Slider’s relationship with Farrah was pretty nonexistent; they’d only met when Grease had put some shit together after he’d realized Farrah’s mom was a bitch that Slider used to fuck at the club. Slider had known about his daughter, there was no question about that, but he’d ignored her for years because he didn’t want to mess up shit with his old lady. The man came through, though, when he found out Farrah was being abused. He’d gone to Sacramento and dispensed his own brand of justice on Natasha and her fuckbag old man, but by then it had been too late for Farrah to ever want anything to do with him.

It was a shitty situation and I could see both sides of it, even if I didn’t agree with either one. I couldn’t imagine leaving one of my kids, especially with a bitch like Natasha, but I hadn’t been around then, and I had a feeling there was more to the story than what we’d been told. It seemed like Farrah was being pretty stubborn about the whole issue, though. The man had raced to her rescue as soon as he’d known she was in trouble, taking out the fuckers who’d hurt her—one of them an Ace—without batting an eyelash. That had to count for something, right?

He’d been pissed when I claimed her at the club, making sure everyone knew she was mine, but he hadn’t said a word. What could he say? She didn’t want anything to do with him, and if he didn’t want to alienate her further, he’d have to keep his mouth shut. Even if he hated it.

Most of the boys had been in the clubhouse last night, and I’d had the chance to shoot the shit with Dragon for a while. I hadn’t seen him since the night he’d gotten out of jail, and at that point he’d been too interested in getting to Brenna to say anything to anyone. The man was doing good, happy to be home and excited as fuck that he’d knocked Brenna up again. By the time I left to get back to Farrah, he’d invited both of us to a barbeque at his place with Tommy Gun’s family, and Grease and Callie.

So this morning I lay in bed as Farrah went to clean up and do all her girly shit again, debating how I’d ask her to go with me. She wasn’t going to be down with driving to the club, and it wouldn’t matter that Dragon and Brenna’s house was set apart from it. We’d still be on club property, and since Brenna was close with Slider’s old lady, Vera, there was a good chance one or the both of them would show up at some point.

It was a recipe for disaster, but if Farrah stayed in Oregon, I wanted her to have a network of people she could reach out to if she couldn’t get to me. Before long, I’d be heading out on runs, and I needed to know that if something went down while I was gone, there were people in the club that she knew she could trust.

“Hey, Ladybug?” I called out as I climbed off the bed. Shit, I needed a shower. I was pretty sure I smelled like sex and sweat.

“What’s up?” She walked in looking as perfect as she had before I’d pulled her into bed, and I wanted to pull her back in so she had that just-fucked look again.

“You got plans today?” I asked as I pulled clothes out of my duffel bag. Shit, a shower and then laundry. Thank Christ these new apartments had a washer and dryer in them. I hated the fucking Laundromat.

“No. I think Gram and I were going to see if we could find me some cheap furniture, but nothing definite. Why?”

“Got invited to Dragon and Brenna’s for a barbeque today.” I watched her closely for a response but got nothing, her face devoid of emotion. “Callie and Grease are gonna be there.”

“Okay, what time?”

Although her eyes were steady on mine, she’d swallowed hard after she asked, her nervousness apparent if I watched carefully.

“Dragon said one o’clock, so we’ve still got a few hours to kill,” I answered slowly, waiting for any other indication that she was going to balk.

“Okay, I’m going to head to Gram’s for a bit then. See if she needs any more help.” She grabbed some earrings off the top of the dresser, looking at the floor as she put them on. As soon as they were in, her shoulders straightened as she met my eyes. “The dick and his bitch-face wife going to be there?”

“Not sure yet, babe. D didn’t say anything about them, but there’s a good chance.”

She nodded as I spoke and then spun toward the door, stopping at the threshold as I called out to her.

“Come kiss me.”

“I’ll be back in a little bit,” she answered quietly, never turning around.

“Come kiss me, Farrah.” I wasn’t going to let her walk out without reminding her what I was to her. She wasn’t in it alone anymore, and by the way she was acting, I knew she needed some reassurance.

She took a deep breath before turning around and making her way back to me, her shoulders still straight and proud as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She rose up on her toes to reach my face, and I didn’t help her as she brought her mouth to mine. Her hand slid around the back of my head, her nails scratching lightly against my scalp as she puckered up and gave me a soft peck, but it wasn’t what I was looking for.

As soon as she pulled away, I followed her, leaning down to push my tongue between her lips in a rough kiss, ruining her bright red lipstick, but being careful not to fuck up her hair again by keeping my hands gripping the cheeks of her ass.

“Don’t forget your shoes, Ladybug,” I told her as I let her go, stepping around her to head toward the shower.

As soon as I heard the front door shut, I turned on the shower and stepped into the hot spray. I hadn’t planned on her agreeing to the barbeque so quickly, but I really shouldn’t have been surprised. Farrah didn’t back away from anything, especially a challenge, and she knew if I’d canceled on Dragon, everyone would have known it was because of her. Her pride wouldn’t have been able to handle that type of blow, so she’d agreed to visit a place she hated and spend time with people she didn’t want to know, just to save face.