Page 40 of Arrow: Riding Rebels MC

No one really knew this about me, but I loved surprises. Arrow going out of his way to put a smile on my face was very on brand for him. Since meeting him, I could tell he cared about the way I saw the world—it actually meant something to him.

Jalanea giggled and cleaned up the mess we made.

“Thank you again for this. Hold on a sec’ so I can tip you.”

“You’re welcome and no need. My tab and tip have been handled by Arrow already. Let me get out of here. I have to pick my daughter up from school, and I need to stop at the store first.”

“Oh, okay!” I laughed. “Okay, thank you again!”

I walked Jalanea to the door, and there was another lady pulling into the driveway.

The two did air kisses before separating. This woman had four garment bags draped over her arm, and I knew my outfitfor tonight would be in one of those bags. When she climbed the stairs, she looked at me from head to toe and hummed. I looked down and suddenly felt self-conscious.

Instead of greeting me, baby girl tried to walk past me into the house, so I stepped in front of her and blocked her access.

“Excuse you. Do you mind moving?”

“I do when you come into my space without at least a hello. I’m not sure who pissed in your cereal, but it wasn’t me, so you can dismiss the attitude, or go on about your way. That kind of energy will not cross this threshold.”

“You do know that this ain’t your shit, right? You are a pawn. Arrow is simply using you to make Izzy jealous.”

Although I would never show it, her words struck a nerve, but instead of showing how much it did, I smiled.

Over these last two months, Arrow had never shown me that I wasn’t it for him. By her words, I knew she was friends with Izzy and trying to make things seem a different way than they were. It was messy and uncalled for, but her intention was clear. We had a stare off before an idea came to me, and I grinned. She looked at me like I was psycho, and that was okay because behind Arrow, I’d be that.

I crossed my arms over my breast and popped my hip.

“Call Arrow so we can check if he’s using me to make your friend jealous.”

“You’re doing too much?—”

“Well, you’re not doing enough. Either you can call him, or I can, but one way or another, he’ll be on the phone.”

I was praying she wouldn’t call my bluff because I had no way of reaching him by phone.

Silently, I let out a breath when she sucked her teeth and pulled out her cell phone. It took longer than it should have for her to call him, but I could see her texting. She was probably talking to Izzy and speaking negatively, but I didn’t care.

I didn’t bother nobody, so she shouldn’t have approached me with an attitude.

“Everything straight, Steph?” Arrow asked after the first ring.

“Not really. Your house guest is blocking me from enteringyourhouse. Can you tell her to move so I can do what you paid me to do.”

Arrow chuckled, but it wasn’t the one he used when he actually found things funny.

“Nah. You can go. I also expect a full refund since you won’t be fulfilling your services.”

Three beeps sounded, and Steph’s mouth dropped as she stared at her cell phone.

I chuckled, turned around, and walked into the house. For too many years, I allowed a man that was supposed to love me, do whatever he could to hurt me. Now that I had set myself free, I refused to put up with crap from a stranger. Closing the door on her felt good.

Now to figure out what to wear since my choices never made it through the door.

“Yeah, put that over there.”

I groaned as I stretched and frowned because when had I fallen asleep?

“This looks real good.” There was a pause before I heard a loud smack. “You being real selfish! Y’all not even gon’ eat all of this.”

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