Page 19 of Pieces We Keep

Despite his threat, I realize I can save so much time by not playing the Uber game. Every minute I’m not hiding from the Rogers family is time I can spend with Eagle.

RHETT

All Friday, I’m ina shit mood. Irina seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, even though she’s only twenty minutes away at the Rogers estate.

Back when Marky died, I wanted concrete answers from Irina. She might be a spy. She’s clearly hiding something. I refused to be denied the truth.

Now, after sitting through our weekly parties, only to find myself alone, I don’t give a shit about answers. I only want to know if Irina still exists.

Mostly, I miss the way she made me feel. I’ve started second-guessing what we shared. I also worry she’s in danger. What if Todd Rogers lashes out at her when he can’t hurt the club?

Around two in the afternoon, Tomcat gets annoyed with my pacing and slips me a roofie.

Even groggy, I manage to knock him down and force-feed him a large chunk of cheddar given to me by Martin “Walla Walla” Carter.

“No means no, Tomcat!” hollers our big blond friend as he digs around in the fridge for more crap I should shove into the struggling man’s mouth.

“Don’t kill him,” Armor says half-heartedly as he walks through the family room. “The world couldn’t survive such a loss.”

“That’s sarcasm,” Goose adds from her spot on the couch. “But seriously don’t kill Tomcat. I’m not looking to dig a hole today. My back hurts from getting fucked against a wall.”

“You’ve got to take better care of yourself,” Dice tells her from his spot next to Yagger on the floor, where they take turns with a blunt. “Do stretches first. Make sure to find partners capable of safely carrying you.”

Goose narrows her blue eyes. “Did you just call me a wide load?”

“No,” Dice replies, narrowing his brown eyes, “I called your dude lovers a bunch of weak-kneed fucking pussies.”

“But this guy was buff.”

Yagger snickers. “So, what was the problem?”

“He just kept banging me against the wall.”

“That’s hostility,” Yagger insists. “You’ve got to slap men when they act that way. Don’t let them mistreat you.”

Goose frowns, struggling to decide if they’re mocking her.

---