Dirty Ride (Wind Dragons MC, #3.5)(20)

“Okay,” I reply, not knowing what else to say. I don’t mind having someone watch me; in fact, it makes me feel much safer. And if Ardan’s the one there most of the time, even better.

“I need you to make this easy on me by telling me whenever you go somewhere or if you see anything suspicious,” he continues. “Don’t be like some of our other women who’ve tried to handle shit on their own, or left by themselves because they thought they were f*ckin’ badass.”

“Fine,” I say, leaning back in the chair and looking all of them in the eye. “I won’t attempt any badassery.”

“I think you’ve done the right thing, keeping her away from the women,” Tracker says, chuckling, his blue eyes filling with amusement. “Especially Faye. Don’t let her near Faye.”

“Or Anna,” Rake adds, earning himself a scowl from Arrow. He just shrugs. “Hey, she’s my sister, but she’s also a menace.”

“As if you can talk,” Tracker says to Rake. “Anna wasn’t the only one playing beer pong with the Wild Men MC.”

Confused, I look to Ardan, who just shrugs and says, “Can you guys argue about whose woman has the biggest balls later? I’m going to give Valentina a tour.”

“One that ends in your bedroom?” Tracker says, smirking, then looks back to me. “Good luck, Valentina. You’re going to need it.”

“I think I’ll like it here,” I say, making him laugh. Ardan stands and I follow, leaving the kitchen. This time when we walk through the living area, a beautiful woman is sitting there reading a book.

“Faye,” Ardan says, making the woman lift up her head. Her hazel eyes are gorgeous, but I instantly notice that they have a sharpness to them that tells me she isn’t someone to mess with. By the way she carries herself, and the gentle tone in which Ardan said her name, I can also tell she’s someone important. “Where’s Sin?”

“He’s at Clover’s school. He should be here soon, though,” she says, putting down her book and staring at me. “Oh my god. Is this the woman you’ve been neglecting us for?”

Ardan sighs and looks down at me. “Valentina, this is Faye. Our club president’s wife, and all-around troublemaker.”

“Nice to meet you, Faye,” I say, smiling at the beauty.

She stands up and walks over to me, pulling me into a hug. “Irish, she’s stunning. Look at all this hair,” she says, touching it. “You look like the heroine from Brave! Jess was right!”

“Should’ve known Jess couldn’t keep her mouth shut,” Ardan mutters, then slowly pulls me away from Faye. “All right, all right. Where’s everyone else?”

“No one else is here right now, but we have a dinner here tomorrow night, remember? So why don’t you bring Tina? Everyone’s been dying to meet your mystery woman, Irish.”

She looks to me. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

I nod.

“Perfect.” She beams, then grins at Ardan. “Totally punching above your weight with her.”

Ardan throws his head back and laughs at that. “Don’t I know it.”

As he shows me around the rest of the clubhouse, I realize that I missed something. Jess knows Ardan, and she knows Faye. How did I not know this?

“How does Jess know everyone here?” I ask him when we’re in his room at the compound.

“Trace, Jess’s old man, is a member of the club,” he says, taking his boots off.

I pause, something hitting me. “Is that how I got the job at the salon? Because it’s a hell of a coincidence otherwise.”

At my tone of voice, Ardan stills, then turns to me. “Jess needed someone. She was looking through the applications when she was here, and when I heard her mention your name, I told her to give you the job.”

“Just like that?” I ask, feeling angrier and angrier with each word that comes out of his mouth. “What if I was shit at my job?”

“You aren’t,” he says, reaching his hand out for me. “You’re f*ckin’ talented.”

“You didn’t know that, though. So basically I got the job only because of you, not because of me or what I can do. I don’t know, it just feels like I didn’t earn it now.”

Is it an overreaction that I feel like I need to quit?

“Jess is always raving about how lucky she is to have you,” he says, taking my hand and bringing me closer to him. “You kept the job, and that was all you. I just told her to give you a chance. She had about twenty people apply, Valentina. You wanted the job, and I wanted you to have what you want. I’m sorry if it comes off as—”

“Controlling,” I insert.

“Controlling,” he continues, now scowling at me. “But it was within my power to give you that, so I did. And I’d do it again. So if you want to be angry, then be angry, because I don’t regret it.”

I throw my hands in the air. “You’re unbelievable. So basically this whole time I’ve been working for the club, is that what you’re trying to say?”

He nods slowly. “The club owns the salon, yeah. But we don’t have anything to do with it; we just funded it for Jess, really.”

I’m pretty sure my eye is starting to twitch. “Why didn’t you just tell me that from the start? I don’t like all these hidden secrets and shit!”