Gunnar shifted his weight, uncomfortable.“It just went down last night.Didn’t want to drag you into another club’s business when you’ve got your hands full with ExFil.Especially with Mom wanting you to retire and all.”Wrong thing to say.I saw it in the microsecond tightening of Cain’s jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes.I also saw Gunnar wince.Yeah.Pup knew he’d stuck his foot in his mouth.
“Retire.”Cain practically spat the word.“You think I’m sitting in a fuckin’ rockin’ chair knittin’ fuckin’ sweaters?Is that what you think retirement looks like for men like me?”
Gunnar backpedaled.“That’s not what I meant.Just thought you might have shit going on at ExFil so you could keep Mom happy.”He was treading dangerous ground, and from his expression, he knew it.
“Uh-huh.”Cain nodded slowly.“Keeping your mother happy is nice.Know what else is nice?Not having my son dance around telling me he thinks I’m too old for a fight.”
“I never said --”
What happened next came so fast I almost missed it.One second Cain was standing there, looking like an aging but dangerous predator.The next, he moved with the fluid grace of a much younger man, sweeping Gunnar’s legs and following through with a hard shove to the chest that put his son flat on his back.The sound of Gunnar’s body hitting the floor echoed through the room with a loudthud.
Gunnar lay there, looking up at his father with shock, the wind knocked clean out of him.
“Too old, huh?”Cain looked down at his son, not even breathing hard.“Now, if you want to go one-on-one, I’ll make sure I give you a warning before I knock you on your ass.”
I blinked, reassessing everything I thought I knew about the old man.
Beside me, Knuckles started laughing, a deep belly laugh that built until he had to sit down on the nearest chair, slapping his knee as tears leaked from his eyes.“Goddamn,” he wheezed between bursts of laughter.“Your face, Gunnar.Should’ve seen your fucking face.”
Cain’s expression softened slightly.He extended a hand to his son to help Gunnar to his feet.Gunnar took the offer with a rueful smile and a grunt as he stood.
“Next time, just call me,” Cain said, clapping his son on the shoulder.“Save yourself the bruises.”
“Yes, sir,” Gunnar replied, rubbing his lower back with a chuckle.
Knuckles finally managed to control his laughter enough to stand, crossing the room to shake Cain’s hand.“Good to see you still got it, old man,” he said, genuine respect coloring his voice as he clasped Cain’s hand.
“Never came close to losing it,” Cain replied with a slight grin.“Just don’t advertise it much these days.”He looked around the room, his gaze landing on me, then Ada.“So.Rat Man’s back, and he’s playing with explosives.Tell me everything.”
Knuckles clapped him on the shoulder.“Let’s get the full crew in here first.”Knuckles paused and gave Cain a look.“You know, Bohannon and Torpedo both agreed Kiss of Death was under my control.Nothing’s changed.This is still my club.”
Cain raised his hands in surrender.“Point taken.I’ll rephrase.Tell me everything, please.”
Knuckles snorted.“Did that hurt?Because it sounded like it hurt.”
Cain grinned.“Bastard.”
I pushed off the wall and moved to Ada’s side.She looked up at me, a smile playing on her lips.
“Remind me never to piss off Gunnar’s dad,” she whispered.
I nodded, returning her smile despite the tension coiling in my gut.“I’m just glad he’s on our side.”
The door swung open again, and two more men entered.Knuckles stepped forward once again.“Ice.Cyclone.”He shook the hand of each man as he addressed them.
“Knuckles.Bohannon and Torpedo said they’d…” Ice gave his brother a puzzled look.“How’d he put it?”
Cyclone snorted.“Come bail your sorry ass out if you need it.”
Knuckles chuckled.“You tell him I said to go fuck himself.”
“All over that shit.”
Their expressions shifted from amusement to confusion when they spotted their father already seated at the table.A family reunion in the middle of a war zone.
“Dad,” the taller one said, surprise evident in his voice.He had the same sharp eyes as his father, but his frame was leaner, built for speed rather than raw power.He glanced from Cain to Gunnar.“Ice didn’t think you wanted us to involve Dad.”
Ice schooled his expression, but I thought I saw his lips twitch.“Yeah.Something about him getting on in years and Mom really wanting him to retire or some shit.”
