Chapter 33 #2
“C’mon. I’m done talking. We need to go get our girl.” I head for the door, striding through the lobby and following the signs to the staircase near the back that leads to the basement.
Partway down, there’s a paper sign that reads, Dirty Darlings Enjoy Going Down. The words are accompanied by an arrow with a hot dog and tongue emoji.
“What the fuck?” I mutter, pointing at it as I walk by. “Doesn’t seem very biblical if you ask me.”
Someone behind me snorts.
“Smut Club is starting to make a whole lot more sense,” Ridge says.
I pause, looking over my shoulder. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“That night she was drunk, she mentioned something about Smut Club. I thought she was just being sarcastic.” He shrugs. “Apparently not.”
“Hold up.” Memphis grips my shoulder as I hit the last step and make my way toward the low din of voices now audible from deeper inside. “Our girl has been going to this Smut Club, obviously knows our mamas… What are the chances they’re reading your books?”
The second we round the corner, a large circle of women turn in unison to stare in horror at the group of confused men looking back at them. I see paperbacks in some of their hands. Kindles in others. Then I see the familiar front cover of Faking It Next Door.
Fuck my life.
“Chances are pretty damn good.” Stalking closer, I lock eyes with the one woman in the room who isn’t wide-eyed or trying to slip their smut into a bag.
No, her eyes are narrowed on me and her arms crossed over her chest as if daring me to start something.
“You gonna stick with the Bible study excuse, firecracker?”
“Who told them where to find us?” Sally whisper-shouts, glaring at the entire group of women.
Shay’s lips quirk up into a wicked smirk that’s so sharp, it’ll leave scars. “What? Don’t want me reading your girlfriend’s books?”
Confusion rushes through me.
Girlfriend?
“You think Eden Foxx is my—”
“Girlfriend. I didn’t stutter. How else would you explain the packages addressed to your house with her name on them next to yours?
If not your girlfriend, she’s someone important to you that you neglected to mention.
” Her head tilts, and her eyes go all innocent-like.
“Unless, of course, a family member of yours is sending you lube and kinky crocheted figures. Not really my kink, but I won’t yuck your yum. ”
The group’s full attention is volleying between the two of us. A couple of them are slowly trying to extricate themselves to avoid being drawn into this juicy bit of Darling gossip. I doubt Ruth Brown wants her husband—the pastor—to know about this little scandal.
A whole underground smut club right under everyone’s noses. The horror.
“Personally, I find it a little tacky that you’re receiving shit like that while you’re courting an Omega like my friend. Seems like something that should’ve been mentioned before you fucked her through her heat, if you ask me,” Jules adds, mimicking her friend’s pose.
“Oh boy. Here we go,” Kash mutters.
“Shay, let me explain,” Aunt Ronnie begins.
“Mama, we’ve got this.”
“Apparently the fuck not, Memphis,” Mama snaps. “You’re just letting her stew in her pissed off juices.”
The pissed off Omega shrugs. “It’s fine, Ash. Apparently, your boys just couldn’t be bothered with telling me the truth. I must’ve not been important enough.”
Memphis growls. “You know that’s not true! We fucking love you, Shay Bennett.”
A chorus of quiet sighs spill free from some of the women in the room.
“You accept packages of sex toys for another woman, and you still have the nerve to tell me you fucking love me?” she growls back, getting to her feet.
Jules follows her, then points at her guys. “Ah ah, boys. You want your dicks to remain intact, you’ll stay over there and let me defend my friend.”
“Daisy, is that why you always cover your boy parts when you and mama are about to fight?” Charlotte asks Kash.
Jules groans. “Jesus, Kash. You brought Charlotte with you?”
“How the hell was I supposed to know we were going to some secret dirty book club? I was told it was Bible study.”
“You all are getting kicked out of this club. You broke Rule Number Two!” Sally hisses.
“Sweet pea,” Jules murmurs calmly. “Cover your ears and pretend you didn’t hear whatever you just heard.”
“Like with the vibrating stick?”
“Goddammit!” Jules glares at Wyatt. “This is your fault.”
“What the hell did I do?” the Beta mutters.
“Just plug the vibrator in and leave it on the counter. I’ll put it away in the morning,” she says in a pretty damn good Wyatt impression.
“What’s a vibrator?” Charlotte asks.
“Charlotte Rose! Ears. Now,” Jules barks.
Ignoring all of them, I take a step closer. “Firecracker, please. If you would just hear us out, there’s a logical explanation. Why don’t we all go back to the ranch? We’ll tell you everything.”
She shrugs as if she doesn’t give two shits. “Maybe I don’t want to. You had plenty of opportunities to tell me whatever it is you’ve been whispering about behind my back. I’ll talk to you when I’m good and ready to talk to you, and not a moment sooner.”
“Baby girl, please,” Lyon murmurs, his tone soft and pleading.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t just give you all the middle finger and call this whole thing off right now. No excuses, no bullshit. One reason, or I walk.”
Taking a deep breath in, I exhale and let my shoulders relax despite the tension making my spine rigid. Every eye in the room is on me, and I catch Mama and Aunt Ronnie giving me a small nod in perfect unison.
“You don’t need to worry about Eden Foxx…because I’m her.”