Crazy Bitch opened a bottle of beer, seeing Bear eyeing her enviously. Taking a drink, she showed her satisfaction as the cold beer slid down her throat.

“Quit bugging Bear.”

“I’m not bugging him. I’m minding my own business.”

“You didn’t have to tell him that he couldn’t have one of the ones Calder bought for you.”

“Stud, anytime Bear wants to buy the beer with his own money, or club money, I’ll be gracious. Calder bought these for me, and I’m not sharing. If he had given me roses, Bear wouldn’t expect me to share. I don’t see any reason that it shouldn’t be the same way with beer.”

“You can’t drink a flower,” Stud countered. “You’re hurting his feelings.”

“The big wuss will survive. If I give him one, all the brothers will want one, too. That’ll leave me with zip, zilch, nada. So, I’m not sharing. At least until you buy me more beer, or I get paid.” She looked across the table to where Sex Piston was watching her and Stud argue back and forth.

“I can’t pay her until Friday. Besides, Crazy Bitch has a point. Why don’t you just buy more Millers?”

“I did,” he reluctantly admitted. “They drank it all.”

“See?” Crazy Bitch grabbed a handful of the popcorn she had popped at the beauty shop and brought to the clubhouse to share. “You need to start a factory like The Last Riders, or make the brothers start paying dues. Or, better yet, do what the other clubs do—get involved in illegal shit.”

“Like what?” Stud took a handful of popcorn.

“How about gun running?”

“Everybody in Kentucky has guns.”

“That’s the point. We could steal them and sell them to people in other states who don’t have them.”

“There’s a problem with that. Everyone in Kentucky knows how to use them. The brothers would be dodging lead if they tried breaking into anyone’s house to steal them.”

“That’s true.” She nibbled on the popcorn. “I came up with the idea. You’re the club president; you can fine tune it.”

“Fine tune what? Getting the brothers killed or landing them in jail?” he caustically replied, taking out his wallet and motioning for Bear. “Go on a beer run. Make sure you get a case of Miller Lite. Mark it with my name.”

She placed a hand over her chest as if she had been stabbed. “That hurt. I would share my beer with you.”

“I don’t drink Miller.” He didn’t react to her mocking exaggeration.

“I have an idea.” Sex Piston beamed as if she had solved the never-ending lack of club’s money.

“I hope it’s better than Crazy Bitch’s.” Killyama moved the popcorn closer to her. “I’d hate making money just for her to skip out on bail for breaking and entering.”

“It is.” Sex Piston excitedly slammed her beer down on the table. “Why don’t we pool our money together and invest in Penni’s invention. Lily said she’s looking for investors.”

“Count me out,” Killyama jeered. “I wouldn’t trust her with cooking, much less with my money.”

Crazy Bitch coughed out the popcorn kernel that had become lodged in her throat.

“What invention?” Stud turned toward Sex Piston, his interest piqued.

“I haven’t shown you yet. I was waiting for your birthday.”

“I agree with Killyama. Forget I said anything. I think dues are the way to go.” Finally able to talk, she tried to close the discussion before another dick was hurt.

“What kind of investment is it?”

Crazy Bitch’s shoulders slumped at Stud’s refusal to change the subject. She tried to wiggle her eyebrows at Sex Piston. Either she didn’t see or didn’t care.

“It’s a sex toy.”

“And you haven’t let me use it on you yet?”

Her heart fluttered at the sensuous smile Stud gave Sex Piston. Damn, where was Calder when she needed him? Then she remembered he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night. The longer he was away, the sexier Stud was looking to her.

“It’s for men,” Sex Piston explained.

“Really?” His interest racked up another notch. “We can ask your parents if the kids can stay with them tomorrow night, and we can see if it’s worth investing in.”

The conservation was going from bad to worse. Drumming her fingers on the table, she tried to think of a way to save Stud’s dick without breaking her promise to Calder about what happened to his.

Inspiration struck.

“Do you really want your kids to know you’re making money off a sex toy?”

“It doesn’t bother Willa. She’s rich as fuck from a condom company.”

Crazy Bitch shot Killyama a dirty look at that revelation.

“Don’t forget the one she gave us was a prototype. You know Penni. I wouldn’t use it until she gets feedback from the others she gave it to.”

Sex Piston waved her suggestion away. “She only gave them to us. She texted me the other day, asking how the men liked it. I told her we hadn’t tried it yet. If my parents keep the kids, we can give her all the feedback she wants.”

“I haven’t used the one she gave me.” Killyama snorted. “I’m not letting any contraption of hers near Train’s dick.”

“It’s just a fucking vibrator. You’re both acting like it’s a drill. We have four kids who need their college educations paid for. If that vibrator is any good, you better believe me, we’ll be investing. Isn’t that right, Stud?”

