After dinner, Grace led a few of us into a big room. She sat at the head of the table, Ryder sitting next to her. I sat on the other side, with Lucky close to me and holding my hand.
Riot and Slade sat across from us, their hulking frames seeming to take up the entire side of the table. Storm and Wolfe and Wreck sat at the other end.
I felt like I was in a movie. Looking around the room, knowing these people were going to be listening to my story made me want to crawl into a hole and never come out.
They were lovely people. Everyone had been so kind and friendly, a complete contrast to the tough exterior they all exuded. Still, opening up to anyone was awkward for me.
“So, Pepper, this is your time to tell us what’s going on and why you’re here. Please, take your time. We know this can be hard sometimes. But it’s important to tell us every detail you can think of, even if you think it may not be useful. And please know that we’re here to help you.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, trying to focus on Grace’s kind eyes and the feel of Lucky’s hand holding mine.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning of your story?”
I nodded, trying to remember where the start of the story really was. Should I go back to the beginning of Artie’s party? Or should I go back to the first time I met him? Or, perhaps as far back as when Pop died, so I could explain why I did the things I did? It was all so much. Too much. Way too much to really get into right now.
“Artie Paige is a huge power player in Hollywood,” I began. “When I first got there, I was on my own. My Pop died. I thought maybe I could try my hand at acting. I got a few auditions right away, and I was really happy about that. One was with Artie, which was unusual, because even back then he was a big player in the scene, so the fact that he was personally doing auditions for his movie was a big deal. Usually, they used a casting director.”
I paused, swallowing, regretting my starting point now that I’d gotten to the hard part.
“I was young,” I shrugged. “Starry-eyed. Stupid.”
“Hey,” Lucky whispered, shaking her head. “You were never stupid.”
I smiled at her and kept going. “To sum it up, Artie assaulted me. It was a long time ago and I don’t want to get into the details, but it was awful. He’s awful. He’s a monster. But, again, I was a kid and I didn’t do anything about it, except give up on trying to be an actor. After that, I did whatever I needed to do to survive.” I lifted my chin, determined not to allow shame into my account. I wasn’t ashamed of what I did with my life. I’d survived. However I was able.
“You never saw him again?” Grace asked.
“Not until the other night at the party.”
“Artie’s birthday party?” Lucky asked.
“Yeah,” I said, sighing. Finally, I decided to rip the band-aid off. Why beat around the bush any longer? I risked Lucky being disappointed in me, but I didn’t really know anyone else so I figured if they lost respect for me, it didn’t matter. Respect was something someone earned, not something I should just expect by default, I knew that. “Listen, I’m a hustler, okay?”
“What does that mean, Pepper?” Grace asked.
“I just…obtain…things. Wallets, wristwatches, expensive sunglasses. Phones and necklaces and anything I can sell, pretty much. I know it sounds awful. But I’m just being honest. That’s what my Pop did and he taught me everything he knew. I choose my marks carefully — only people I know I won’t really hurt — and I make sure to help out others, at the same time. I know it’s not the most respectable profession.”
“Nobody here is judging you, I promise,” Grace said, gently.
I nodded and smiled, not believing her. Let them judge me. I expected it. Grace was being polite and that was nice, but I had no disillusions about what people thought of hustlers like me.
“Anyway, I’d been planning my revenge for some time, to tell you the truth. I hated Artie. For a long time, I didn’t have access to him, so for years, I never thought I’d be able to get that close to him. But after time went on, and I infiltrated various social circles that overlapped with his, it became obvious that eventually, I’d get close to him again. When I was sure I could get into his party, I took advantage of the opportunity.”
“So you were at the party?”
“Yes,” I admitted. “I was there. I even talked with Artie, briefly, earlier in the evening. He was a pig, just like before, but of course, he didn’t recognize me. I’m sure his assault on me years ago was just one of many others. He came onto me at the party. In fact, he basically assaulted me again, pawing at me like the rapist that he is. If I was a violent person, I might have killed him right there. But I’m not. My planned revenge was of a different type.”
“What did you do?” Grace asked.
“I stole some jewels, Tulsa’s jewels.” I took a deep breath, scanning their faces. “But not during the party. I went to just stake the place out. I went back later, after the party and that’s when I saw what he did.”
“Tell us about that,” Ryder said. “What did you see?”
“Everyone was gone. The party was over. It must have been three or four in the morning. I went inside the house, briefly, and when I came back out, I heard voices. I followed them around the side of the house and down past the garden. Artie was fighting with Tulsa. They were yelling at first and then he started choking her. They fought. She got away for a second, but…,” I paused, the memory of that night rushing over me. My hands started trembling as I went on. “They wrestled, I guess. And then, she just went over the side. And…in an instant, she was just gone.”
“And this asshole is all over the news blaming you?” Slade asked.
“Apparently,” I said. “He saw me. He knows I saw him. I got away. He’s in terrible shape, so it was easy to outrun him. But he saw me drive away.”
“You said you talked to him earlier in the evening. Did you give him your real name?” Riot asked.
“No,” I shook my head. “I never gave anyone my real name. Except for my neighbor, Bea.”
