Thirty
Scarlett
T he delicious scent of cinnamon and vanilla wraps warmly around me as I follow James into the kitchen.
“Damn, Carrie. Smells fuckin’ delicious in here,” James offers to the smiling face standing at the small kitchen island. It’s definitely smaller than our kitchen and dining room in Vegas, but it still looks fully stocked and ready to feed an army.
“You know I had to make a little something special after hearing you were bringing someone home with you,” she says as her twinkling eyes meet mine.
“Scarlett, this is Carrie. And Carrie, this is Scarlett,” he makes a simple introduction.
“It’s really nice to meet you,” I offer.
“You too, sweetheart,” she smiles back.
“Thank you for cooking, and also for making sure we had clean bedding,” I add, knowing that she’s the one who took care of that.
“Not a problem at all. Actually, I was happy to do it. The way this boy flew outta here, I had a feeling a fresh set of sheets was in order,” she replies before starting to push a pan filled with something deliciously gooey across the counter top. “Here…here…I just put the frosting on. They’re still warm.”
“Are they cinnamon rolls?” I question feeling my eyes widen at the sight of the sugar-coated treats.
“Yup, and they’re all yours, so eat as many as you want. There’s also milk or juice in the fridge, and of course we always have hot coffee,” Carrie starts to rattle off beverage options.
“Not so fast,” James cuts in. “She’s gotta share ‘em with me,” he offers an easy laugh.
“I guess I could share one or two, but only if you pour me a cup of coffee first,” I smile back.
“Of course, darlin’. You can have anything you want,” he whispers against my ear in the voice that makes my insides turn to jelly and I feel my cheeks flush as he turns away, reaching for two coffee mugs.
???
A quarter of my huge cinnamon roll still sits on my small plate as I sip what’s left of my coffee. They were as delicious as they looked, but also incredibly filling. I can’t believe James polished off two of them.
“You done, baby?” he questions softly.
“Yeah. It was so good, but I just can’t take another bite,” I smile back, lightly patting my now full stomach.
I watch as he pinches it between his fingers and pops the last little bit into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it quickly.
“How about we take a little walk out to the garage so I can pull out that spare bike and make sure she’s running smoothly? Then we can go for a ride and I’ll show you the sights,” James offers.
“You go on ahead to check on the bike. I’d like to sit here for another minute and finish my coffee,” I tell him.
“You sure?” he asks, his brows pinching.
“Positive. I’ll find you when I’m done,” I assure him.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a few,” he says before leaning down and covering my lips with his.
After James steps out of the room, I finally take a minute to check my phone and find a new text from Roxy.
*You little sneak. I can’t believe you ran off with him without telling me. And I really can’t believe that Ray let you. You better give me all the gossip when you get back home. Xo
Hearing a noise, I lift my gaze just in time to see Carrie step back into the room. I offer her a smile before lifting my mug and taking another small sip. She immediately goes to work, adding a few plates to the dishwasher before starting a cycle.
“I’m happy to help, if you need me to do anything,” I offer.
“That’s nice of you to offer, darlin’, but you’re a guest in this house. Just relax and enjoy your coffee,” she instructs with a smile.
“How long have you been taking care of this crew?” I ask.
“Well, I’ve been around them since I was about seventeen,” she offers setting her dishrag down on the counter and leaning on her elbows. “But the real work didn’t start until I was closer to your age. That was when E. finally made an honest woman of me,” she laughs and I can’t help but giggle.
“So, you’ve known James a long time,” I state, hoping she’ll offer more.
“Since he was just a baby,” she answers. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen him like this though.”
“Like what?” I question.
“In love, sweetheart,” she offers and I feel my chest flutter as heat starts to rise in my cheeks.
“He hasn’t told you yet, has he?” she asks and I shake my head, still too shocked to find words.
“Trust me, he does. I’ve seen a few of these boys fall. More often than not, it takes them a minute to realize it themselves. But he’ll tell you,” she says.
“Believe it or not, I met your dad and some of the Vegas boys years ago at a rally. I think you were probably just a tiny little thing back then though. And I have to say, I’m glad to see that you’ve grown up into such a well-adjusted young woman. I know this life can be hard, especially for the women who live in it and around it,” she acknowledges a fact that most just ignore.
