Page 23 of Flint

“Well, fuck, I guess we can be friends again.” Kitten sure does have a way with words for telling someone she likes them. It just has me shaking my head and grinning.

Prospect smiles at that, chuckling and breaking a sort of intense moment there. I mean, hell, I was even getting a bit into it. The girl might call herself fat, but Prospect’s right, she’s damn attractive. Curves are hot. Of course, the kitten beside me has a hotness to her, too, but that’s not what we’re debating right now.

“I think you broke my friend,” Kitten murmurs.

It’s true. Bailey hasn’t stopped staring since Prospect first spoke. I don’t even think she’s blinked.

“I’ll give you a second to filter through that, honey. If you got a comeback for me later, I’m more than happy to hear it. Gonna go check in.”

I nod in approval and smile in amusement as both girls follow him out with their eyes. I’m not even mad that Kitten is checking out his ass. When a man says shit like that, just lays it all out there, yeah, he’s entitled to strut a bit and get most of the attention. Most, not all, mind you.

I try to pull the conversation back to what I need to know. “What can you tell us about Julianne’s life now? Any issues with people other than her family? Anyone you think would want to hurt her?”

“What?” At least the friend can think again.

“Wait, you don’t think I tripped and fell, do you? What aren’t you telling me?” Kitten’s wide eyes narrow the more she looks at me.

“Just covering all bases. My job is to get your memory back. I’m trying to think of what might trigger you. Also, not many trip and fall off a cliff. There’s a guardrail up there, and unless you intentionally crossed it, sorry, but it doesn’t seem like you have any lack of grace.” I can’t pussyfoot around this anymore if I want to get any real answers out of Bailey. She seems like Mama Bear and Lady, would rather get hurt to keep a friend safe. And sharing info with a biker might be her definition of danger.

“Wow. Okay, so either I did it on purpose to get to you all, or I was, what, pushed over? But why? And by who?”

“That’s what I need to figure out. The VP might claim we owe you, a life for a memory of your life, but I still got to watch the club’s back. If that means I have to interrogate you and get you to remember, only to deal with you after, it ain’t personal.”

“Okay, I really don’t know how to take that. I mean, killing me would be kind of personal, for me at least. I don’t feel like I’m the kind to want to chance my life by sneaking up on a club full of bikers, but what do I know? Bailey, any insights on if I’m a crazy person or not?”

We both turn to look at the girl in the princess costume who’s as wide-eyed as a bug. Probably trying to figure out if I was really going to kill her friend or not, like Kitten said.

“Um, no more than usual. I mean, if we define crazy as you really don’t like crowds, you don’t trust a lot of people because of what your parents put you through, and that people try to take advantage of your good nature all the time. Sorry, but you’re kind of a homebody. You do your job, probably spend more time at the office than needed, and you come home. You talk to me a few times a week, and we go out with some friends from high school a few times a month. You do a little dancing thing like once every few months, but that’s about it. You don’t really date much, honestly.”

I take in the girl beside me. She’s gone completely silent and still. For someone who’s constantly talking or bouncing around and fidgeting, even when she tries to be still, it’s a bit worrisome.

“You okay, Kitten?”

She shrugs. “Not really sure how I feel. It’s weird that people are telling me about me. It sounds like a really dull life. I mean, I got a second chance at it with the whole new kidney, yet I’m a homebody? Guess I ain’t as badass as I hoped I would be. But then on the flip side, I don’t feel like that is who I am, and that’s hard to explain because I really have no idea, just what I am in the last, what, fifteen hours? All I know is I want a Diet Coke and maybe a Snickers.”

“Think we could all use something to eat,” I grunt just as my stomach voices its own opinion at the mention of food.

“Um, I kind of have to get going,” Bailey said. “I’m sick of how I feel with the paint on me. The kids at the children’s hospital might have been cute those first few hours, but playing princess all night wore me out, and as you can see, not everyone was as nice a prince or princess themselves. If you’re okay with it, I think I’m going to go. Unless you need me to stay, Jules.”

“Nah, go. I think I need to rest too. I suddenly feel completely drained.”

“Can I call you? Maybe we can get the group together at your favorite spot in a few days, try and jog the memory or something.”

“I’d like that. But I don’t have my phone.”

“Here, give me yours.” I take Bailey’s phone from her and mess around for a minute before passing it back. “Till we get her a new one, you can call me.”

“You planning on sticking around, then?” She eyes me suspiciously, but Julianne speaks up on my behalf.

“Yup. We’re instant best buddies. Also, he’s ordered to be my stalker now, so where I go, he’ll go.”

I shake my head. “Don’t think that was in the job description, Kitten.”

“But it’s so much more fun this way. Plus, you know you want to hang out, like, all the time. Who else is going to call you a jackass to your face when you deserve it?”

I can think of about twenty guys off the top of my head but keep it to myself. Besides, when they call me that, I don’t get the zing of excitement like when she says it.

I’m so fucked with this chick.

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