“Right, you told me on the phone that the cops were showing a picture of you to your neighbors,” Lucky said. “How did he get that?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied. “Has there been anything on the news about me yet? Have they ID’d me?”
“I looked a little while ago and I didn’t see anything,” Riot said. “But here’s what I don’t understand. If he didn’t know your name, how did he get so close to you? Los Angeles is a big place.”
“It was the car I was driving.” I shrugged. “I borrowed it.”
“Borrowed?” Lucky asked, raising a brow.
“I stole it. From a garage near my house. I put it back after the party. I wiped it down, though. The cops told my neighbors they were going door to door.”
“So, they just got lucky?”
“Yes, I think so. One of my neighbors, the one downstairs — I heard him tell them it looked a little like me. But my neighbor closest to me told them it didn’t look anything like me. I should check on her, actually,” I said, thinking of Bea. I hated having to abandon her. She didn’t have anyone else and she depended on me so much.
“I can check on her for you,” Riot said. “But don’t make any calls. In fact, I’m going to need you to hand over your phone, so we can make sure you aren’t getting tracked somehow.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “I left my primary phone in my apartment, but I have a burner in the cabin. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
“Pepper, after you left town, where did you go?” Slade asked.
“I just drove. I hopped in my car and drove north, until I stopped at that motel in Fresno. I didn’t go anywhere else.”
“Excellent,” Grace said. “I think you’ll be very safe here, Pepper. And, it’s possible that this case won’t escalate. Most likely, the cops won’t figure out it was you, based on just the casual mention of you by your downstairs neighbor. I think if you just hang out here fo
r a while and lay low, that would be best. Just till we can see where things go.”
“In the meantime,” Riot said. “I’ll be working to hack into Artie’s security system and see what I can find. As well as his computers, his personal email, and his company email, as well as Tulsa’s.”
“I’ll check in with my contacts at the precinct in Portland. See if they know any insiders in the department in Los Angeles.” Grace said.
“Did you hear anything Artie and Tulsa said before she died?” Riot asked.
“No, not really,” I said. “It was windy. Just a lot of cussing and shouting, really.”
“Is there anything else we should know, Pepper?” Ryder asked.
“Not that I can think of,” I lied.
Of course, they might want to know about the priceless pile of rare diamonds I still had, but those were for me.
I’d need them once I left here, so I kept my mouth shut.
They were wonderful. They were kind and while I definitely felt safe there, I knew I wouldn’t stay long. I’m glad Lucky found family. She seemed so happy with Ziggy, and that made me happy. But these lovely people weren’t my family, no matter how good it felt to be there.
I knew I couldn’t depend on them forever. Eventually, after everything hopefully died down, I’d have to find my way back home, even if I was forced to settle somewhere else. I certainly couldn’t stay here, so I wasn’t about to let myself get too used to being here, to feeling this good fuzzy feeling all the time.
If I got too used to that, it would just make me weak, and well, it just wasn’t an option. Not for a person like me.
“Okay, then,” Grace said. “I think that’s probably enough for the night. You’re probably exhausted, Pepper. Get some rest and we’ll regroup in the morning. In the meantime, try to relax. I know it’s hard. And if you need anything at all, just let me know.”
“I’ll be here, too, babe,” Lucky said, squeezing my hand again. She’d been mostly silent while I recounted my story. I couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of me now that she’d heard it.
“Thanks,” I said. “I am tired. I appreciate the use of the cabin, Grace.”
Chair legs scraped across the wooden floors as everyone stood up and started walking out. My eyes darted around the room, crashing into Storm’s and lingering there for a moment. He flashed me the faintest smile before looking away and my heart skipped a beat.
He was fucking gorgeous. But was he judging me, too?
I was fortunate to be here, I knew that. Their professionalism was obvious and they definitely seemed to know what they were doing.
At the same time, they seemed to have a lot of fun together.
Watching Storm walk out of the room, I wondered just how much fun they actually let themselves have.
Chapter 14
GRACE
Lucky and Lacey and I walked Pepper back to her cabin. It was getting late and the moon hung heavy and golden in the night sky, surrounded by a thick blanket of sparkling stars.
I could sense the tension rolling off Pepper. It was common for our clients to feel uncomfortable and nervous and anxious. They were going through the worst thing in their lives, usually.
I’m so proud of the work we’ve done over the years. We’ve built Solid Ground from nothing but courage and hard work and love. Along with the desire to help others, it was a perfect mix to accomplish exactly what we’d set out to do. Every night, lying in bed with Ryder and our one-year-old daughter, Sadie, my heart was overcome with pure joy knowing what a difference we were making in the world.
Despite all the pain and sorrow in the world, it felt so good to add a little bit of relief and safety to it.
“Pepper, the cabin is fully stocked,” I said, as we opened the door and walked in. “From the closet to the bathroom and kitchen, everything you need should be there. If there’s anything missing or anything special you want at all, just let us know.”
“And if you just need to talk or vent or have any questions, we’re here for that, too,” Lacey said. “Going through something like this is very stressful.”
