you get.”

I tensed and stepped back, out of her reach.

Her hands fell, and so did her smile.

“Hey, Mom,” I said.

“I used to be Mama to you,” she responded.

We weren’t talking about those days.

Noting my silence, sadness flared in her eyes before the corners of her lips moved up. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. She gently tapped me with her knuckles under my chin. “You got my looks and your dad’s smarts.”

“I got Dad’s height.”

“Yeah,” she said fondly. “You did.” Then her eyes flashed. She got serious and moved back behind the counter. Picking up a towel, she motioned to an empty stool. It was the only one considering the place was packed. “Whaddya want to drink?”

“I’m not here to drink.” I turned, scanning the bar. I’d been focused on my mother first. But now that I was looking, I remembered that Shane King was a Red Demon. All day I’d just remembered him as Shane, Connor’s Shane.

But also Ghost.

A whole bunch of scary bikers were watching me, and oh boy…

What had I just walked into?

I tensed, because how could I not?

There was a good group of biker ladies in here too. They were spread out. Some hanging on guys’ arms. Some on laps. There was a high-top in the back corner by the pool table, and a whole bunch had congregated there. They were playing pool against some of the bikers.

“Are these all Red Demons?”

I felt my mom moving closer behind me.

“Look.” She touched my arm. Her tone was serious.

I turned back, remembering that Shane had said they were helping my mom out. Did that include other MCs? I hadn’t known they were inclusive.

“I’m not saying this because of our past, and I’m due for you to be starting trouble for me, considering, you know…”

My wedding day. My chest tightened.

“But these guys can be dangerous,” she finished. “You should go.”

“No! Fucking! Way!”

We both sucked in our breaths at that high-pitched, female voice.

Well, now I knew where my sister was spending her time.

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