“Thank you. It definitely wasn’t the easiest way to grow up, but it’s all I know. But now, being with James, it feels more comfortable,” I share.
“Hopefully you can say the same for the rest of this crew after tonight. Everyone was so happy to hear that Shark was making a trip home that they planned a little barbecue for later today. I think the ladies are hoping to keep it tame, but you know how much these guys love their parties,” she smiles and I can’t help but release a short laugh.
I swallow my last sip of coffee and Carrie instantly reaches out her hand. “Let me take that for you,” she offers.
“Thank you,” I reply, standing from my seat. “I think I’ll go see if I can find James out in the garage.”
“Have fun, sweetheart. I’m sure I’ll see you later,” Carrie offers as I make my way back out of the kitchen. She’s definitely a mother hen. It’s easy to see why James made the comparison between her and Trish.
As I walk down the hallway, I decide to make a quick stop back in James’s room to grab a sweatshirt. South Carolina feels cold compared to Vegas. After pulling the soft gray sweatshirt over my head, I’m back in the hallway, rounding the corner to the large main room.
Shit.
The eyes of three giggling brunettes turn and fall directly on me. They don’t look like the typical club whores who are constantly hanging around the clubhouse in Vegas, but I instantly have my guard up.
“You must be Scarlett,” the tiniest one, wearing a red tube top, grins at me.
“Yeah,” I nod hesitantly.
“I’m Cora, Ryder’s fiancé,” she announces proudly and I release the breath I had been holding.
Thank God. They’re not some nasty girls who are going to try to rip into me like I'm the competition.
“This is Ayla, and that’s Jade,” she points to the other two, who are smiling back at me. “We’re heading out to get our nails done and you’re coming with us,” Cora announces, her eyes shining with pure delight.
“Uh…” I stutter in response.
“Don’t even bother. It’s a losing battle,” the one named Ayla grins. “She already gave Shark an earful when he tried to argue with her,” she adds.
“Okay. Um… Can I at least go out to the garage to say goodbye?” I question, feeling completely frazzled under their watchful gazes.
“Of course you can,” the one named Jade speaks up. “Don’t let Cora’s loud mouth scare you. Go on and see your man. We’ll meet you outside,” she smiles.
???
Sitting in the nail salon, I watch as my nails change from an old outgrown pale pink to a fresh bright purple. I’ve been listening to the three girls chat since I sat down, and I feel like I already know them.
I’ve learned that Cora and Ayla are BFFs from New Hampshire. Apparently, they met the guys at a rally and followed them back to South Carolina. Now they’re both engaged to the president and vice president. It truly sounds like something you would read in a book.
Jade is a different story. She’s the daughter of a southern politician, but she ended up in Rock Hill after a falling out with her family. I guess everything is good now, but she stayed here after finding Fifty, the other enforcer of the Rock Hill charter.
These girls definitely like to talk, especially Cora. I’ve barely gotten a word in, even when she asks me a question. I honestly don’t think she’s stopped talking for more than thirty seconds since we left the clubhouse.
Other than Roxy, I’ve never had many real girlfriends. I have Trish too, but she’s always been more of a parental figure, not necessarily a friend that I want to share with or confide in. Not that she would, but there’s always the potential that she could report everything back to my dad. And all the other women in my life have been strippers, or something similar.
It’s been an almost constant rotation of different women going in and out of my life as I grew up. Some of them were nice and at least attempted to be friendly, but most were cold and distant, thinking I was just an obstacle as they tried to sink their claws into my father. What they didn’t seem to grasp was that I was never a hinderance. If Ray had wanted to settle down with any one of them, he would have.
I was young at the time, but from what I’ve been told, he changed when my mom left. She was all he wanted, but then she left us. He shut down after that. He only had love for me and Sonny, and the club. The revolving door of women was just his way of having some type of release, there was no love behind it.
This group of girls is completely different from what I’m used to. They actually want to talk to me and get to know me. They’re not just being nice to get close to my dad. And it’s clear that they aren’t just letting the guys use them for sex, they have real relationships and rings on their fingers. This is a different world from the Vegas clubhouse, and I have to admit, I love it already.