Chapter Twenty-One
“Jenna, this is Hex, my president, and Elizabeth, his old lady.” Roadkill took her to the booth where Hex and his woman sat.
“Nice to meet you,” Jenna said, holding a hand toward to Hex, who shook it, then she turned to Elizabeth, and did the same.
“Nice to meet you too,” Elizabeth said. “Have a seat,” she nodded across the table. “Who’s that?” She tilted her head toward the bar.
“My sister, Lacey.”
Hex craned his neck to look around Roadkill toward Jenna’s sister.
“Damn, she’s young. She can’t be legal.” He’d obviously spotted the drink in front of her. Roadkill knew the instant his president realized Joker was the one beside her. His whole body relaxed. “He knows how old she is?” Hex’s gaze flicked to Roadkill.
Jenna turned to look at her sister then back to his president. “Joker? Yeah, he knows. He helped her with her homework, then she spent the rest of the afternoon in the shop with him and Papa Smurf.”
Hex nodded once. “Then she’s in good hands. He won’t let anything happen to her.” He frowned. “Not going to sit?”
Jenna flushed then slid into the booth seat, moving all the way across. Roadkill sat beside her, close enough he could reach over and touch her if he wanted but not close enough she’d feel crowded, or at least he hoped she wouldn’t.
“It’s nice to meet you. I take it you’re the new hire at the shop?” Elizabeth asked, looking at Jenna.
“I am. Today was my first day.”
“How do you like it?”
“I like it. It will take a little bit for me to get used to all day shifts, but I’m so glad to be off my feet the whole time.”
Elizabeth frowned. “What did you used to do?”
“I used to wait tables at the Driftwood. I sure hope this works out, because I can’t go back to that, not now.”
“Why not?”
“Who knows when they’ll be open again.” Jenna’s shoulders slumped.
“The owner was arrested yesterday,” Roadkill put in, as he set one hand on her leg and rubbed up and down, hoping to sooth her. “But I have no doubt she’ll settle in quickly and be just fine at the shop.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Elizabeth said reaching across the table and covering one of Jenna’s hands.
“If you can handle the crowd at the Driftwood, then the guys at the shop will be no problem. If you’re taking some of that paperwork off Papa Smurf’s hands, that will make him less grouchy, and before long all the men will do anything to keep you around.
” Elizabeth shook her head. “I’ve never waited tables in a bar, but I can’t imagine it was pleasant.
I’m sure more than a few of the men had a hard time keeping their hands to themselves.
That won’t be an issue when you’re working for the club. ”
“Working for the club?” Jenna said with a frown.
Elizabeth rolled her lips in and bit them.
“Sorry,” she said after a moment, “I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“Darlin’, the Warriors own the shop. They also own the gym.”
She turned and stared at him with wide eyes. After a moment she blinked and shook her head.
“It shouldn’t surprise me. It’s not like you tried to hide it. I mean, it’s right there in the names. Savage Iron, Savage Road Service and Repair. It’s obvious if you think about it.”
“Then you’re not pissed?” Roadkill asked.
Jenna shook her head. “No. I’m too grateful for a job that will pay for everything without struggling that I don’t even care.” She looked back across the table, at Elizabeth. “Do you work for the club too?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I’m a school librarian.”
“Oh, that sounds nice, near here?”
“Not too far away, I’m at Davidson right now, but I’m hoping to transfer closer before next school year, maybe Saraland or Montgomery.”
“Oh! Lacey will be going to Montgomery next year. She had a tour there a couple of weeks ago. She’s been excited. Partly to be done with middle school. She’s not a fan.”
“Who is? Middle school is its own special little corner of hell.” Elizabeth bumped Hex with her shoulder.
“Can I have one of those?” She pointed to Lacey’s drink.
Hex didn’t say anything but motioned for Ryan.
Before the kid had a chance to return with Elizabeth’s drink, the door opened and Shawn came in, a stack of pizza boxes nearly obstructing his view.
“I’ll be right back,” Roadkill said, sliding out of the booth and heading for the prospect.
After helping the kid get the boxes to one of the long tables and setting them out, he snagged the two he’d specifically ordered and took them back to the table.
The prospect went back outside to get the rest of the pizza.
The one he’d gotten for Lacey he set on the bar between the kid and Joker.
“When you’re done, the rest goes on the table for everyone,” he told the girl.
“Thanks!” she said, her eyes wide as she stared at the box.
He carried the other back to the table and set it in front of Jenna. Hex was no longer at the table. A glance told him the president was at the table where the pizza was spread out, a line forming behind him.
“He’s getting yours?” he said to Elizabeth, making sure she was taken care of. She nodded, so he slid back into his seat. “Why aren’t you eating?” he asked Jenna.
Jenna shot him a scowl, but opened the box. She sat for several seconds, the box open as she stared down at the pizza.
“Is something wrong?”
“How did you know?” she asked looking up at him, then her gaze flicked to the bar, and he knew she’d figured it out. “You got inside information. And you knew this was on the way before the thing in the truck.”
Roadkill didn’t bother to deny it. He wouldn’t lie to her anyway, not unless he absolutely had to.
“I’m trying darlin’,” he said.
“Trying to what?”
“Earn your trust.”
Hex came back with two plates, he set the one with three slices in front of Elizabeth, who now had her drink, and the other in front of his spot then sat.
Jenna scowled as she tilted her head and watched him.
“I trust you.”
“You’re starting to, darlin’. You’re starting to, but I want more.”
“More?” she wondered what he was talking about. She’d left her job, she let him around Lacey, how much more could she trust him?
“Eat, darlin’,” Roadkill reached over, plucked a slice out of the box in front of her and took a big bite.
Her belly rumbled, reminding her how hungry she was.
He watched as she started to eat. Watching her, he wondered if she’d had anything at lunch time.
He’d have to ask Papa Smurf, and if she hadn’t, he’d find out why, and make sure that never happened again.
He hated the idea of her going hungry, for any reason.