Page 106 of Beautifully Wounded

“How dearly?” I almost whisper, not even sure if I want to know anymore.

“There’s usually a trial of sorts, done behind the church doors where the members decide as a group how severe the punishment will be, but typically, in the book of by-laws, it states that the member must endure a physical beating until such time that the President grants mercy, or death takes him.”

I gasp, my hands flying to my lips in shock. “Couldn’t they just like, kick the member out or something?”

Jols shrugs. “I’ve only ever seen it happen twice. Smitty let one guy live. He was so broken and bloody he had to army crawl his way out the gates. I still don’t know what became of him. Andwell, there was the other time Smitty let a guy die, but I dare say it’s because his infraction was against my mum.”

“Your mum?” I ask, shocked, my hands falling to my lap again.

“Yeah. Smitty’s my stepdad. They met when she came begging him to help rescue me, and well, they fell in love or some shit.” She shrugs.

“But… I saw…” Frowning, I shake my head in confusion, and Jols smiles.

“She’s his wife. Not his old lady.”

“I’m still confused. He was with those women…”

“Like I said. She’s his wife, outside the club. Occasionally, he goes home to her, and I guess those are the times he’s just a regular man. But in the club, he’s the king. And in the life of an MC, the men can have both a wife, an old lady and also enjoy the Doxies, and no one bats an eyelid.”

Wendy’s words come back to me from our interaction in the laundry room.

“Don’t come crying to me when you marry him thinking you’ve nailed him down, only to find out that I’m his old lady. So while you might end up playing house with him, just remember when he comes to the club, he’ll be balls deep in my arse.”

The dread coursing through my gut feels too heavy, and anger bubbles in my veins at what that means.

But what does it matter to me? I’m here temporarily. What me and Ringo have is a ruse.

But he nearly kissed you, Abbey. He implied it wasn’t just a ruse.

Ugh.

“So they can fool around all they like and it’s not breaking their rules?” I ask, needing that confirmed once and for all.

“That’s right.” Jols nods.

“So what about the wife? Or the old lady? What happens if they fool around?”

Jols’ face falls as she deadpans. “They die. Both the guy they fooled around with and the wife or old lady, whichever it was. There’s usually a fair bit of torture involved, but otherwise, death is how it ends.”

I gulp.

It’s a ruse. It’s a ruse. It’s a ruse.

Shit.

We are lying to the club.

“What about deception to the club?” I ask quietly. “Like lying about a girl that’s been snuck in?”

Jols looks away then, sucking in a deep breath as she glances around Ringo’s room.

“Jols?” I ask, shifting forward on the couch. “What happens if the President finds out I’m not really Ringo’s… whatever, and that I was snuck in?”

Her bright blue eyes return to mine, and this time I can see the worry in them. She studies me, and I wonder if she’s going to lie and sugarcoat her response.

“It’s hard to say exactly. Smitty and Ringo have been tight since long before I’ve been around.”

“What if it was someone else? What if one of the other members snuck a girl in and lied about her being his?”

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