Page 54 of Hell's Kitten

I didn’t notice, but my mind was so preoccupied that I actually turned up to training late. Noticing at the last moment, I dash through the doors, my apologies at the ready, expecting to see everyone in full warm-up.

They’re all sitting on the floor in a circle.

Some look sad. Some look mad. Tara looks smug, which is never a good sign.

One thing they all look at is me. I pause in my tracks. “Am I really that late?” I say, nervously checking my phone again.

Lakelyn stands up, a concerned expression on her face. She’s holding a letter. Not a printout. An actual letter. I can see by the way it’s been folded. “Jessie,” she says. “I called the committee here early and I guess a few other people got the word, too. We’ve been discussing…well…I…”

“Jessie, it’sbullshit,”Alannah cries, jumping to her feet, her fists balled by her sides.

“Oh, calm down, Connick,” Tara says with a snort, rolling her eyes.

Several of her friends laugh, but as I look around the circle, I realize the guy sitting next to her isn’t one of the guys on the squad. He’s got white-blond hair and a long face with sharp cheekbones. He’d probably be quite attractive if he wasn’t sneering at me.

I don’t recognize him, but he’s holding Tara’s hand, so I assume that’s her rich boyfriend who she’s always bragging about. Luke or something. What’s he doing here?

Alannah comes to stand by my side, placing a reassuring hand on my back.

“Jessie, we have an issue,” Lakelyn says, stopping in front of me and shaking her head.

She looks from the letter to Tara’s boyfriend, and I get the feeling he might have brought it here. I’m not sure why it would have been hand-delivered instead of mailed, but that’s the impression I get nonetheless.

“Honestly,” Lakelyn continues, “I don’t know what to make of it, and even less what we should do. But…someone has made a complaint against the squad. Against you.”

After everything that’s happened this morning, I’m immediately on high alert. “Me?” I say incredulously.

Lakelyn hands me the letter, but my vision is swimming too much to focus on it. “You know how for the Snowdown and all the Cheer First comps, we all have to sign that code of conduct to say that we’re not involved in any kind of illegal activity…” She trails off.

My stomach drops. “No,” I croak out.

“Since when are you in a biker gang, Garras?” Tara asks in mock concern.

“The only way he’s getting in a biker gang is if he’s the pass-around party-bottom,” her boyfriend saysjustloud enough forme to hear. The circle certainly hears, with about a third of them falling around laughing where they sit.

“Shut the fuck up, would you?” Zazzle snaps at him with a roll of her eyes.

My heart is racing, and my palms are sweaty as I turn back to Lakelyn. Her face is anxious, and she nods encouragingly, like I can say something to make this all better.

“M-my boyfriend,” I stammer, trying to think of how I can possibly get out of this. “He’s a biker, yeah. He has friends. They’re in a chapter. The Cardinals. But…they just like riding motorcycles together, for crying out loud! None of that stuff anyone’s saying is true!”

“What are they saying?” Lakelyn asks, her brows creasing.

I throw my hands up, finally losing the battle I’ve been having all day with my emotions. “That they’re involved in drug dealing and prostitution and human trafficking and providing cars for the mafia! And that apparently my boyfriend’s croissants are full of hairballs or something. It’s ludicrous!”

“Then why are the feds at all those businesses checking for just that?” Tara’s boyfriend asks, one eyebrow cocked like he’s really got me.

“Because the mayor no doubt bribed some important people in order to help get his crooked ass reelected,” I snap back.

Several people gasp. Alannah takes my hand and squeezes it.

“Jessie, this here is serious,” Lakelyn says gently, taking the letter back from me.

“You don’t have to tell me,” I scoff.

I watch my captain smooth out the incriminating paper before looking back at me. “Whoever contacted Cheer First says they have solid evidence of your involvement with the gang. They say they won’t go to the police…so long as you drop out of the competition.”

“And the Kittens altogether,” Tara chimes in with a nauseating smile. “We have to protect the whole squad, you see?”

---