Page 61 of Blaze

Double shit…

“Brothers,” I say loudly, getting all their attention, though Clark continues to stare at Winter with a frown, “I’d like you to meet our new designer, who figured out that Designer’s Limited tried fucking us over eight hundred thousand dollars with the renovations of the strip club. Winter here has kindly, or more like pushed, to give us her time and has calculated that the club should only cost one hundred thousand, including her time.”

“Fucking hell, when did this all go down?” Cage asks as he walks over to us, and I admit, “Right before I was shot in the leg,” and he winces but nods before holding his hand out to Winter.

“It's nice to meet you, Winter. I’m Cage, the president of the Carnage MC, and I can’t thank you enough for your time,” he says, and Winter shakes his head, just as I hear Treasure ask, “Uh, Winter, how old are you?”

I frown and look his way just as Bones questions, “What the fuck, Dad?”

Treasure smiles tightly while his old lady looks down, and I tilt my head.

“I’m twenty-four,” Winter answers politely, “But I do have the credentials if you are concerned.”

Treasure winces before saying, “Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel like I’m questioning you, I uh,” he clears his throat, “How do your parents feel about you working with a bunch of bikers?”

“Okay, that is a weird question,” my girl mutters, and I hum in agreement as I run my fingers through her hair.

Treasure is acting weird.

Winter, who looks really uncomfortable as she fiddles with her sleeve jacket, clears her throat and admits, “I, uh, actually don’t have any parents, I was left at the firehouse. In this town actually, when I was a few days old, I was never adopted,” and Crash glares at Treasure while I wince.

Fucking hell…

“Shit,” I hear Treasure choke, but Winter only gives him a small smile before she addresses us.

“Okay, well, uh, um, Mr. Impatient here wanted to introduce me, but I’ll leave you all to it, and I can take a look at the club tomorrow? I think your wife needs you here today,” Winter says, though she directs her question at me, and I nod in agreement, just as Bones says, “Where are you staying?”

Winter side eyes Crash, who raises a brow at her, and she admits, “At the local motel…” with hesitation.

Crash tenses and Cage chuckles, “You can stay here, darling,” but she shakes her head and admits, “It’s fine, I didn’t want to intrude, and besides, I’ve already booked the room.”

“Dimples, when exactly did you book the room?” Crash demands, and my eyes widen at the nickname and Winter rocks on her heels looking everywhere but at him before admitting, “While you and Blade spoke before we left,” trying to look all innocent and Crash narrows his eyes at her. He takes a step forward, but he pauses when Clark snaps, “Crash what the hell is that on your neck?!” and my eyes zone in on the side of his neck and my eyes widen.

Holy shit, he’s…

My girl’s, “Uh oh,” just hits my ears, and I wince as I stare at his new ink because yeah, uh oh indeed.

Shit is going to hit the fan.

Chapter 30

Blaze

“Brother,” I say as I walk up to Trick, who looks at me then frowns, his eyes going to my leg, but I quickly wave him off and admit, “I’m fine, but my girl hasn’t been, and honestly, I need her to snap out of it before I take a page out of Crusher's book. I know she told me she needed time yesterday, but her time is up.”

“Oh, please let me be a witness if you ever do that. Blair will fucking kill you,” Trick says, and I chuckle but nod because yeah, she will, but I’m losing my patience waiting for her to come around.

I miss my wife, and ever since we buried her sister and Clark smacked her brother, then punched Winter in the face, causing a massive fucking fallout to the point Crash has disappeared. Blair has been even more distant, and honestly, I get it, especially Clark losing it at her sister's fucking wake, but I’m done holding back.

Another evening of silence is my limit. I need her to speak to me and not about the day-to-day shit either, but about her sister, her feelings, something she was doing at the wake until Crash came home and Clark became fucking rabid.

“She’s in room six at the moment, which is right across the way from the storage closet,” Trick admits with a sly smirk, and I grin.

“Thanks, brother,” I say, and he nods.

“I was hoping she’d take some time off, but she refused,” he admits, and I sigh.

“She’s already missed four weeks of work after two attacks, she didn’t want to miss anymore. That, and yesterday she went to see her mama but ended up walking in on Norman fucking her from behind over the couch,” I admit with a chuckle and Trick gags making me laugh. It cuts off as Clark gingerly walks over to us and I tilt my head at her.