Chapter Eleven #2
Cross grasped his hips. He should’ve known.
Aside from Cleo, Hyde’s old lady was the only woman who had a semblance of free reign at the clubhouse.
It was never granted to her. Much like everything involving Penny, she just took it.
Cypher emerged from the kitchen, looking over at the hallway entrance to Ace’s section of the house.
“What’s she pissed about now?” he asked.
Oak was about to answer when the shouting got louder.
“You said six more months, Ace. It’s been nine!”
Oak snorted. “That.”
Both Hyde and Jekyll, who’d been serving a sentence, were due for release three months ago. But like a lot of things in the judicial system, it had been delayed.
Cross walked through the room, and Cypher sidled up next to him.
“I feel like we’re walking into the lions’ den.”
Cross snickered, glancing back. “’Cause we are, brother. No way of knowing what her kind of crazy is gonna bring.”
“Someone needs to remind her ass that this club doesn’t do old ladies,” Oak snapped. While there weren’t many members who’d taken a liking to Penny, some were extremely put off by her attitude. Especially when it came to the MC. Oak was one of them.
Cypher scoffed. “You want to tell her? Or maybe you wanna remind Wraith that this club doesn’t do old ladies?”
Oak’s jaw squared. “Cleo’s different. She’s not a fucking lunatic.”
Cross bit back his smile and gestured for Cypher to follow. He heard a faint chuckle from across the room.
“Valid point.”
Cross smiled at Ghost and made a right down the hall. He slowed his steps as they entered the room. Penny was seated across from Ace. Unlike his president, who was the epitome of calm, she was halfway out of her seat with her hands pressed against the table.
“And you have no idea when he’s getting out? I call bullshit on that!”
Cross shifted his gaze to Ace, who was solely focused on Penny.
“No.” He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know when they will be released. It’s not only Hyde rotting in there by himself. Or did you forget that?”
Penny stilled, and her cheeks pinkened. “How could I forget? I’m the only fucking one who visits them.”
It was true. It was a rule that members couldn’t go for visits with incarcerated brothers. It left too much risk for safety and club business. It had been the same rule when he and all the others had been locked up. Everyone understood and abided by it.
Ace lifted his chin. “What did Hyde say?”
Her shoulders sagged slightly. “He doesn’t know.”
Ace arched his brow. “Then, there’s your answer.”
“You’re an asshole!”
The corner of Ace’s mouth curled into a calm smile. “Yes.”
Penny shot up from her chair and stilled when she saw him and Cypher near the door. He lowered his chin.
“Penny.”
She snorted, ignored his greeting, and her gaze landed on Cypher. “Got something for you.”
Cross glanced up at Cypher, who seemed equally surprised by her statement.
“If you’re looking for the layout of the prison to break him out, I don’t have access to that, Pen.”
“Har-har.” Her mocking tone was more at ease than she’d been with Ace. Everyone had their different relationships with her. Unlike Oak, Cypher had a much better rapport with Hyde’s old lady.
She dug in her pocketbook, pulling out a small slip of paper. “It’s from Jekyll.”
That got everyone’s attention, and they moved closer to the table. Cypher unfolded the paper and furrowed his brows.
“Imogene Peppercorn?”
Who the fuck is Imogene Peppercorn?
Cypher’s lips twitched and he held up the paper. “Is this a joke?”
For the first time since he’d seen her, Penny smiled. “Nope. Believe it or not, that’s her actual government name.”
“Who the fuck is she?” Ace asked.
Penny looked over her shoulder. “Oh, you want me to offer up information, but you refuse to give me any? Yeah, that’s fair.”
A loud rumbling growl echoed through the room. “Penny.”
It was a warning. As Hyde’s old lady, she was given some latitude, especially with him away. However, going up against the president was never a good idea, nor one Hyde would approve of.
“It’s for Jekyll. He asked me to give it to Cypher and have her checked out.”
Cross shared a look with Ace then smirked. “Jek got himself a girl on the outside?”
Moody, violent, and unapproachable. It was the best description for him. Aside from Wraith, there was no one more unfriendly in the club than Jekyll.
Penny raised her brows. “On the inside. She’s the prison librarian.”
What the fuck? Jekyll rarely took any interest in a woman for more than one night. And none of them came close to librarian status. He preferred his women dirty.
“He say why?” Ace asked.
Penny snorted, rolling her eyes. “It’s Jekyll. Of course he didn’t tell me why. I’ve known him for years, and he’s still only said maybe ten words to me.”
Unlike his cousin, Hyde, Jekyll wasn’t known for approachability. His loyalties lay with the club, and the only woman he respected was Inez. And Cleo.
She pointed to the paper in Cypher’s hand. “He said to give it to you. You’d know what he wanted.”
A background check and deep dive into her past. What the hell could possibly pop up from a librarian? Failure to return a book on time?
Penny turned back to Ace. “I’m going to head up again next month. Anything you want me to share with them?”
“No, sweetheart, we’re good.”
Her scowl deepened and she grabbed her bag, hiked it over her shoulder, and stormed out the door.
The room was silent with her echoed footsteps slamming against the hardwood.
Cross took a seat at the head of the table, waiting on Ace.
Any further discussion would wait until Penny was out of their earshot.
When the hallway door slammed shut, Ace sighed, stretching his arms over his head.
“That woman is a fucking handful.”
True.
“Thought you got word they’re getting out in a few months.”
Ace smirked. “I did. But if I tell her, she tells Hyde. This is not the time for him to get comfortable and let his guard down with his release approaching. It’s for his and Jekyll’s safety.”
“She seemed concerned,” Cypher said.
“She should be. Got word this morning. A few transfers upstate. Our guys. Leaves Hyde and Jekyll without much back up. Until now, it hasn’t been an issue but they’re running a lot of things. Without a crew at their backs, it leaves them open for others to come in and try to take over.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Cross said.
“I’ve used up all the favors we got for them. For the next couple months, they’re on their own.”
Fuck. It hadn’t been a long sentence. Two years for the cousins. But it only took a day for things to drastically change in prison.
“A lot can happen in a few months, Ace,” Cross said.
“I know.” Ace sighed, resting his clasped hands on the table, lifting his chin to Cypher. “You let me know when you get info on her.”
Cross glanced over at the piece of paper. He was equally intrigued.
Imogene Peppercorn.
Who the hell are you?
The conversation abruptly ended with the knock on the door. Oak peeked inside.
“Satan’s are here.”
They were dropping off the cash for the next order. It would be a quick meeting.