Page 34 of Trip

16

JJ

She was more nervous than she’d ever been. Meeting the Phantoms as Trip’s old lady was huge.

Even though she’d met a lot of them at the shoot, that was as a model, not as one of them or one of them adjacent or whatever old ladies were.

The way Trip spoke about them, she knew how much they meant to him. Even when Trip had promised to always believe her and take her side against anyone, she felt the words, except the Phantoms, went unspoken but understood.

She glanced behind them as they entered the Phantoms’ compound, to ensure Meri’s Lexus was still there, and of course, it was. JJ had this sense of something toward them she couldn’t explain since she found out Jake had been there with them. Maybe it was responsibility or guilt, but it was overwhelmingly protective.

While she trusted Trip one hundred percent that Jake wouldn’t bother them again, she wanted Meri and the kids there with her. Weird, I know.

Maybe it was because in the back of her mind, she knew Jake wasn’t taken care of just yet. She could see it in Trip’s eyes every time she brought the subject up. It was also in the evasive but firm way he spoke about how he wouldn’t be a problem.

JJ may know nothing about the motorcycle club lifestyle beyond romance novels and TV shows, but she knew how fiercely protective and rabidly loyal Granite, Trip, Pound, Whiskey, and Taps were. She had no doubt the other Phantoms were the same.

It had been one of the many reasons she wasn’t even going to tell him the truth, but now that she had, she had no reservations about what was going to happen to Jake soon. She didn’t know how or when, but Jake would meet his end. Her only pause about it was who would do it and if they’d get caught. She didn’t want Trip to live with taking a life or get locked up.

However, stopping him would be like trying to pass a field sobriety test during a seven-point-two earthquake. She’d made peace with that and with the fact she was positive this wouldn’t be the first or last time Trip took a life. He didn’t have to say it for her to know the truth of it.

Trip dismounted his bike first and pointed Meri toward some other cars. Then he helped JJ remove her helmet and get off the bike. They got lost making out when a throat clearing pulled them out of their bubble.

When she turned, Taps grabbed her and spun her around. “Put my woman down, asshole,” Trip ordered.

Taps set her back on her feet and turned to Trip. “Aw, is someone jealous?”

Trip’s answer was a growl.

“No need to be jelly, I still love you just as much.” No sooner than the words left his mouth, he picked Trip up the same way and spun him around while humming “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”.

“Put me down, dickbag.”

“Taps, give us five.”

“No fun,” Taps grumbled, but the man did a complete personality swap. It was almost disturbing. JJ recalled something similar at the photo shoot when Taps was spun up. A word from Granite and he completely changed.

She saw him tap his watch as if setting a timer and saying five is all you’re getting. Instead, he said. “Hey, Mer.” And waved at her and the kids.

Everyone was welcoming to the point it was almost overwhelming. They’d planned a big New Year’s Eve bash, and Trip seemed anxious about the whole thing. But maybe she was reading into it.

Pound stepped forward with a few members she hadn’t met yet. “Trip, go get everyone settled inside, we’ll grab the bags.” As he spoke, Meri handed him the keys. Trip led them all inside.

The clubhouse was a little intimidating. From the large, orange-shrouded phantom on the side of the building, to the stripper pole in the main bar where they entered.

Thank God there wasn’t a stripper writhing around on it. Totally not cool for two kids. There were a few ladies walking around in revealing clothes, but they weren’t too indecent. They seemed nice and normal. She’d ask Trip about them later. The books she’d read called them sweet butts or something and made them sound like jealous sluts.

“Trixie, can you show Meri and Crissy to the guest room at the end of the hallway?” Taps turned to James. “You can bunk down there in Thunder’s old room. Follow me.” She watched as Meri and Crissy disappeared down one hallway while Taps punched in a code and led James down another.

People were running around cooking and talking. “This place is freaking huge. Holy moly. I noticed when we pulled up, there’s a million hallways. Did it used to be a hotel or something?”

“Something. It was built by a polygamist who had seven wives, and I don’t even know how many kids. Built houses out back when he ran out of room in here. Come on, I’ll take you to my room. I’ll give you the grand tour later.”

“Okay.” She laced her fingers with his and let him guide her down the hall that Taps disappeared with James just moments earlier. “Why the security?”

“Why not? Better safe than sorry, right?” He unlocked the first door on the left, and his scent overwhelmed her. There was no doubt this was his room. It was fairly spartan, decorated in muted masculine colors, and was in slight disarray.

“That’s an evasive answer if I ever heard one.”

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