“Well, Jesus fucked a hooker slut, didn’t he? And that shit seemed to work out for him, didn’t it? I mean, hell, bitch, I got the long hair and beard and women worship at my feet. Maybe I’m the fuckin’ second coming?”

And with that, I regretted everything I had just said.

Defeated, I sat back and whispered, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

“Oh great, more Bible shit. Just what my fuckin’ pounding hangover needs!”

Feeling annoyed and gaping at his disregard of the Lord’s written word, I muttered, “John 4:8. It is worthy of your respect.”

“Got it,” Ky said in amusement. “Gonna write down that worthy shit, frame it, and hang it on my wall.”

Turning away from his taunting smirk, I cast my gaze out the window and abruptly noticed that other vehicles were on the road and we had left the secluded lane that housed the compound. The occasional house came into view amongst fields of green, and after a few more minutes, people were milling about, the outside world springing into life.

I was fascinated by it all: the colors, the wide range of different people, their different clothes, the different vehicles on the road. At first it unnerved me, but I felt safe within the truck, and much to my chagrin, I felt safe with Ky. I knew he was my protector. I had witnessed it the night that he stormed the compound and demanded to Styx that Maddie and I be taken with Mae. And even out in this unfamiliar world, and with as little time spent with him as I had had, I instinctively knew he would protect me from danger.

The vehicle began to turn right, and we pulled into a small area with a few other stationary vehicles, a small wooden house with the words Maude’s Breakfast Hut on the top. We came to a stop just outside.

Some people passing by looked into the car, heads bent together, whispering to one another.

I turned to Ky and admitted, “I am afraid to go out there. These people, they are so different from me.” I ran my hands down the front of my gray dress and over my white headdress. I felt sick with nerves. “I do not look the same as them. Everyone will stare at me, and I loathe to be looked at. I cannot stand it.”

Ky edged closer on the long seat and said, “Li, ain’t no one gonna say shit to you. You’re with me. ‘Round these parts, no fucker says a thing to us outta turn unless they wanna feel a fuckload of pain.”

Reading his expression, I saw nothing but sincerity. Still, I was reluctant to move. “Can I request that we return to the compound? I do not feel any comfort in being outside.”

Ky shook his head and clasped my hand in his, causing me gasp. “No more requests. Time to take hold of those balls.”

Ky reached over me and opened the door. “Let’s go.” Freeing my hand, he ushered me out of the truck and followed behind, shuffling along the seat, making sure I did as he said.

Once out of the vehicle, strange sounds made me jump, and I found myself backing up until I hit something hard. Spinning around, I realized I had backed into Ky. His face was one of amusement again, but without a word, he wrapped his hand around mine and began marching into Maude’s Hut.

Keeping two steps behind Ky, as was required when walking with a man, I kept my eyes to the ground and tried to block out the strange noises assaulting my ears.

A bell sounded as Ky opened the door and the noise of people talking suddenly stopped. I could feel their stares on Ky and me. Ky did not appear affected by this. In fact, it seemed normal to him.

He was beautiful; maybe it was his good looks that had people so mesmerized?

Clicking footsteps sounded on the wooden floor, and a woman said, “Mornin’, Kyler, usual table?”

“Mornin’, darlin’, and yeah, same table,” Ky responded.

I lifted my head just enough to see an old gray-haired lady wearing a strange pink garment, smiling a wide smile at Ky.

“Didn’t tell me y’all would be doing business today. I’ll have to shift some seats outta your way to give y’all some privacy,” the woman whispered as we weaved among tables filled with staring people and walked behind a separating wall to where an unset table sat on its own.

“Ain’t got business today, Maude. Here for food and nothing else,” Ky replied.

“Oh, okay. Give me a minute to get y’all set up.”

There was a stretch of silence, and I risked a glance up. The woman was staring down at me and shook her head, then faced Ky.

“You know, in all the years I’ve known you, and that’s your whole damn life, I ain’t ever seen you in here with a girl.”

Ky shrugged and blushed slightly, which made me smile. He caught me watching him and his eyes narrowed, causing me to drop my mirthful gaze.

The lady Ky had named Maude leaned in close, the scent of her strong perfume suffocating, and said quietly, “She ain’t no sex-trafficking victim, is she? Why’s she dressed so strange? Looks like she belongs back in the seventeen hundreds!”

“Club business, darlin’. You know how it goes,” Ky said flatly, his jaw rigid.

“I got no problem with you handling club business here, and didn’t when your daddy and Styx’s daddy did either. You boys always look out for me, but there are some things I ain’t happy to entertain.” She paused, then added, “The girl looks like she’s just been ripped from Utah and that weird polygamous cult. Damn beautiful face, though. Beautiful.”

I noticed Ky had become stone at Maude’s words, but her references did not make sense to me. The word “cult” did, however, and it worried me.

“Ain’t no sex trafficker. The Hangmen never have been and never fuckin’ will be. I’d rather murder those evil cunts than join their ranks. And where this bitch came from ain’t none of your concern. She’s with me, and that’s the fuckin’ long and short of it.”

“All right, all right,” Maude replied, exasperated. She rubbed at Ky’s arm. “I’ll leave y’all alone and get you some menus.”

“No need. My usual for both of us.”

“Got it!”

Maude’s strangely high-heeled shoes clip-clopped on the floor as she walked away.

Ky released my hand, and I lifted my head. “Sit down, sweet cheeks,” Ky ordered. I did as I was told.

When I scanned my surroundings, I noticed we were sitting at a small round table, a chair on either side. Ky sat opposite me and immediately cast an assessing gaze around the room. The people nearest our table immediately dropped their eyes and turned away.