“Who owns damn near everything in our town.”
“And the surrounding areas,” Damian grins. “Lemme call her.”
I watch as Damian wanders off again, happy as a pig in shit with this dog because let’s face it, he ain’t leaving her here.
“Vex, I need you to catalog the scene, everything. Get Damian’s mom to take the body straight to her place and we’ll meet her there. I’ll call Church for tonight and you’re gonna have to bring us up to speed on all things Eden’s Keep. Got me?”
“Yeah, Prez. I got you.”
“Good. It’s the last fucking thing we need, but this shit can’t be helped. It’s better we find this now before the law turns up on our doorstep while we have the twins in our care.”
He hangs up and I let my head roll back on my shoulders, a curse flying out of my mouth. I thought I’d moved on from that shit. Started fresh. Now my past is back on the scene to fucking mess with me at a time I have two little girls to protect from a fucking psychopath with a badge and a woman I want to make mine. “Fuuuuuck,” I curse to whoever is listening.
“Momma’s fired up the crematorium and she gon be here in 30.” Damian stands in the doorway, looking at me expectantly.
My brows pull in at the sight of the big fucker staring at me. “You good?”
Without a word he slowly raises Barbara in his arms so that she’s staring at me with her puppy dog eyes and her big jowly face. “What you wanna do about Barbara?”
“You know what? Today’s already gone to shit and we both need a pick me up. You can keep Barbara.”
“Aw, fuck yeah!”
I watch as he dances around the room, mastiff in his arms like a handbag dog while we wait for his mom to come pick up a corpse. I kinda thought I’d left all the weird shit in Rose Grove. Turns out I was wrong.
Loyal
“Do you think we should be worried?” Nell asks, worrying her lip.
I watch Dex motioning to some of the other brothers, not somuch as barking orders like I noticed the DRMC Prez does, but giving instruction. All the men, including Justice listen intently, nodding. I don’t want to tell Nell that it’s nothing to worry about, especially when I know that Vex and Damian aren’t safe within the Keep’s walls. Sniper and Justice both glance in mine and Nell’s direction, serious looks on their faces and I know that whatever is happening is most likely nothing good.
Nell wrings her hands in her lap, her leg shaking nervously as she pastes a fake smile on her face when Greer comes running over with the twins, River following slowly behind them.
“Hi Momma!” Greer giggles. “We been playing sooooo hard with Mosely.” Joe’s little dog looks up at the kids and I swear I see love hearts in her little doggy eyes.
“That’s good, baby,” Nell says, the only sign that she’s stressed is the tightness around her eyes.
Nell twists her hands tighter and I know that she is fighting every instinct in her not to snatch up her baby and run. I get it, I’ve seen it before, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt it myself. The urge to wrap Bree and Addy in my arms and lock us in our little cabin almost steals my breath. I know logically that there should be nothing to worry about, not with all these big protective men around us, but trauma rewires your brain to think anything and everything is a threat to your safety.
“Ladies,” Sniper says gently, eyes on Nell. “Just letting you know that some of the brothers are riding out. Nothing to worry about, I’ll be here with you, as will Justice, Flack and Chef.” He gives Greer a smile and tugs on one of her curls, his eyes sparkling when she giggles.
Justice clears his throat, eyes on mine. “Can you give me a hand with something?”
I try to read the expression on his face, but I get nowhere. Justice has always been good at locking down his feelings, and this is no different. Standing, I give a worried looking River asqueeze on his shoulder as I walk past. I learned from Nell that he’s 16. He seems so much smaller, nothing more than long limbs with not a lot of meat on them. I guess he hasn’t been here long enough to fill out properly on the good food TumTum is serving these days.
I follow Justice into Sniper’s office, surprised when the man himself comes in behind us, shutting the door gently. Shaking my hands out I move to the corner, trying to calm my breathing. This is one of the offices that Elder Goodson would bring me to for “marriage counseling.” It was less counselling and more me standing in the corner apologizing for every slight Goodson could think up. He liked it when I was broken, panicked. Frightened. I’m not that woman anymore, I try to remind myself, instead turning from the corner I would have to stand for hours in. I stare at first Justice, then Sniper.
“Um, am I in trouble?” I ask meekly, trying hard not to pick at my nails.
“No! Shit, no, sorry, Loyal. Um, please, have a seat.”
Nodding, I sit where Sniper indicated, on the welcoming looking chair on the opposite side of his desk. I jump a little when Justice takes the seat next to mine. For some reason I figured he’d stand next to Sniper.
“Vex and Damian ran into some-” Sniper pauses, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows, trying to find the right words, “-something questionable. We’re hoping you two might be able to help us.”
“OK,” Justice draws out.
Obviously whatever this is, he wasn’t briefed on it.
