Page 20 of Jagged Little Pieces

“Like me?”

“No, like the people your mom spends time with.”

“Well, apparently, she spends time with gangsters, and I can’t imagine they’re particularly uppity. But to answer your question about Goose, she’s the only girl member of a motorcycle club. I don’t know much else about her, but I suspect she isn’t uppity at all.”

Coco grins at me and fixes her hair. “Let’s go check on them.”

We leave the room and find Matthew outside in the hallway. Down in the other direction, I spot one of the estate’s security personnel. He gives me a slight head nod, and I assume I must look frightened.

The mansion’s wide, bifurcated staircase brings us to the main floor, where I find Hunter standing around, seeming lost. Her blue eyes focus on me. Her thoughts seem to tumble into the past. I don’t know if my expression reveals how guilty I feel, but she hugs me.

“I’m sorry about Pudding Paws,” Hunter says, sounding impersonal.

My younger sister releases me from the hug and glances at Coco. “This ought to make an interesting story for you to tell.”

“Sure. Not something I think about, of course.”

Hunter returns her gaze to me. My sister also inherited our mother’s red hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. I’ve heard men refer to her as the porn actress version of Molly Ringwald. I think it’s her pixie bob haircut mixed with her natural curves.

“I’m sorry you got roped into this,” I say when she only looks at me.

Wearing a gray tank top, camouflage-style pants, and sandals, Hunter was likely enjoying a relaxing afternoon when my problems dropped into her life.

She crosses her arms, seems to think she looks too stern, and allows her arms to hang loosely at her sides. Shrugging, she glances toward our mother’s office.

“I was just at rehearsal when Tack said something was going down and I needed to be secured. Mom called a few minutes later. I wanted to go home, but they felt the estate was safest.”

“Should I head home?” Coco asks, seeming insecure around Hunter despite them always getting along.

Shaking my head, I reply, “I’d rather you stay until we know what happened to any of the men who got away.”

“Why would they care about me?”

“Why take the chance?” I ask and nudge her hand with my knuckles. “Besides, I need you to distract someone.”

Coco gives me an eye roll, but I bet she’s wondering where Goose is right now. I’m thinking the same about Walla Walla.

“Who were these bikers who helped you?” Hunter asks. “The ones before the Backcountry Kings showed up.”

“They’re from McMurdo Valley,” I say, studying her face for signs she’s rattled by bad memories. “Do you remember that club?”

Hunter stares into my eyes, daring me to mention my old hometown. For years, she’s claimed to hold zero grudges against me over what happened. We’ve gone to family therapy. She never lashes out at me.

Maybe that’s why I don’t believe Hunter’s truly gotten past what happened. As sisters, we ought to bicker over things. Instead, she remains agreeable like she’s one of the employees. I know Hunter doesn’t behave that way with her friends.

“You had a crush on one of them,” she finally replies.

“He’s the guy who saved us,” Coco says and glances around. “Tall, blond, handsome, very impressive. Kinda reminds me of Tack.”

Hunter finally shows her fiery side by scowling at Coco. “Leave it alone.”

Feeling frisky, Coco doesn’t stand down. “It’s cute how you have a bodyguard.”

“He’s hung up on the idea of me,” Hunter says and runs a hand through her long pixie haircut. “There’s nothing cute about him wasting his life on a fantasy.”

In the past, when I was a wild girl with delusions of grandeur, I’d have stepped between the two of them and said they were both right. Or maybe they were both wrong. It didn’t matter. We’re on the same team. No need to pick at each other. I’d convince them to settle down.

But my wild ways were an addiction. Like booze for an alcoholic, I had to give up my carefree, confident heart completely if I wanted to be free of it.

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