“I’m in, but none of us needs to drive,” Forge replied.
“Where’s Locke?”I asked, realizing that we’d left the distillery and come to Gathe and Locke’s place and Locke hadn’t been home during that time.
“With Ransom and Oz.They’re handling a bet that is overdue.Oz is collecting this week, and they’ve got one that’s over five mil unpaid,” Gathe said.
Oz handled the gambling side of the business.He’d been the bookie for the Mississippi branch for years.Not a job I’d want.But my brother was good at it.Only once had he almost lost a large amount, and he abducted the man’s sister to draw him out of hiding.But while he was holding her captive, he had gotten obsessed with her.She was now my sister-in-law.
“Who went with the girls shopping then, Bane?”Forge asked before shoving a chip in his mouth.
“And Father Jude,” Than added.
“What’s he gonna do?Pray for them?”I asked, smirking as I took a drink.
“Jude’s gotten pretty damn good with his Glock,” Than said.
“I’ve been working with him,” Gathe added, leaning back in his chair.
“Well, I’m sure he’s lethal then,” I replied with a roll of my eyes.
Forge burst out laughing and sank down on the sofa.
“You’re all assholes,” Gathe grumbled and took another drink.
This was what I’d missed.It wasn’t the same in Alabama.The guys there weren’t the ones I’d grown up with and trained with.I wanted this back.Not going to Glenda’s today had been smart.
My text sound went off, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket.
Butler: Missing Bama yet?
Out of all the guys in Alabama, Butler was who I’d gotten close to.Dixon and I had been tighter once, but my fucking Jazz had made things different.I’d not realized it would at the time.Jazz was annoying at best.I hadn’t known he had a real thing for her.
Me: Eh, not exactly.It’s good to be home.
He’d been joking.He had known I wanted to go back to Mississippi.He understood.He’d feel the same if he had to leave Alabama.
“You got a piece of ass back in Bama?”Gathe asked.
I shook my head.“No.I don’t do anything clingy.Too much work.”
“Right?”
Watching the others all hooked up looked boring as fuck.At least that was what I was going to keep telling myself.
“Keep talking.It’s coming for you one day,” Than said, grinning like he knew something we didn’t.
But I did.I knew.I’d felt that way about a girl once.Nothing came before her.She had been all I lived for.And when it was ripped from you, it was excruciating pain.He didn’t know about that.Only I did.
My phone went off again, and I looked down at it.
Butler: Dixon and Jazz started fucking again.That’s good news for you.At least she’ll leave you alone.Other than that, the only thing happening here is Mullens knifed a dude at the Doghouse last night for mouthing off.Guy ended up being the Baptist preacher’s son.
This wasn’t unusual.Mullens had a temper and a mean streak.I’d had to get him off folks more than once so we didn’t have a messy cleanup.He’d seen his father killed when he was five, and Butler had said he was never the same after.Messed him up in the head.
I didn’t want to respond right now because I just didn’t care.I wanted to forget Alabama for the time being and just enjoy this.Being where I belonged.
Nine
Cressida