“Thanks,” she said, lifting her chin. I could tell she was trying to be brave. She reminded me a lot of myself at her age. I thought I could take on the world, all by myself. What I didn’t realize back then is that I could definitely take on the world, but I was going to need a little help. Having the Gods to back me up had given me a power I never would have had alone. And the family we’ve created is more valuable to me than any member of the family I was born into.
“You’re not alone,” I reminded her. “And you don’t have to spend any time alone in this cabin, not if you don’t want to. It’s here for privacy, if you desire it, but not to keep you separated from us. We want you to seek us out.”
“You are all so nice,” she said, smiling at me gently. I could see the fragility she was trying to hide. I reached out, pulling her in for a hug. She stiffened at first, but leaned into it after a brief pause.
“I’ll hang out with you for a while, if that’s okay?” Lucky asked her.
“Sure, of course,” Pepper said.
“Pepper, can I get that cell phone to give to Riot?” Lacey asked.
“Oh, sure,” she said, pulling it out of her bag and handing it to her.
Lacey and I said goodnight and left them alone, heading back the way we came in the darkness, our boots crunching in the loose leaves on the path.
“I’m glad she has Lucky,” Lacey said. “She looks like she could use a friend.”
“Me, too,” I replied. “Hopefully, after she gets used to us, she’ll reach out to us, too.”
“Heading to bed for the night?” Lacey asked.
“Yep,” I said. “Ryder and Sadie are waiting up for me. I promised I’d read her a story before bed.”
“You’re a good mom,” Lacey said.
“I try,” I said. “It’s not as easy as everyone said it would be.”
Lacey laughed. I hugged her goodnight and headed to our cabin. Ryder and Sadie were in the living room sitting next to the fire and my heart swelled with love at the sight of them. Our life was good — very good.
I said a little prayer of thanks to the universe for my blessings and walked over to join them, Sadie’s arms already reaching out for me.
Chapter 15
PEPPER
Lucky and I opened a bottle of wine and sat by the fire that someone had already thoughtfully started in the fireplace. The cabin was warm and cozy and smelled amazing.
“I won’t stay long, you must be so tired.”
“It’s been a long day,” I said, settling on the comfy brown leather couch next to her.
“You’ll get some good rest here.”
“It’s very peaceful here,” I said. “How did you find them?”
She laughed and shook her head. “I met Ziggy in a bar one night. I’d snuck away from my management team and found myself needing to be rescued from a persistent fan. Ziggy was there and he stepped up.”
“Wow, that must happen a lot.”
“It doesn’t, actually,” I said. “I was going through some serious drama at the time. My ex-fiancé, who was also my ex-manager, was stalking me at the time. I needed a new security team and Ziggy offered up the Gods. It was a trip, I’ll tell you that. But, in the process, Ziggy and I fell in love.”
“That’s pretty awesome,” I said. She beamed as she talked about Ziggy.
“What about you, Pepper?” she asked. “There’s nobody special in your life?”
“A lover?” I asked. “No. I don’t have time for that. My life is a little unusual, as you heard. I don’t really let people into my circle. In fact, my circle is extremely small. Basically nonexistent, really, except for Bea.”
I paused, taking a sip of wine, the warmth spreading through me and relaxing my shoulders.
“Bea is my neighbor I mentioned I was worried about. She’s such a sweet old lady. I help her out often. She doesn’t have anyone either, so
we just gravitated to each other and became friends.”
“So, no friends either, then?”
“Just Bea,” I said.
She nodded thoughtfully, falling quiet.
“I know you’re probably judging me. My life…” I finally said.
“I’m not,” she said, shaking her head. “My life wasn’t all that great, either.”
“Yeah, but you have a successful career and a loving partner. My life has been just a big mess. I didn’t even realize just how much until now.”
“You played the hand you were dealt, Pepper. There’s no shame in that.”
I nodded, thinking about Pop.
“Pop really liked you, Lucky. He thought you were very talented.”
“I wish I’d spent more time with the two of you. My mom, as you know, was a disaster and I didn’t really have the opportunity to spend much time with family.”
“I understand,” I said. Lucky’s Mom was my mother’s sister. Since my mother died giving birth to me, there wasn’t a lot of contact on either side.
“I heard when your dad died, though. It was sad. Everyone was worried about you, but you just disappeared.”
“I had to. I didn’t want to be put in foster care. And I didn’t know your side of the family, so I didn’t want to go there either.”
“Makes sense. What did you do?”
“I hung out in New York for a little while. But after a while, I needed to get away. The streets were haunted with memories of Pop and me. Everywhere I went, I saw him. And the streets are a lot harder in Manhattan than they are in Hollywood.”
She laughed again. “Yeah, that’s what I did, too. I needed to get away from my crazy mother.”
“I’m sorry about that,” I said. “You’re right, those were just the hands we were dealt.”
“I’d say we both survived pretty damn well, though, wouldn’t you?” She raised her glass and clinked it with mine.
“I agree,” I said, sipping more of the wine and relishing in its warmth spreading through my body. I was so tense and had been all day. Relaxing sounded like exactly what I needed to do. I took another sip and another, staring into the fire.
THE HUSTLE: GODS OF CHAOS MC (BOOK FOURTEEN) Page 8