The war raging inside her had her practically running in front of a car that was turning into the parking lot. Nearly getting her ass hit allowed her to get her haywire emotions back under control.
Regardless, even if Rory gave her a freebie, the ultimate price would be too steep.
She had never taken crack, which didn’t mean she had never been tempted. Yet was she strong-willed enough to consider the ramification if she became hooked?
Rory knew his own worth. Once with him would never be enough. She would come back for more, and more …
Rory was crack.
You have to stay away, she lamented to herself.
She had made enough mistakes to last her a lifetime. She didn’t need another one. Certainly not one she could see coming a mile away; like a tornado heading her way.
You didn’t fuck around and find out with a category-five tornado; you fucking ran for your life.
Chapter Seventeen
About to enter the restaurant, Jewell recognized the two men getting out of the truck she had walked in front of.
Silas and Moses both glared at her.
“Sorry.”
Silas’s apology made her feel bad. He wasn’t responsible for her scatterbrained sprint.
“It was my fault.”
Ginny’s oldest brother’s weathered, beaten face remained enigmatic at her acceptance of blame. “I was saying sorry I dashed your hope of killing yourself.”
Embarrassment filled her. So, rather than keep making a fool of herself, she started for the restaurant door. As she passed the bed of Silas’s truck, a black, white, and gray dog raised his head and started barking menacingly.
Jewell froze.
“Ochi.” Moses’s voice immediately quieted the dog.
She remained frozen in place.
“What did you say to him?”
“You can move. Tin won’t bother you.”
She wasn’t so sure, despite Moses’s assurance.
“What breed is he?”
Hearing the question come from behind her had Jewell nearly jumping into the truck with the dog.
Glaring at Rory from over her shoulder, Jewell moved to the side, where she could see both the dog and Rory.
“Tin’s a Native American Dog.”
“He’s a beauty,” Rory complimented without making a move closer to the dog.
“Thank you.”
Jewell glanced curiously at Ginny’s brothers. “You two are far from home.”
Silas’s gaze bore into Rory’s. “I can say the same for you two. But to answer your question, Gavin asked us to come.”
“Oh … Then I guess we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
Why had Reaper asked them to come? The oddity would have to wait until she could get one of the brothers alone.
“Tin, opoupa,” Moses called out to the dog as they were about to enter the restaurant.
Rory paused beside Moses. “You’re telling him to guard?”
Moses nodded. “You know Greek?”
“I’ve vacationed there a few times.”
I just bet he did, Jewell thought snidely. The thought of some rich bitch paying for his company had her taking a seat between Razer and Shade at a long table.
Silas and Moses went to sit with Viper, and Reaper was sitting by himself. Taking the menu from Shade, she saw Rory find a seat next to Cash.
“I thought you were going to text your order,” Shade said, scooting the coffee carafe next to her.
“I couldn’t decide.”
Chagrined that she hadn’t even checked her text messages for the menu, which had been sent, Jewell pretended to look at the food that everyone else was eating at the table.
Thankfully, the waitress had seen them take a seat and approached to take their order.
“I’ll take the bowl of oatmeal and fruit parfait.” Both shouldn’t take long to prepare and wouldn’t keep the others waiting for her.
Pouring herself a cup of coffee, Jewell turned back to Shade once the waitress had left after taking Rory’s order. Lowering her voice, she asked Shade the question that was burning a hole through her brain. “Why are Silas and Moses here?”
“You’ll have to ask Viper.”
“Give me a break. Why can’t you tell me? There’s no way you don’t know.” As Viper’s enforcer, Shade was privy to every action Viper made.
“It isn’t my place to tell you.”
“Fine. Then I guess I’ll just have to ask him,” she said with snark.
“Guess so.” Unperturbed with her tone of voice, Shade continued eating.
Jewell glanced around the table, wondering if she would have better luck asking one of the other brothers. When her eyes met Razer’s, he just shook his head at her. Either he was unwilling to tell her, like Shade, or he was just as in the dark as she was.
Well, fuck.
She would ask on the ride back to Kentucky, already planning to ride back in another vehicle.
When the food arrived, Jewell ate while listening to the brothers talk about a new motorcycle Rider was thinking of buying.
“You should buy it.” Jewell encouraged him to purchase the high-priced dream bike.
Rider’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Yeah?”
“Hell yeah. Go for it! You only live once.”
“Then I will.”
Planning to sneak the sick motorcycle out when Nickel was working security, her euphoria was short-lived when Shade unrepentantly burst her bubble of happiness.