Page 48 of Collect the Pieces

A slow grin spreads over her face. “Ain’t she cute? Trinity helped me design it. I’ll have to get one for you.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, Margot. Welcome,” Rooster says, moving in behind Shelby and resting his hand at her waist. His gaze shifts to Jigsaw. “Not quite a full house yet. But everyone’s inside.”

Jigsaw tilts his head toward me. “I’ll grab our stuff once I know where we’re staying. That okay?”

“Sure.”

“I think Trinity was puttin’ y’all in the room next to ours,” Shelby says.

“Great,” Jigsaw groans.

“Hush it!” Shelby blushes and laughs.

Rooster just rolls his eyes.

The four of us cross the parking lot. Shelby keeps up a steady stream of chatter, but my anxiety about stepping inside seems to drown out everything else. I smile and nod, but I’m not quite sure anything she’s saying penetrates my fog.

Inside is even more overwhelming. We step into one large, high-ceilinged great room. Close to the door, there’s a wide coat closet, its door left open to reveal a cavernous space full of jackets, footwear, and farther back what looks like a gun safe the size of a small vehicle.

My questioning gaze lands on Jigsaw’s face, but he doesn’t seem to notice my surprise.

“Trinity’s got all the room stuff sorted out here,” Shelby says, pointing to what looks like it’s usually a bar, but tonight is being used like a hotel reservation desk.

Jigsaw looms behind me like my lethal protector as he nudges us closer to the bar. His hand rests at my waist, keeping me close to his body. Is he worried I’m not safe in his club’s house? Or does he realize how nervous I am?

The blonde behind the bar lifts her head and flashes a welcoming smile. “Hey, Jiggy!” Her pretty, light-brown eyes slide to me. “Welcome, Margot.”

“Are we checking in now?” Jigsaw asks.

She lifts one shoulder. “Since a lot of people were coming up, Wrath and I thought it would be easier to keep track of where everyone’s staying and hand out rooms early instead of waiting until the last minute.” Her lips quirk with amusement. “When everyone’s high and horny.”

That’s quite a mental image Trinity just painted. And now it’s seared into my brain—the whole place teeming with bikers drunk, high, and desperate to get their hands on someone.

“If I’d known that, we would’ve come up sooner, “Jigsaw says, casting a stink-eye at Rooster.

Trinity laughs and shakes her head. “Come on now. I got you.” She picks up a tablet and taps her fingers over the screen. “I put you in the room next to Rooster.” She points her finger toward the ceiling at an awkward angle. “Two doors down from the end on the left.”

“Thanks,” Jigsaw says.

“Oh! And we installed new locks on all the doors.” She grabs a green sticky pad, glances at the tablet screen, then jots down a four-digit number. “That’s your code for the weekend. If you have any issues, just let me know.”

Jigsaw glances at the number, then hands the piece of green paper to me.

1051

Easy enough, but I’m still so nervous I’m not sure it’ll stick. I shove the paper in my back pocket.

While we’re still crowded around the counter, a woman in a green sweater and dark jeans walks toward us. “Hi!” She throws her hand up in a quick wave.

Trinity glances up and grins. “Hey, mama bear. Where’d you come from?”

“That’s Hope,” Jigsaw whispers in my ear.

I nod quickly, remembering her from the wedding. Did I say anything embarrassing to her that night?

Hope stops in front of Shelby. “You made it!” she gushes. “I’m so happy to see you.”

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