Chapter 4 Storm
FOUR
STORM
DOTTIE
I’m sitting on the couch in the cabin Dani and I share, trying to read this first book in a new series she told me about by Devney Perry, who’s from Montana.
For some reason my mind keeps drifting, as I’ve been on this page for the last, I don’t know, forty-five minutes.
Shit, I know Dani can’t read enough of this Badge of Honor world, especially since our nemesis, D.M.
Earl, is now writing in the author Susan Stoker’s world.
No one can find out who this D.M. author is, who has been writing about our club.
She’s gone so far as to start a spinoff series from that damn signing we all got in trouble for because we went without permission.
That’s why we don’t have our patches yet.
Tink and Glory said we needed to show respect and remember we are a family, not individuals in the club.
We took too many risks while putting ourselves out there to get really hurt, or worse.
Not that I regret going, just that we didn’t think before doing it.
This year we are going again, but with permission from our club.
Actually, Tink decided to open it up to the club so if anyone wants to go they can make their way to Texas in March.
I’m looking forward to it because I’ve read a lot of the authors who are attending this signing.
I really want some of their books so I can get them signed and added to my collection.
Dani is way crazier than me with that kind of stuff, but there are a few of the books I’ve read that I want a physical copy of because they were just that damn good.
I’m glad my twin and I share our love of reading with each other.
Hearing Dani making her way down the hall, I put my Kindle Paperwhite down and grab my ice water, taking a sip.
When my sister sees me in, I guess it’s called the family room, she heads my way.
We were very lucky when Tink was adding more cabins to the ranch; she asked us if we wanted to each have our own or did we want to cohabitate together.
Since that’s all we’ve ever done, we agreed to share a cabin.
Well, let me say this isn’t like some fishing or camping cabin.
It’s three bedrooms with an office and two and a half bathrooms. We each have our own bathroom with a powder room off the hallway.
I know Dani was just as surprised as me when we saw the shell of this place.
Tink worked with the folks from the Blue Sky Sanctuary, along with Panther and his group of guys.
She turned over the project to Kiwi, Peanut, and Duchess and the three of them did a phenomenal job.
There are five new cabins ranging from small to single family homes.
They are built between the ranch and the original cabins.
It’s also where we have our huge pole barns with the survivor areas off a bit, in the back part of the ranch on that side of the property.
That was one of the, what did they call it, caveats since it’s usually the prospects who spend nights in the quarters with those we bring back from breaking up the circuits of human trafficking.
It made sense that our cabins be closer to that area of the ranch.
So out of the five, Dani and I have one.
Kiwi and Peanut each have a small one. One of the single-family homes Tink gave to Cynthia and her two kids.
I think Taz had something to do with that whole situation.
When all that shit went down with Tink’s money disappearing and everyone thinking it was Cynthia, I know my club sister felt bad.
Taz is such a good soul, and I know she spoke to Tink to help Cynthia and her two small kids.
Well, over the years, Cynthia has been living in an older cabin, closer to the survivor area to help out.
She’s proven herself time and time again.
Our prez, Tink, is a very generous person too, so when the house was almost done, she had everyone asking Cynthia what she liked.
When the day came that Tink and Noodles were planning on giving her the title, the home was completed to be Cynthia’s dream home.
Not sure who cried more in that family, but I’m thrilled for all three of them.
“When were you going to tell me about the new man in your life, Dottie?”
Hearing the softly spoken words, I can tell she’s pissed.
Dani is the quiet one out of the two of us.
I don’t usually take any shit from anyone.
Now that’s even worse because I’ve been hanging with Shadow and Spirit, two of the craziest biotches from hell I’ve ever met.
Though I’d never say that anywhere near either of those women.
Don’t want to give them any excuse to kill me and then end up in the ground behind where Shadow works.
“First, there’s nothing to tell. I guess you can say I met Benji, well, he goes by Halo at the sanctuary.
He reminded me of when we left home and I felt sorry for him, so I took him to The Wooden Spirits Bar then you won’t have any problem if maybe Heartbreaker or Kiwi make their interest known?”
Not sure why but I growl under my breath.
Both of my sisters are drop-dead gorgeous.
Not saying I don’t think I’m cute, ’cause I am, in that unique way as I’m covered in tattoos.
There is a reason for that, which is to cover up all the scars on my body and stop all the questions about them.
There’s only one person who knows about them, besides the assholes who put them there, and that is Dani.
She has her own, though not as many or as severe as mine.
I shake my head; I’m not prepared to go back to that time in my life.
Dani grabs a water then comes to sit next to me on the couch, her knees curled under, which is her favorite position.
She’s watching me with a twinkle in her eye and even though I know she’s trying to rile me, I’m not even surprised she doesn’t put herself out there to maybe pursue Benji.
She never would make that jump for any man.
“What, Dani, no interest on your part? I mean, he’s huge, has long hair, and those eyes, damn, they are beyond mesmerizing. I couldn’t tell where the color started or his pupils ended, they are so dark. He’s also damaged, which you are always attracted to, little sister.”
Her face turns pink, which is how I know she’s getting pissed. Dani hates when I call her my little sister. Well she is, as she was born almost six minutes after me.
“Knock it off, Dottie. We’re the same age, for Christ’s sake. Wow, a whole what—five or six minutes doesn’t make you like my older sister. So, can I let our club sisters know what’s his name again, oh yeah, ‘Halo’ is available?”
“Absolutely fuckin’ not, Dani. Quit being a pain in my ass, will you? I can’t understand why you enjoy getting under my skin. Jesus Christ, please stay out of my business as I stay out of yours.”
“WHAT? You stay out of my what? Get a grip, Dottie, will you? I don’t understand why everything with you is such a huge secret. So what? You like the guy, it’s not a big deal. I just want you to be careful with your heart, that’s all. Do you know anything about him at all?”