“I hope you’re ready for me to spend all your money?” Penni teased her brother.
“Viper is financing this shopping trip, so buy whatever you want,” Winter chimed in before Shade could answer.
“Which store should we hit first?” Penni asked Genny.
“You pick.”
“Let’s start at the end and work our way back down to where the cars are parked,” Winter voiced her opinion.
“That sounds good.” Genny showed her first smile since they had left Treepoint when Willa and Lucky rose from a bench.
The large group walked through the streaming crowds, coming to a stop in front of a department store.
“Why don’t you men go take the kids to the food court while we shop here?” Winter asked Shade who was closest to her.
“We stay together.” Shade started past Winter who remained standing still.
“This store has security at both entrances. It’ll be easier for us to shop without the kids.”
“That’s a good idea.” Beth nodded, agreeing with Winter. “I can text you when we’re ready to go to another store.”
Shade looked down at the twin stroller that Chance was already trying to climb out of. “Text me when you’re in the checkout line,” Shade gave in, taking the stroller from Lily as Razer wheeled the twins to the food court.
Lucky and Cash looked relieved to get away from the store.
“I know he wasn’t looking forward to waiting for us to shop.” Willa smiled at the women as they walked into the store.
They found the women’s department, each going their own way to look at the multitude of clothes. Penni and Winter took the same rack, sliding the clothes as they looked.
“You don’t find it strange that the men were so ready for us to go shopping on a Friday night?”
Penni looked up from the clothes to see Winter staring at her. “Why does it matter that it’s Friday?”
Penni saw the women move from their rack to the one she was at, giving Winter strange looks.
“Well?” Penni asked, seeing the women’s eyes warring with each other.
Winter jerked her gaze away from the other women. “Friday night is party night.”
“Every night is a party with The Last Riders,” Penni scoffed, pulling out a red flaring skirt she was thinking about trying on.
“Not like Friday. Look around us, Penni? Do you see Viper here, even though he asked me to get off early? It was when I was in the van that I found out he wasn’t coming.” Winter’s eyes stared fixedly on the clothes.
“So you think he is going to use the opportunity of you being gone to cheat?” Willa whispered.
Winter lifted her gaze. “Yes or … Jackal.”
“Jackal was as disappointed as I that we couldn’t be together to night. We had plans ... until Genny asked me to come.”
Genny shook her head. “I didn’t ask you. Willa called and asked me this morning. I’m glad you’re here, but I didn’t ask.”
The women looked at Willa.
“Lucky suggested I ask Genny today. He said we could make a day out of it.”
“That’s what Razer told me when Lily asked me if I wanted to come.”
Penni thought about how Jackal had looked so sincere when he had told her about his childhood …
“I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding.”
“Want to find out?” Winter dropped any pretenses that she was looking at clothes.
“How?” all of the women answered, their suspicions making her nervous.
Winter looked Penni straight on. “We can leave and go back to Treepoint while they’re busy with the kids. They won’t even know we’re missing until the store closes.”
“You can take my car.” Willa reached into her purse for her keys.
“We’re going to look crazy when we walk in, and they ask why we left.” Penni’s trust in Jackal was beginning to slip. It didn’t help that all of the women were convinced the men were up to no good.
“What if they just wanted us gone to handle the situation with Hennessy?” Penni grasped at a final straw.
“Do you really think Viper would let his best men leave if he were expecting trouble?”
Winter had her there. They would keep them back to protect the clubhouse.
Penni took the keys out of Winter’s hand. “I’ll drive.”
30
“You want me to take the bullet for you?” Stump took a beer out the cooler behind the bar.
“If I thought you could keep your mouth shut, I would.” Jackal stifled the urge to knock Stump’s teeth out.
“I never could keep a secret.”
“Maybe you’re the one we need to watch.” He surveyed the clubroom, searching for the woman who was the first target.