“Food was amazing, company was even better,” I say, snuggling up to him. “We ate more than any one person should, and then Faye wanted to go look at new throwing knives.”
“Typical day with Faye, then,” he says, turning the page over, which shows a woman with her legs apart, the baby’s head crowning. I slam the book shut. Vinnie laughs. I don’t.
“I’ll just ask Faye how her labor with Clover went,” I say, not wanting to see that book ever again. “I’m sure she’ll have plenty of advice.”
Vinnie starts laughing so hard, and I have no idea why, so I jump on him and demand that he explains.
“Do not ask Faye about her labor story,” he says, then starts laughing again.
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve heard what she has to say, and it’s something no pregnant woman should ever hear,” he explains.
Well that decides it.
Now I can’t not ask her.
* * *
“Just imagine getting stabbed in the stomach, repeatedly,” she says, rather cheerfully, considering. “Just as the pain from one knife ebbs, another fresh one pierces you right in the gut, and then it starts to happen more regularly and more painfully. That’s what contractions feel like.”
I open my mouth, then slam it shut.
“All while your man, who got you pregnant in the first place, stands by, just watching, pain-free. You wish some of the knives will point in his direction, but no, they’re aimed only at you. He just gets to stand there and pretend he knows what you’re going through, probably thinking, ‘Oh, it can’t hurt that much, it’s part of nature’ or some other stupid shit men say. Then, when you think nothing could be more painful, you have to start pushing the baby out of your vagina, because it doesn’t come out by itself, no, you have to do all the work. Your vag is stretching, you’re being yelled at to push, it kind of feels like you need to go to the toilet. It’s all very traumatic.”
Vinnie walks into the kitchen and sees my expression. He looks between Faye and me, then says, “You asked her, didn’t you?”
I give him a look that clearly says to shut up, but instead he starts laughing. Sin comes in and asks what the fuck is so funny.
“Faye is telling Shay Clover’s birth story. I told her not to ask.” He smirks, throwing me a smug look.
Sin chuckles, kissing the top of Faye’s head. “Looking forward to doing all of that again, are you?”
Faye’s eyes narrow. “Ready to take my abuse again?”
“Yep,” Sin replies instantly, taking the seat next to her. “It’s the least I can do, right? You take the pain, I take your abuse.”
“I’m sure I’ll come up with some excellent insults to throw at you this time around. My vocabulary has grown since Clover was born.”
“I’m sure you will,” Sin says in a dry tone, then throws Vinnie a look that clearly says, Good luck. Pregnant women are fuckin’ crazy.
“Don’t let her take her throwing knives with her,” I suggest, wincing. “She might decide to make you share the pain.”
Faye grins, kissing Sin on his jawline. “Now why didn’t I think of that?”
* * *
“We need to talk about something,” Vinnie says, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re pregnant, and I don’t want to stress you out, but you need to know that the Kings know you’re alive.”
“How?” I ask, standing up from our bed. “How do they know?”
“Talon has a mole,” he says, looking pissed off. “Whoever he told in his MC is involved with the Kings and told them shit. Now we have to deal with this shit again, because the Wild Men don’t know fuck about loyalty.”
Harsh words, but I can’t even defend them. Who would betray Talon? I think about what we could do now, and only one thing comes to mind. However, it’s going to involve me having a little explaining to do.
“I could go to the feds,” I blurt out, looking Vinnie in the eye.
“The fuckin’ feds? How would that help?” he asks, narrowing his brown eyes.
I remain silent, not knowing how to start this conversation.
“Shay?”
I cringe and sit back down. “The feds were in contact with me. Well, they tried to be in contact with me, but I’d been avoiding them. When they called, I’d send it to voice mail. Remember that day in the jewelry store when I went to buy Faye’s present? The woman I was speaking to was a federal agent. She cornered me, wanting me to go with her to talk, but I said no. I didn’t want to work with them or have anything to do with them. I didn’t think they could help in the situation, but maybe they can now?”
I don’t trust the feds, mainly because I knew my father was working with them, and look what happened to him. I just don’t see another way out of this now though.
Vinnie searches my eyes, then says, “How can they help, Shay?”
I swallow hard. “I think I might know where the ledger is. I mean, I know of a place where my father kept some of his important documents. I’ve been thinking, racking my brain, and if it is anywhere, it has to be the place where he left it. It’s worth the shot, don’t you think?”
His expression hardens. “And you didn’t think this is something that I should know?”
I stand up and walk to him, resting my hand on his chest. “I didn’t lie or betray you in any way, Vinnie, and I would never. I just didn’t want to be involved in all of this, I didn’t want the feds contacting me, or coming here. I don’t physically have anything. I didn’t touch it or look at it, I just know where it is.”