Page 7 of Wildcard

I didn’t cave the last time he came calling and I’m not now. I’m convinced this is about money. He needs it and wants it from me. Well, I’m not my mother. He can beat me all he wants; he’s not taking my hard-earned cash. Primarily because it belongs to me, but also because I have Noah to think about, and he’s working hard to get on track and go to school. We’re planning a future. I rented a cute cottage, and Noah needs a nice room to make his own. A place we can finally call home.

Then, out of nowhere, Wildcard comes into the diner early this morning and says we’re anus.Anus!To add to my dilemma, he knows that my father was out there last night, which also meanshewas out there.

Here we are, Noah and me rebuilding a family, Dad’s up to his old tricks and scrounging for money, and Wildcard, the sexist man I’ve ever met, who makes my heart skip a beat whenever he’s around, tells me he’s wading in to take care of me.

There’s no amount of chamomile tea that can calm my nerves, and that leaves only one solution: calling in the girl posse. I’ve never had one before, but when the Lady Pride adopted me into the girl crew, I was thrilled. Being around Ava, Vi, and the rest makes me feel like I belong. I’ve had friends, but none like these women. They care about me, and not just because the guys have taken Noah under their wing.

Ava was the first to reach out to get me settled in town. Vi spoke to Millie about giving me a job and a place to sleep, then encouraged me to get my small business started. Willow has been a total doll. She was the first to wear an original Charlotte Venti gown. I think this is my passion, wedding dresses. The expression on Willow’s face when she put on my dress is something I’ll never forget.

The list goes on, with Maddie coming to visit with her sweet little girl, Amelia. When does a superstar rock singer make time for me? Maddie does because she’s all heart. Sofia and her little boy, Dean, came as well. Sofia is a supermom. She runs her own law practice and is a wonderful mother.

Daily, I’ll get someone dropping by. Hanna, Izzy, Abigail, Camille, they’ve all been great. These ladies have helped pull me together when I was at my lowest point. I’d do anything for them.

I hesitate to call, but I think I need to understand what kind of talk Wildcard and I will be having tonight, and who better to educate me on biker speak than Ava? Ava’s Guard’s wife and the mother of their two amazing little boys, Gavin and Ryder. She’s also called the Queen of Satan’s Pride, which makes sense considering she’s married to the president of the club.

Ava answers the phone. Call display is a wonderful thing. “Hey, Charlotte, how’s everything going?”

“I’m good.” I’m second-guessing my call now. She’s going to think I’m a complete dork.

“You don’t sound it. Something’s up.”

“It’s just that Wildcard came to see me this morning, and he’s coming back tonight to finish our…uh…talk.”

Ava laughs. “Well, it’s about time he made his move. We’ve all been wondering what’s been taking him so long.”

“Ava, I don’t exactly know if this is a good thing…for me. There’s stuff Wildcard doesn’t know about me. If I let myself, I’ll fall hard for him, and I can’t lose myself. I-I just can’t,” I say frantically.

“Whoa, whoa. Who says you need to lose yourself? Calm down, sweetie. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“I’m working.”

“We’ll talk in between customers. On my way.” She hangs up before I can stop her. In a way, I’m grateful. I can use her words of wisdom, and I know she’ll tell me like it is.

It’s closer to forty-five minutes later, and when Ava arrives, right behind her are Maddie, Vi, Izzy, and Abigail. I watch as they secure a corner table, or should I say tables, as they push several together and pull the chairs in before taking their seats.

“Did you call in the troops?” I joke.

Ava giggles and says, “I know that things have been tough for you and Noah. I also know that we’ve all had our own brand of drama. Our Pride men, when they commit, it’s real. I think you can look around this table and each one of us will tell you how much better off we are with our guys. Unfortunately, you only get five stories today. Sofia has court, Camille can’t leave the clinic, and Hanna’s in the middle of a big order, but you get all of us,” she says brightly.

“I have to go first. I have to get back to the library,” Abigail says. “Oh, and can I take my tea to-go?”

She’s so adorable, I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.

One by one, I hear how each couple came to be, starting with Ghost and Abigail. I listen to how Ghost saved Abigail from some very dangerous men and then tried to keep his distance to keep her safe, but all she wanted was him. Izzy explains the strange meeting with Saint when she knocked some girl out with her boot to save Demon and Sofia and how he wouldn’t leave her alone until he knew she was all right. Maddie tells a terrifying story about her stalker and how War helped her over her fears. I wept for all their happy endings.

In the end, it was Ava, Vi, and me left at the table. Millie insisted I take some time to chat with my friends during a lull.

“Orion and I almost didn’t make it. Stubborn pride and bad choices almost tore us apart. If it weren’t for our sweet Hanna, who spoke to Orion, I don’t know where Gabby and I would be today. I let my fear guide me, and I kick myself every day for letting that happen,” Vi admits.

“Our Hanna?” I say, surprised. She’s like the calmest of us all.

“Yeah, and when Orion got in her face, I thought Risk was going to lose his mind,” Ava adds.

“I wish I’d been there to see that!” Vi exclaims with a chuckle. “I’ve got to go get the kids. I’ll check in with you later,” she says, giving me a warm hug before heading out.

“Did you save the best for last?”

“Of course!” Ava puts her elbow on the table, cheek in palm. “You know, Guard knew from the first moment he saw me that I was his one. I wasn’t so sure. I’d lost my first husband a few years prior, and I didn’t want to love anyone else that way. Guard taught me that existing wasn’t enough. Life needs to be experienced. And when I thought his life was in danger, I knew I had to protect him. It turns out it was me who needed saving, but the moral of the story is to let the past be a lesson, but be sure to move past it so you can have a beautiful future.”

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