I shot out of the parking lot and made my way to the club. I needed a fight and a drink, not necessarily in that order. Shit, I wondered if I should call Gram when I got there to let her know that Farrah was home with the baby alone. She’d been fine on her own while I’d worked before, but the look on her face as I’d left made me question what was going on in her head.

She wanted answers that I wouldn’t give her.

“Hey, little brother!” Grease called out from one of the bays as I parked my bike in the forecourt. What had him so fucking chipper?

“Fuck off!” I called back, turning away from him to start for the main doors. I didn’t want to deal with his happy ass, or anyone else’s for that matter. I just wanted a fucking drink. I wanted to forget Roberta asking me how I would feel if it were Cecilia in Carmella’s shoes. It had sounded like a threat, even though I knew she hadn’t meant it that way.

“Whiskey,” I told the prospect standing behind the bar, shaking my head as he pulled out a glass. “Bottle.”

Then I sat down on one of the couches facing the pool table, and proceeded to drink myself into oblivion.

Chapter 42

Farrah

I was going to kill Cody.

He’d been gone all day, with no word to let me know when he’d be home or if he’d be home. By eight o’clock that night, I was practically climbing the walls.

He always did that shit, completely shutting down whenever something happened, leaving me standing there with a stupid look on my face and wondering what the fuck was going on. I was over it.

I glanced over at Cecilia, sleeping strapped into her car seat, and picked up my phone.

“Hello, best friend,” Callie said when she answered after the first ring.

“Are you at the club?”

“Yeah, the boys are having some pool tournament or something, so we’re here for the night. What’s up?”

“Is Cody there?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“What’s ‘uh’? What’s going on?”

“My brother, your baby daddy, is falling-down drunk, or would be if he ever moved from the couch he’s been sitting on for the last few hours.”

“That piece of shit!” I whispered.

“What’s going on, Farrah?” she asked seriously, her voice dropping.

“Nothing,” I mumbled, walking toward the bathroom. “I’m on my way. Can you keep CeeCee when we get there?”

“Sure . . .?” The word was drawn out, turning it into a question.

“Okay, give me half an hour.” I hit End on my phone as I stared at myself in the mirror. For the first time since Cecilia had been born, I’d gotten myself dolled up.

I was wearing the shortest pair of shorts I owned, with a high waist and frayed legs, and a crocheted halter top that left little to the imagination due to the fact that my boobs were still huge from breast-feeding. I’d feathered my hair away from my face, leaving it in long curls down my back, and completed the look with a headband across my forehead, ten bangles, and a toe ring that you could see through my sandals.

Yep, that should work.

Cecilia slept the entire way to the club, and didn’t stir as we entered the noisy main room. I felt a little conspicuous as I walked in carrying the baby and all of her stuff, but the smiles I saw as I walked farther into the room put me at ease. It was a long way from the reception I’d gotten the first time I’d walked through those doors.

“I’ll take her,” Cameron called, rushing to my side to grab Cecilia’s carrier. “Where do you want me to bring her?”

I searched the room, looking for Callie, but I couldn’t see her. “Can you take her to Grease’s room? I think that’s where Callie and Will are.”

“Yeah, Will started whining so they just went back there. Want me to take her bag?”

“Sure, bud. Thank you,” I answered, handing him the diaper bag. “Have you seen Slider?”

“Yeah, he’s over by the pool tables,” he called back over his shoulder as he made his way through the crowd.

I watched him go until he hit the back hallway, and then turned toward the tables. There were a group of guys over there that I didn’t know well, but sitting with them were Dragon with Brenna on his lap, Poet, Tommy, and Slider. Shit, I really didn’t want to have to deal with Tommy’s drunk ass. As I got closer to the tables, I saw the back of Cody’s head resting against the couch, his Mohawk flat against his scalp.

I clenched my jaw in annoyance. “Hey, remember me?” I asked as I rounded the couch.

“The fuck are you doing here, Farrah?” he asked emotionlessly.

“Heard there was a party,” I snapped back.

“Go home. Where’s our kid?”

“Our kid has a name, dick.”

“Whatever. Go home.”

I stood motionless as he looked away. What the hell was his deal?

“Come home with me,” I said quietly, trying a different tactic. “We can leave your bike here for the night. Come on, handsome.”

His gaze moved slowly back to where I was standing, his face never losing its composure. “Go home, Farrah. I’ll be home in the morning.”

Just like that he dismissed me, and my blood boiled. Fuck him.

He wanted to ignore me? Well, he could sure as hell try.

I walked over and gave Slider and Brenna a hug hello while Cody kept his face turned away from me, making my irritation grow even stronger. Then I searched the room for Vera. Perfect. She was standing right next to the sound system.