When Crazy Bitch turned her eyes toward him at Sex Piston’s question, she saw that he had been watching her own expression.

“I think we should wait until Penni gets at least a couple reviews.”

She glanced away from his penetrating stare. Then she blinked upward several times, trying to give a subtle hint. “I think twenty reviews sounds like a good, even number.”

“The kids need a college fund. They’ll need a nursing home before you make up your mind,” Sex Piston complained, seeing her imaginary fortune slip away.

Satisfied that Stud wouldn’t let the toy near his dick, Crazy Bitch relaxed, enjoying her beer and the music. It would have been better if Calder was there, but a girl couldn’t have it all.

“Fat Louise finally got here,” Crazy Bitch told the others as Fat Louise waved, making her way toward their table.

“Guess who got her promotion,” she said, sitting down.

“That’s cool.” Crazy Bitch was thrilled for her. She had worked hard for the job that she had been promised several months ago.

“Not only that, but Sam called in and quit today. They said he missed the last couple of days, and when the doctor called, he quit.”

“Thank fuck!” Crazy Bitch shouted out, the burden of keeping the secret of being roofied by him falling off her shoulders. “You all can have a beer on me. You just made my night, girlfriend.” She laughed, relieved that Fat Louise wouldn’t have to work with the sneaky asshole.

“Does that mean we can tell Stud now?” Fat Louise looked at her questioningly. “I hated keeping the secret. Cade won’t be happy that I didn’t tell him, but I’ll make it up to him. I’ll break out that present that Penni gave us.”

Her joy at Fat Louise’s announcement dimmed.

“I would save that for another—”

“Forget the toy. What secret?” Stud interrupted brusquely.

Sex Piston, Killyama, T.A., and Fat Louise began munching on the popcorn, leaving Crazy Bitch the only one able to answer.

“We can talk about it later.”

“Now.”

Crazy Bitch swallowed hard. It wasn’t often that she found herself on the receiving end of the hard gaze he was giving her.

“There’s a reason I quit seeing Sam. He tried to roofie me when we went to the drive-in.”

Stud’s face grew dark. “And why didn’t you want me or any of the brothers to know?”

“I wanted Fat Louise to get her promotion. As soon as she got the promotion and got past the six-week trial period, I would have told you.”

“I see.”

Crazy Bitch paled at the lethal stillness of those around them. When the music stopped, she knew the brothers were listening in. Their anger was evident when she reluctantly looked up to gauge their reactions.

“I only told Fat Louise because I didn’t want her working with the fucker. She wanted that job. I didn’t have the proof he did it. It would have been his word against mine. No one would have believed me.”

“I would have.”

“You’re not the one handing out promotions.”

“Tell him all of it.” Sex Piston’s face tightened when Stud shot her the same glare.

“What else is there to tell?” Crazy Bitch tried to keep from confessing anything else. The man was so furious his eyelid was twitching.

“That he gave you a black eye and that you missed three days’ of work because of him. Bitch, I work beside you; don’t think I didn’t notice that pancake makeup under your eye.”

“That didn’t matter. I blackened his, too.”

“It matters to me,” Stud ground out.

“Me, too.” Killyama gave them all looks of betrayal. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to tell Train. He would have told Stud.”

“You’re right about that.” Train maneuvered through the crowd to lay his hand on Killyama’s shoulder.

“Is there anything else you forgot to tell me?”

She really didn’t want to tell Stud anything else, but the warning glint in Sex Piston’s eyes had her confessing the rest.

“He called me one night, calling me names, but I took care of it. I went to his office and played the recording.”

His dark expression went from bad to worse. Stud’s fury had her regretting having her friends keep the secret. She should have known Fat Louise wouldn’t keep quiet.

“You still have the recording on your phone? I would think twice before lying to me.”

She apprehensively took out her phone, playing back the message. When filth spewed out of the phone, she flinched as Stud reached out and overturned the table, sending beer bottles and popcorn flying.

Sex Piston’s eyes widened at her husband’s behavior. She shakily stood up. “Stud—”

“You heard that shit and didn’t tell me?”

“She didn’t play it for me. I didn’t realize it was that bad—”

“It was bad when the douchebag tried to roofie her.” He pointed toward Crazy Bitch’s phone. “That sick motherfucker isn’t rational. I’m going to call Knox, and you’re going to make a report.”

“Okay.” Crazy Bitch bowed her head, acknowledging she had screwed up. “I was worried that if you knew, you or one of the other brothers would hurt him.”

“You don’t care about that pervert, do you?”

“Hell no!” Aghast, she stared at him at the question. “I didn’t want any of you doing jail time because I was stupid enough to go out with him.”

“That says a lot about my inability as president that you think I’m not smart enough to keep from getting caught when I kill the motherfucker.”

