I closed my eyes because what he said meant we were going to be okay and that was a relief.

I opened my eyes again “I have to go to breakfast with my family. Do you want to come?”

Now why did I ask that? He was hot. He wasn’t just the personal trainer at the gym, he part owned it. Marilyn and Sofia would be all over him

Luke told me not to do anything stupid, and there I was, doing stupid shit. I couldn’t even control it.

“Since you’re not here, got nothin’ on. I’ll be there,” Riley responded.

Crap.

Crapity, crap, crap, crap.

“Um… I should warn you my sisters are kind of, how do I put it?” I used Luke’s words. “Man eaters.”

“You’ll protect me,” he teased and I drew in breath. The old Riley was back.

I told him where to meet us and flipped the phone shut just as a knock came at the door.

I looked out the peephole and saw my mother standing there so I opened the door and she shoved in. She was alone. I glanced out in the hall but no Marilyn and Sofia so I shut the door behind her.

“This hotel is something else!” she cried, looking around. “Luke must be doing well. Really, really well. A Porsche and putting you up here?”

She wasn’t wrong. Hotel Monaco was super-fly.

“Where are Marilyn and Sofia?” I asked.

She turned and stared at me, ignoring my question due to the fact that something just dawned on her. “Why are you here? Doesn’t Luke have a house where you can stay?”

“He’s having some work done on his loft,” I semi-fibbed. “He was staying with me until you guys came.”

“Loft?”

“Yeah, in LoDo.”

“Luke has a LoDo loft?” she breathed, eyes faraway happy.

Okay so yes, it was true, a LoDo loft was quite something but really, enough was enough.

“Mother. Hello? Where are Marilyn and Sofia?”

She blinked and came back into the room. “They’re downstairs having coffee,” she dumped a bag on the chair and continued. “There’s your clothes. Take your time, we’ll enjoy coffee and let you get ready. Just meet us downstairs when you’re done.”

She came forward, kissed my cheek and left. The door hadn’t completely shut on Mom when my phone rang again.

I flipped it open. “Yo.”

“Hey chickie. I heard the revenge gig was a bust.”

It was Ally.

“Um –”

“I know all about it. Brody f**ked up. Lee came home last night not a happy camper. He’s not hip on looking like an ass**le. Not to mention he trades a lot on his reputation as a badass motherfucker who’s got it goin’ on. Brody f**king up means all the boys took a direct hit to their reps and Lee is dis-fucking-pleased, let me tell you. He told Indy, she told me and we’re doin’ our best to keep it amongst the Rock Chicks.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” I agreed.

“How did Luke take it?” she asked.

“He wasn’t happy but I was kind of more involved in the conversation with the guy they did get. He was the one who conned Winnie and, you would not believe, but he called her Aunt Jemima right when she was in the room.”

Silence then, “Please tell me you’re lying.”

“No. I wish I was.”

“Holy crap! What a dick! What did Luke do when he said that?”

“Nothing, he didn’t get a chance. I got there first and kneed him in the ‘nads.”

I heard a hoot and then, “Righteous!”

I smiled. “We’re going to breakfast, want to come?”

“Who’s we?” she asked.

“Me, my Mom, my sisters, Olivia, Riley and whoever Luke sends to be my bodyguard.”

“Didn’t you say your sisters are bitches?” she asked.

“Yes, please say you can come, I need Bitch Buffers.”

“You got it. I’m at Fortnum’s, Duke, Jane, Tex and Jet are here so they can hold down the fort. Daisy’s here too. I’m sure she’ll come with.”

“Thanks, we’re meeting in the lobby of Hotel Monaco whenever you can get here.”

“Be there soon as we can.”

We disconnected and I flipped my phone shut. I opened the zipper on my bag and saw that Mom didn’t do too badly though she didn’t exactly follow directions. There were jeans and a goodly amount of my silver to chose from but instead of any old tee, she picked an army green, boat-necked, long-sleeved tee with tiny orange and hot pink flowers flowing from the hem at one side to come up in a swirl on the midriff. She’d decided against flip-flops and added a pair of dark brown, suede shoes with a peek-a-boo notch in the toe, a high, thin, wedge heel and a thin strap around the ankle. As a finishing touch, Mom threw in a matching brown suede belt with a heavy, oval, silver buckle.

Okay, so she wasn’t exactly an Entirely New Mom but she was a Somewhat New-ish Mom. She had put in the jeans. I wasn’t going to quibble.

I got dressed, put on my silver, strapped on the shoes and went to the bathroom to do something with my hair. Mom had stocked me with comb, hair products, travel-sized face stuff, loose powder, mascara, blusher, deodorant and perfume, most of which was probably hers because mine was scattered to the four corners (read: at Luke’s and at Roxie’s).

I did my best with what I had, considering the cut lip and black eye were still there (but finally fading) and was walking into the bedroom when my phone rang.

I flipped it open. “Yo.”

“What’s this about breakfast?”

It was Shirleen.

“Hey Shirleen. Did Ally call you?”

“Fuck no. Luke told me before he took off. I’m in the lobby and I’m hungry. Matt’s comin’ up to your room. Get your ass in gear.”

I couldn’t help it, I started smiling. “All right, keep your pants on. We’ll be down in a second.”

“Be snappy.”

Disconnect.

There was a knock on the door before I completely flipped the phone shut. I shoved it in the back pocket of my jeans as I walked to the door. It started ringing again but I ignored it while I opened the door. I had a smile of greeting for Matt on my face.

The problem was, it wasn’t Matt knocking on the door.

It was Noah.

Fuckity, f**k, f**k, f**k!

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Convoy, Chaos and Cookies

“My life sucks,” I told Noah.

He pulled a gun out of the pocket of his jacket and pointed it at me.