Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
It’s organized chaos in the kitchen, and these ladies are definitely not old. There’s Cardi B blaring from the speakers one minute and some Yungblud the next.
I only know this because Beatrice and Jessica have informed me I’m lame for not knowing both singers.
“Take those cookies out, please.” A tall strawberry-blonde with her T-shirt tied in a knot below her boobs tosses me a pair of oven mitts. “They should be done.”
The smell of chocolate hits me when I open the door. “Whoa these look good.”
“Secret recipe. Don’t eat too many or you’ll be fucking looped for a month.”
Carefully, I pull them out, giving her what I know is a puzzled look.
“Oh, lord. Honey, you really are green,” another woman says as she steals one of the cookies, burning her fingers.
After I place the tray on a trivet on the counter, I put my hands on my hips. “Okay, I’m green, I guess. Someone needs to explain. I’m kinda drinking from a firehose around here. Humor me.”
“Pot,” the blonde says laughing. “I made those with pot butter.”
“Oh!” I grin, laughing. “I’ve never tried that.”
The woman who stole one breaks off a bit of her cookie and holds it out to me. I’m already holding up my hands. “Not today! I’ve already had my brain scrambled. But next time.”
She grins. “Skull packing heat? That kind of brain scramble?”
Oh my god. My face burns hotter than the oven.
“That’s a yes,” she says, as she rinses a bowl she made some kind of spicy chicken-wing sauce in.
“I’ve heard he’s hung,” she adds. “Good for you girl. Just don’t choke to death on the thing.”
I’m ready for the floor to open up.
They stop what they’re doing and look at me before breaking out into laughter.
“You should see your face.”
“I can’t help it! I’m not like this…” I wave my hand around. “I live a quiet, peaceful life.”
“Give her the cookie,” the ringleader says, hopping onto the counter. “I wanna watch Skull freak out when she’s high.”
I back away. “Like I said, another day. I promise.”
“We’re holding you to that,” a quieter woman named Whitney says. She wraps an arm around me. “Don’t worry this place will grow on you.”
They share a cookie and the conversation turns to other things, thank god. I make myself busy patting out hamburgers until they rush to the window.
“Speaking of Skull, what in the world is that man up to?”
I wash my hands and join them as the rumbling of motorcycles fills the air.
Standing on my tip toes, I lean over the counter to see out the window next to them.
“What is that?” I ask as confused as they are.
“Looks like someone’s moving in.”
“Or a repo job?” Whitney asks.
Skull climbs out of a sleek black truck, stalks around the front and looks directly at me from across the parking lot. He curls a finger in a come-hither motion.
“Hm.” I frown at him. “Is he calling me to come down there?”
The women all push me toward the door.
Before my brain catches up, I’m jogging across the gravel as the gate swings closed behind the motorcycle convoy that followed him in.
Skull reaches for me, his hand sliding around behind my back as he lowers his mouth to me. “Fuck it’s good to see you.”
“What—”
He kisses me before I can finish asking what’s going on.
When he releases me, he presses a small object into my hand. The metal is warm from being in his pocket.
I open my fingers and burst into tears. “My necklace!”