Jewell could vouch of that.
“Then I’ll ask Cash tonight. If not, I’ll call him tomorrow.”
Thrilled that she had convinced him to stay, Jewell jumped off the bed to wind her arms around his neck. “I’m glad you didn’t leave. Have you packed? I don’t see your stuff.”
“Because Viper had me take one of the rooms upstairs. He wanted you to have your room back. Arin told me about your mother’s death before she left, I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” Jewell relaxed against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
“How did it go with your dad?” Rory asked, closing his arms around her.
“Not great,” she confessed.
“I wanted to be there for you, but I didn’t know if you would want me there.”
“You’re still here, and that’s the only thing that counts.”
“What would you have done if I had been gone?”
“We’ll never know, because you didn’t.” She evaded the truth that her ass would have been heading to Queen City. She didn’t want to put the idea in his head that she had been prepared to leave The Last Riders for him. “I’ll text Viper that I’m back, so I can have my room back.” Breaking away from him, she twirled. “I’m in the mood to party since you’re staying.” Jewell grabbed the front of his T-shirt to jerk him to her. “I’m going to dress up special tonight, just for you.”
Kissing him, she ignored the disquiet in his eyes. He would love Treepoint once they had their own place, she told herself.
“It better be pretty damn special.” Rory grabbed her hips. “I’ve missed you. That’s the last time you go off without me.”
“Oh … I love it when you get all manly on me.” She laughed, reaching for her cell phone to text Viper. “Save it until tonight, hot stuff.”
After she finished texting Viper, they went upstairs to the main room of the club. Train, Rider, and Puck were sitting at one of the tables, playing cards.
They moved to the table and stood, watching the game. When Train won the hand, he asked if they wanted to join.
“Why not?” Rory said, sitting down in one of the empty chairs.
“I can tell you why not. They’ll take every dime you have,” Jewell warned him.
“I can spare a few.” Rory shrugged, taking out his wallet.
Jewell became distracted when she saw Viper leading Elizabeth down the stairs with Moon, Diamond, and Shade.
“Diamond take Elizabeth on as a client?” Jewell asked.
Train lifted his eyes from his cards to watch the progression through the main room. “Diamond is here to talk with her, but I think she’s decided to represent her aunt.”
“Her aunt?”
Diamond had been the one who was able to prove Knox was innocent of a murder charge before they had been married when the town believed him guilty. If Diamond had chosen to represent Alanna, that showed Elizabeth’s story wasn’t matching up to her, too.
When they left, Jewell placed a hand on Rory’s shoulder. “I’m going to get showered and changed. Try not to let them take all your money,” she teased. “I want to order a pizza later.”
“I’ll make sure I’ve held enough back,” he said, keeping his attention on Train and Rider as they took their cards and made their bets.
Jewell promised herself she would hurry up. Rider and Train would take advantage of Rory being the less skilled player. Mama needs her pizza, she joked to herself.
As she let her hand slip from his shoulder, Rory reached out to the side to catch it, giving her a lingering touch before letting her leave, showing he was aware she was leaving and wasn’t ignoring her.
Her hand tingled all the way upstairs at his brief touch.
Closing her bedroom door behind her, she closed her hand and clutched it with her other one.
He’s still here, Jewell repeated to herself over and over as she put clean sheets and blankets on her bed. After tidying up the room, she was finally satisfied enough to go take a shower. Picking out her shampoo and body wash with great care, she showered and washed her hair. After blow drying her hair, she smoothed a silky lotion all over her body before going to her closet to pick out what she wanted to wear.
She wanted something that would grab him by his balls and make him pick her up and carry her upstairs to spend the rest of the night fucking her.
She had been in a gloomy mood since her mother’s death. Then, afterward, believing she had thought Rory was gone. She wanted to prove to him that he had made the right decision to stay.
Choosing a slinky, red and black halter top, Jewell adjusted the red side over one breast, then the black one over her other. Happy at the amount of flesh exposed between the two sides, she smoothed a drop of perfume in the deep vee. After sliding on the slinky, red pants, she buckled on matching red fuck-me shoes.