Penni was getting ready to interrupt when Lucky walked up behind her.

“Genny, let’s go talk in the front room.”

Genny turned toward Lucky, instantly calming and going into the other room with him on her heels.

“What was that about?” Penni asked.

Viper took his attention away from the closed door. “We want Genny to move in to the clubhouse until the trouble with Hennessy is taken care off.”

“So why not just say that to her?”

“Because, if I told her there was drugs involved, she would quit. The only reason I’m telling you is because you already know the trouble. Rachel, Mag, and Diamond will be moving in, too.”

“What about Evie?”

“Some of the Predators will be staying over there.”

“Okay.” Penni headed back into the kitchen as Lucky came back into the dining room alone.

“She didn’t listen, did she?” Penni could see Genny shoving dishes into the dishwasher.

“No,” Lucky confirmed with a set face.

“That house means everything to her. She works her ass off to afford it, so she’s not giving in just because men tell her to.”

“I’ll get Willa to talk to her when she gets off work.”

“Or could I make a suggestion?”

“What is it?” Viper asked, becoming irritated at having his plans thwarted. At least he was willing to listen.

“You could ask the Porters to watch her at home.”

The men stared back and forth between each other.

“That could work. I was going to pay Genny. I’ll pay the Porters, instead, and that way, she could stay home and be protected.”

“That’s bullshit,” Hennessy spoke out. “Just tell her no. Tell her she doesn’t have a choice. I’d never let a woman tell me no.”

Penni clenched her hands. “How well does that work out for you? It’s because of you we’re all in this mess.”

“I’m in this mess because of your crazy-ass, bit—”

Penni strode to the table, placing her palms on the table in front of him. “You’re blaming me?” Penni was getting fed up with people blaming her for everything. “If your little dick is as small as how much you know about women, I have someone I want to introduce you to. You’re a match made in heaven. Either you will teach her some manners, or you will kill each other. Either way, it’s a win-win situation.”

Penni was furious at Hennessy for blaming her, and she was mad at Jackal who hadn’t met her eyes when she had entered the room, nor had he taken up for her at Hennessy’s insinuation.

Penni stormed out of the room, going to the kitchen to take the tea and beer outside.

Killyama took the beer from her when she finally made it out there.

“What took you so long? The beer’s hot.” She checked the top to make sure it hadn’t been tampered with.

Penni tightened her hand on the pitcher of iced tea. Don’t do it. Don’t do it, she kept telling herself.

“Hand me those celery sticks, bitch.”

Fuck it.

26

“Who’s she talking about?” Jackal looked at Viper after Penni had left the room.

“You don’t want to know,” Viper answered.

“What do you think of Penni’s suggestion?”

“I’ll get Shade to go talk to the Porters when he gets back from talking to King.”

“Genny should be here where no one can get to her.” Hennessy shifted his weight, rubbing his hurt leg.

“If the Porters take the job, Genny will be more protected than she would be here. The Porters are fucking nuts.”

Hennessy wasn’t pacified, but then screams from outside had them running out the back door.

Jackal barely ducked in time to miss a bowl hitting the frame of the door.

“Dammit, when did they get here?” Viper shouted, wading through the women who were blocking them from seeing what was going on.

Jackal moved to the side, trying to see himself. He didn’t care about making anyone mad.

Penni was on the ground, fighting a woman who sitting on her.

“Pull her off, Penni,” Jackal said as he tried to reach her.

Viper and Train had each taken an arm, dragging the woman back. Penni used the opportunity to kick out, nailing the woman in the gut.

“Stop, Killyama!” Train fell back when the woman jerked back toward Penni.

“Bitch, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Quit calling me a bitch!” Penni screeched.

Rider and Razer made Lily and Beth back away as another woman Jackal didn’t know tried to bash Penni’s head in with the heel of her shoe.

Jackal reached down toward Penni, trying to help her to her feet at the same time Lucky did.

“Watch her teeth,” Jackal tried to warn too late as another woman with jacked-up hair jerked back, her hand bleeding.

He reached down, snatching Penni to her feet as she swung her hands in the air at the two women.

“Come on, Sex Piston and Crazy Bitch; you want some more of me? I’ll shove that celery up your ass!” Penni snarled.

“Penni, there are kids are here!” Lily had her hands on her hips as she planted herself so the other women couldn’t get to her.

Jackal could see reason come to Penni’s eyes as she turned to see a pregnant woman ushering the children into Shade’s house with Cade holding John and following her inside.

“Please, Sex Piston, calm down. She didn’t mean to pour the tea on Killyama,” Lily tried to calm her down again.

“The fuck she didn’t.” Sex Piston straightened her skintight shirt down over her leather pants, hopping on one foot until she took off her shoes. One of the high heels had a broken heel.

Stud steadied her, not removing his hand, either to balance her or hold her back from Penni.

“Want me to get you another beer?” Penni taunted the one named Killyama who had apparently set off World War III.

It was only when Shade and Knox arrived in the midst of the brawl that the men were able to get the women back under control. Jackal managed to get Penni to Shade’s front porch as the men ordered the women to clean up the mess they had made. He forced her to sit down on the swing, trying to give her time to gather her control. He didn’t want to take her inside. He was afraid she would scare the children.

“Want to tell me what happened?”

“No.” Penni used her foot to move the swing. “Lily didn’t tell me I wasn’t the only one who wanted Train.” She’d had a crush on Train for so long she didn’t know how to handle it now that she had found out another woman might have the same feelings.

“Why not?”

“She said she thought they hated each other.”

“I can see that.”

Train and Killyama were yelling at one another right this minute.

“Those women should take anger management classes.”

Penni sighed. “To be honest, I started it.”

“Because you were jealous over Train?”

“Because I wasn’t.”

Jackal tensed.

“I don’t know why I …” Penni looked away.

“Sucked my dick?”