All of them.
Not just Amber.
She might be Val’s priority, but she wasn’t mine. With Jane dead, Amber was safe. So was Danika. But Irene was still vulnerable.
The old ladies met at The Diner for brunch on Sunday mornings. Val had asked me to make contact, and it was time. Cash wanted me to come to the clubhouse but I had to meet the women first.
I debated arriving before them or after and settled on after. Having dinner with Ryder and Ellie last night had worked in my favor. I couldn’t rely on Dr. Jefferson remembering me from our brief encounter. But after getting to know Ellie last night, I knew she would invite me to join them.
I pulled the door open and, just like every other time I ate at the diner, when the bell jingled, everyone in the room turned to look.
Including Ellie.
“Kytten!” She waddled over as quickly as she could. Grabbing my hand, she dragged me to the group of women. As I looked them all over, I wondered if I would fit in.
Would they accept me as Cash’s old lady?
Old lady? Really? Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?
Before I could think about what my inner bitch was chastising me for, Ellie and I had reached the table.
“Everyone, this is Kytten. I met her at Trudy’s. You’ll love her!”
She turned and winked, and I knew what she was doing. Letting the women get to know me before finding out who I was. I appreciated it, but at the same time I wondered why she didn’t just tell them the truth.
I saw the fear on Irene’s face and subtly shook my head. When she relaxed, so did I. I would speak with her later, in private.
“Kytten?”
“Hello, Dr. Jefferson.” Melissa Jefferson, the woman who let Val’s granddaughter call her mom, did in fact recognize me.
“What are you doing here?” she asked me.
Shit!
“Did you follow me to Diamond Creek?”
“Missy, what’s going on?” Haizley, Gunner’s old lady asked. I had done my research on the women. She was the shrink that Cash was seeing.
“I met Kytten in Vegas when I was traveling with Dani. She thought I was running from someone.” I cocked an eyebrow at her, letting her silently know I knew the truth. Turning to Haizley, she said, “She offered to help.”
Haizley, I noticed, hadn’t taken her eyes off me. Did she know who I was?
“Have a seat, Kytten. That’s an interesting name,” Beck, Blade’s old lady, said.
Ellie cut in, “That’s her road name. She’s in an all-female club called the Nyght Nymphs.”
“You know Valhalla?” Amber asked. It was the first time I’d heard her voice and a shiver coursed through my body. She had no idea how much she sounded like her mom.
I scratched at my leg. I couldn’t form the words, so I nodded.
“Wait, you know about the Nyght Nymphs?” Ellie asked.
“Yea. Val was the woman at the hospital in Louisiana,” Amber replied quietly.
“Kytten, have a seat.” Sam, Jackass’ old lady, scooted her chair over, and Ellie grabbed another one and set it next to her. Sam watched me as I sat down. She looked at me the way Cash did. Like she was searching for something. Like she saw something no one else did. “What’s your real name, Kytten?”
“Rose,” I said absently, and when Sam gasped, I snapped my eyes to hers.
