Page 80 of Dagger

Kennedy popped a hip again. “I can’t help it if the truth hurts.”

“Except it’s not the truth,” Layla retorted. “Just because I support Bowie publicly doesn’t mean I don’t have my say behind closed doors. I understand that you think a certain way, Ned, but I’m not like you.”

“You don’t say,” Ned muttered, cocking an eyebrow.

“You think you’re so strong, Ned,” Layla responded. “And you are, but everything in your life has come easy to you. You were the best student, the best dancer, the best lawyer: the smartest, the bravest, the most ambitious. I’ve always been at the bottom of the barrel. I was the poorest, the most pathetic, the stupidest. I was always the outcast until I met Bowie. Sunny and I had nothing before the Speed Demons welcomed us into the family. I wish I were more like you. I wish I could tell people to go to hell and do what I wanted, but I’m not built that way.”

“But you are,” Kennedy countered gently. “You’re stronger than you know.”

“You’re right, I am,” Layla agreed. “It was Bowie who showed me, along with the men and the ol’ ladies, and Cara too, but mainly Bowie who made me believe I was more. I love Freya like she’s my blood sister, but Bowie’s my man. We don’t alwaysagree. I challenge him all the time, especially over Freya, but I’ll never do that publicly because he deserves my loyalty more than anybody. He’s my husband and the father of my children. He’s my world.”

“I get it, Layla,” Ned acquiesced. “I even respect it, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of Freya’s feelings. She needed you, but you weren’t there.”

“You were,” Layla pointed out. “Cara was, Cash was, Kit, Sophie, everybody was there for her. If you hadn’t been, I would have, and so would Bowie. He didn’t agree with what they did, but he wouldn’t have let her down if she had nobody else. Neither would I, and I don't think it’s fair that you expect Bowie and I to compromise ourselves. I have no issue with Colt and Freya being together, but I did have a huge issue with how they sneaked around and lied. John and the club have been good to me and Sunny. I didn’t like how Freya and Colt went behind their backs, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love her. I adore Freya, and if she needed me for anything, I’d be there.”

“She was broke,” Ned insisted. “Did you know John froze her credit cards?”

“Bowie told Cash he’d help out financially if she needed it, but Cash said he’d handle it,” Layla threw back.

Kennedy paused briefly before stating, “I don’t agree with what you did.”

“You don’t have to,” Layla replied. “But you can still respect my opinion the same way I respect yours.”

“Hmm,” Ned said thoughtfully, pausing again. “I guess you’ve got a point.”

My mouth gaped, and I twisted toward Kennedy, sucking in a sharp intake of breath when the wound in my hip burned as it pulled.

“You gave in quick,” Cara muttered.

Ned shrugged. “She made a good argument. I may be a shark, but I’m not unreasonable. If you put your point across and it makes sense, I listen. We don’t see eye to eye, but now she’s explained where her head was at, we can agree to disagree and move on.”

“Will you stop making snide comments whenever I say something?” Layla asked. “It’s starting to get me down. It’s a lot to deal with, especially when I’ve just given birth to twins. I’m struggling with my hormones as it is. I mean, jeez, I cry if somebody looks at me the wrong way.”

A look of concern spread across Kennedy’s face. “I didn’t know. To me, it’s just banter. I never realized you were struggling, Layla.”

“I’m not struggling per se, I’m just emotional, and I read into things too much, so when you give me shit, it digs deeper than it would normally.”

“I’ll calm my shit down,” Kennedy promised.

Layla beamed a smile of relief. “Thanks.”

“And that, ladies, is how you deal with your issues,” a voice declared.

My head swiveled right to see Adele watching us with interest, Freya, Sunny, and Kady by her side. I noted her serene expression and how it made her look so much younger. At that moment, I was reminded of what a beauty she was when I first met her; Adele was extremely attractive, with clear, turquoise eyes, smooth skin, and a sheet of long, black, glossy hair that used to skirt her waist. Now, it was cut just past her shoulders, beautifully styled, and no less attractive.

Adele was the polar opposite of me, and I wondered if that had been a subconscious decision on John’s part. He’d already explained how wrecked he was when he went away and met Adele. Maybe he purposely chose someone who would never remind him of the girl who broke his heart.

I couldn’t blame him.

It’s what I would have done.

Adele moved to stand next to me and accidentally brushed my side.

I winced as she caught my injury.

“Are you okay?” she asked, recognizing my discomfort.

“I’m fine,” I assured her. “It’s just a scratch.”

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