Ride Steady (Chaos #3)(156)

“Here,” the bartender said, setting up five martini glasses and starting to fill them from a cocktail shaker. “Just so you know, these are on the guy down there.” He jerked his head down the bar but his eyes came to me. “He wanted you in particular to know he hopes your hand is okay.”

I looked down the bar at a man in a suit, no tie, dark blond hair, very nice looking, eyes on me, smiling.

“She’s Chaos!” Tabby shouted. “Don’t you see the tube top?”

The guy blinked.

I started shaking, but not from fear, from something else entirely.

Then I started giggling.

Lanie started giggling with me.

Tyra burst out with it.

Elvira muttered, “Biker bitches. Someone kill me.”

That was when Tabby burst out with it.

And I did too.

* * *

I sat on the couch in my living room, boots on, jacket off, one light lit at my side, waiting.

And fretting.

It was nearly three o’clock in the morning and the mellow of the cosmos (I’d had two, which was one too many, but they were tasty) and girl time had worn off.

Several hours ago, Elvira had driven me home in my car with Tyra trailing. She’d joined them and they’d taken off on waves and smiles.

Girl time was good.

Cosmos were yummy (I’d never had one).

But now it was hitting me what I’d done.

I’d vandalized Joker’s dad’s car and I didn’t get away with it.

He caught me. He saw me. He saw all the girls. He could pick me out of a lineup. He could probably pick all of us out of a lineup.

Then I’d hit him, causing him damage.

He’d call the police.

Then they’d find me.

They’d find us.

And we’d be in trouble, and Joker would find out I’d done something stupid. He’d have no choice but to deal with his father as his father pressed charges against me. It could all blow sky high as I’d have to explain my actions were due to my biker boyfriend enduring abuse.

And with all that, Joker might never forgive me.

And I didn’t like to think of what Hop and Shy would do.

Or—I swallowed at the thought—Tack.

Eek!

I jumped a foot when I heard the back door open.

Joker was home.

Time to face the music.

I turned my head to the side and saw him round the corner, shrugging off his cut.

He threw it over the back of a dining chair, turned, caught sight of me, and stopped.

“Baby…” he whispered, his face taking on an expression I never wanted to see again. “Is it Travis?”

Slowly, I stood, saying, “No, sweetie. Travis is fine.”

“Then what—?”

“I did something stupid,” I blurted. “And the police could be here any minute. Or they could arrest me at LeLane’s tomorrow once they’ve tracked me down. Or they could—”

“What the f*ck?” he cut me off to ask.

“You’re gonna be mad,” I told him.

“Then I’ll be mad, but tell me what the f*ck is happening,” he shot back.

“I saw your dad in the grocery store,” I said hurriedly, and I didn’t think it was good that his entire torso swung back almost like he was evading a blow. “I saw your reaction,” I pushed onward. “It upset me. I found out his address. Then I went to his house and keyed his truck.”

No torso swing on that.

Joker blinked.

“Unfortunately,” I went on, “I had to ask Elvira for her help. I was using girls’ night out as an alibi, and since we’d never had one of those and I asked for one out of the blue, they knew something was up. They followed me. And after I keyed his truck, they joined me at his house. As we were discussing whether or not to set his house on fire… that was Tabby’s idea, incidentally, not mine,” I added swiftly so he wouldn’t think I was totally unhinged, “your dad came out.”

“Fuck,” he hissed.

I closed my eyes tight, opened them quickly, and kept speaking.

“He saw his truck and he got a little angry. To get away, I was…” I didn’t think it would be good to tell Joker his dad put his hand on me so I skimmed past that part, “well, forced to get physical. I forgot I had my keys in my hand when I punched him. He fell back and when we were running away, I saw that I’d broken skin and he was bleeding.”

Joker stared at me.

“So, he has me on vandalism and assault,” I boiled it down. “And he was pretty mad, so I’ve been waiting up to tell you and/or face the police when they got to our door.”

Joker kept staring at me.

I kept talking.

“You have my permission to use my savings as bail money. And if Aaron successfully uses this lunacy to get full custody of my son, all I request is that you hide the sharp knives and razorblades.”

“Come here.”

“I…” I shook my head. “What?”

“Get your ass over here.”

His expression and tone weren’t giving me anything.

I debated the merits of going to him.

I debated the merits of not going to him.

I did this in seconds then went to him.

He turned as I did, so when I stopped two feet away, he was facing me full on.