She blanched. “I do not want him killed. He’s not worth the trouble it would cost the club!”

Stud shoved the table away, looming over her. “If someone had treated Sex Piston that way, what would you do?”

She tugged at her bottom lip. Crazy Bitch knew what she would do. “I’m not Sex Piston.”

“You think you’re any less important than she is to the brothers? I’m married to Sex Piston, but I became your president in this club when I accepted Skulls’ offer to make this club a charter of the Blue Horsemen. That means I accepted every man and woman as my responsibility. You listening to me?”

“Yes.” She blinked back tears at his fierce tirade.

“That includes you! All of you!”

“I was wrong,” she admitted when his gaze returned to hers after he was sure he had everyone’s attention. “I was only doing what I thought was best for the club.”

“That’s my fucking job.” Stud smacked his chest with a fist. “That’s Cade’s job, that’s Bear’s job, and that’s fucking Train’s job—protection. Not for you to take it into your own hands and decide what’s best for everyone else. That’s why we’re a club!”

He turned away from her. “When we call church tomorrow night, the brothers will decide on your punishment. Sex Piston, Fat Louise, and T.A. will also receive their share for keeping your secret.”

“Stud, I’ll take your punishment. I’ll take theirs, too, since I had to talk them into it.” Crazy Bitch hated seeing Stud so angry. She hadn’t meant to diminish his role as president over the bitch, but by asking them to keep the secret she had done just that.

“Fine,” he snapped. “You clean this fucking mess after you go to my office and talk to Knox. I’ll count one of the punishments off.”

He didn’t seem happy about letting her get off with such a simple punishment, but Stud was fair. He had been the one to make the mess because he was so angry at her. He didn’t want to punish the other women. She took to heart that the other punishments wouldn’t be so easy to accomplish.

She followed him into the office, listening as he FaceTimed Knox and explained what she had told him.

“You threw the drink at him?”

Crazy Bitch took a seat next to Stud so Knox would be able to see them through the phone.

“Yes, I was so angry I wasn’t thinking.”

“Did you take any pictures of your face, or did anyone see your face with the bruises?”

“No.”

Knox shook his head. “I won’t say you handled this wrong. I’m sure Stud’s already told you that.”

“Yes, he has.”

Knox looked thoughtful. “I’ve met the sheriff in Jamestown a couple times. I can understand your concerns. Lucky’s had to deal with him more than I have. I stay away from a-holes whose egos are bigger than their badges. He’s under investigation with the DEA for a couple of mishandlings of OD deaths in Jamestown in the last four months.”

Crazy Bitch shot Stud a sidelong look, hoping Knox’s words would take out some of the sting of her not confiding in him. It didn’t.

“I didn’t call the sheriff here. I called you. I don’t trust Eli any more than the DEA does.”

“Send me your ex’s full name and date of birth. I’ll see what I can pull up. We can go from there when I get the results back. Crazy Bitch, if you see him again, call Stud immediately. Don’t take any chances.”

“I haven’t seen him since I went to his office. And Fat Louise said he no longer works there. I haven’t gotten another phone call, either. I’m sure he’s too scared to try anything else. A man who roofies a woman doesn’t have balls, anyway.”

“I hope you’re right.”

The phone that Knox was holding jiggled as it was turned, showing another face staring back at her.

Greer, dressed in a deputy’s uniform, explaining why he was in Knox’s office. It also explained why Knox had seemed so aggravated when he had answered Stud’s FaceTime call.

“A man doesn’t roofie a woman because he’s afraid of getting caught. They do it because they’re hiding something. Find out what he’s hiding, and you’ll be able to catch the bastard before he does it to someone else.”

“Thanks for your advice, Greer.” Stud held his cell phone tighter, trying to settle the picture as Knox and Greer struggled over his phone.

“How are the Destructors doing with my clues?” Greer’s face suddenly righted as Knox stopped trying to get his phone back. Crazy Bitch saw that he was just as interested in Stud’s answer as Greer was.

“We could use a little help with the frozen one.”

Greer looked delighted that they hadn’t found the castle clue yet. Each of their teams had returned, unable to find the next clue.

“I’ll give you another clue. Use your fucking brain.” He sniggered.

Knox must have grabbed his phone back, because the connection went haywire before the call disconnected.

“He’s a son of a bitch.” Stud stared at his phone as if he wanted to reach out and drag Greer out of the device.

“That’s what Sex Piston and I have been trying to tell you.” The Destructors were taking bets on who would be the first one to beat Greer to a bloody pulp. The pot was beginning to be worth as much as the treasure he had hidden.

Stud’s anger returned in a flash, sobering her as he pulled up his contacts on his cell phone.

“You calling Knox back?”

“No, I’m calling Calder.”