Chapter 8 #2
Eve waved me off and kept her eyes on my hands as I worked in the colour with the brush. “It doesn’t bother me. I guess… I guess people think that about me too. That I’m a bit much. Especially the club girls. They don’t know how to take me.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I’m not girly girly, and if they’re being bitches, I tell them, which they don’t like. I even deal out punishments if I have to. Like when they screw over the brothers or hurt one of my people.”
“You’re the alpha female. You have to keep a little distance from the club girls to make sure they do as they’re told.
It makes sense they tread carefully around you, and it’s good to have that distance.
I’m sure the brothers appreciate you being the one to deal with them when they step out.
It’s like that at home with Mum and the club girls.
And I’m sure, like Mum, you have your own posse like Dusty, Courtney, Raya, and Wrenley who would help if asked, right?
They’d do anything for you because you’re their person.
And they aren’t the only ones who would help and enjoy your time and company and call you a friend.
I’ve seen you with a lot of the other brothers. ”
She deadpanned. “I’m Tech’s sister, and we’ve been here for a fucking long time.”
I snorted. “And you think the connection with your brother will make them like you or hang with you? I’m Texas’s sister, but we have our own little cliques.
We both belong to the club and have been around since we were younger.
You’re in a place full of love and care. You belong here as much as Tech does.”
I moved along to another part when she quietly said, “You said you’ve been around the club since you were younger. Not from birth?”
I shook my head. “Nah. Mum and Dad aren’t our birth parents. Which I’m sure you’ve worked out since we look nothing alike.”
She smirked. “I didn’t want to presume.”
“Fair enough. Dodge is our bio uncle. He took us in when I was seven and Texas was fourteen. Our mum passed away in a car accident.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
I gave her a tight smile and shook my head.
“Believe me, Texas and I were better off with Uncle Trey. Huh, I haven’t called him that in ages.
When I was young, I asked if I could call him Dad and Low Mum, and they quickly agreed.
We’re their kids always and forever.” Laughing lightly, I rolled my eyes.
“Sorry, I got off track. Anyway, our bio mother didn’t like us.
Told us all the time. Screamed and ranted and pushed us.
I knew Dad was the best kind of guy out there because he didn’t even know us and yet he was willing to take care of us.
He and Mum made it official soon after Dad brought us home. ”
When I met Eve’s gaze in the mirror, her gaze was hard and her jaw clenched.
“Did I fuck up? Sorry if I said too much. I—” I snapped my lips closed and winced before I went back to finishing the final lower section.
“It’s not you, Rommy.”
I liked when she said my name.
“Parents?” I asked. “Not that you have to tell me. You hardly know me, and I get if—”
“Rommy.” She laughed. “Breathe.”
I took in a deep breath. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise.” She sighed. “I just… I don’t talk to anyone about it.”
“No problem, babe. I’m going to start on the top part now.” I undid her hair and then broke the strands into parts again before starting on the left.
Man, her hair was going to look amazing.
I bet Quake would… quake in his jeans. Ha-ha.
“Tech and I left the house to live on the streets,” she said softly.
I didn’t meet her gaze in the mirror in case she felt uncomfortable. Instead, I hummed and kept working on her hair.
She drew in a shuddering breath. “The streets were hell, but home life had been worse.”
“Sucks when the ones who bring you into the world are the ones who treat you like crap.”
“They hated each other and us just as much. Maybe they would have been… less toxic if they separated, but they didn’t.
They stayed together either high or drunk and cheated on each other.
They were never shy about it either. Tech and I went without a lot.
And their mood swings when they couldn’t get high…
.” She shook her head. “The final straw was when the bitch wanted to get me high and pimp me out at sixteen.”
I stilled, only moving my gaze up to see her hard one.
“Have they been taken care of?” I asked, my own voice like steel.
Her gaze widened. “What do you mean?”
I turned her in the chair around to face me and started at her hairline.
“I presumed your club was like mine when it comes to dealing with our own situations. Like when Channa got noticed by some bad men after she helped my brother in a bad situation, so the club made sure she was protected. Turns out she’s now married to a brother.
Or when a club girl had to go home to see her father before he passed away, but the club knew she didn’t like her home life, so a brother went with her.
Ended up that brother now lives with the club girl’s brother, and the club girl is an old lady to another brother.
Huh, this probably sounds really confusing.
Sorry. I’m getting to a point.” I took a breath.
“Then I heard about other times when people got kidnapped and the club rode in to rescue them while taking the law into their own hands and dealing out any punishment they saw fit.” I sliced a thumb over my neck and dropped my head to the side while gagging.
When I straightened, I finished the last spot at the hairline before I pinched her chin and drew her gaze up.
“Have they been taken care of?” I asked again.
“No. We haven’t seen them or wanted anything to do with them since the day we left.”
“They’re still breathing then.”
She licked her dry lips and nodded.
I spun her chair back around and applied the last of the dye to her hair. “I hope they’re suffering painfully in their hellhole that they created while you and your brother make the most out of the lives you have surrounded by people who love you both.”
When I caught Eve’s watery gaze, I silently cursed myself. Had I overstepped again?
“Sorry, I—”
She quickly reached up and grabbed my wrist, squeezing it. “Thank you.” She sniffed and huffed out a laugh. “I don’t know why I’m leaking. I… I just really appreciate your words—wishing the donors painful suffering.” She snorted.
Grinning, I winked. “Any time.” I stepped back and added, “Now you have to leave it in for half an hour.” When Eve’s phone rang, I busied myself with taking off the gloves and tidying up.
“Dusty, what’s up? … Tonight? … I don’t know …
Yeah, yeah. Okay … I can let Rommy know.
She’s right here. … Yep, later.” She hung up and turned her chair around to face me.
“The ladies want to go to Quake’s bar tonight for drinks to celebrate Texas and Maya’s last night.
Also, apparently Henri needs a night out before he settles into his fathering role. ”
Laughing, I shrugged. “I’m in for sure. Did Dusty already tell Texas and Maya?” I gasped and clapped. “You’ll get to show off your new hair.”
She smiled. “She did. She’s with them now. And let’s hope it’ll look okay.”
“Babe, you could do anything to yourself, and you’d still look hot.”
She blushed. “Ah, thanks?”
“No problem. Now, what’s the best thing to wear to a place like Quake’s bar?” Mum and Dad brought a heap of my clothes from home, as well as my phone, so I wanted to make sure I had the right thing to wear for this occasion. I also couldn’t wait to see Quake’s reaction to Eve’s hair.