“How could you miss that? He and Flea worked for you. You didn’t notice how close the two of them were?”
I shrugged. “The three of them were always together. Had been since they were kids. Never saw anything else. At least, he and Katie didn’t show me anything other than friendship.”
“Well, shit.” He settled a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Not my story to tell.”
“Fuck,” I hissed. “Talk to Dani. She can fill Katie in.”
“Okay.” Booker nodded. “Archer has a buddy he wants to bring into the fold. Has asked if he can bring it up at church on Wednesday.”
I shook my head. “Let’s push that out a couple of weeks. Need to get past the Warlock shit. Have Mack add it to the agenda for the end of the month. It’s an open meeting, so prospects are welcome to join. Archer can bring it up when we open the meeting up to new business.”
“Thanks, brother.”
We were about to walk back inside when raised voices caught our attention.
“What now?” I growled, following Booker back inside.
Before I could figure out exactly what was happening, Katie turned on me. “Did you have something to do with this?”
“What?” I asked.
She waved her hand toward the two men standing next to Flea, Howlers’ cuts on. I recognized Pokey (or Pookie), I could never remember. The Howlers women called him Pookie, because he was six-foot-six and built like a brick shit-house, and I’m pretty sure most of the men had started to follow suit, so by now his name was either, or. And then there was Rooster, now all grown up, grinning like an absolute idiot.
Well, fuck me and call me Sally.
“Hey, Hatch,” Rooster said.
“Rooster,” I said on a grunt.
“Wipe that grin off your face, asshole,” Katie ordered.
“Can’t do that, Kate,” Rooster said. “You went and got prettier. Can’t stop smilin’ when the prettiest girl in the world’s standing in my presence.”
“Jesus,” Flea hissed. “Take that down more than a fuckin’ notch, bird brain.”
“I want him out,” Katie ordered.
I sighed. “Sweetheart, why don’t you take abreath—”
“Darling,” Maisie interrupted, sliding an arm around Katie’s shoulders. “I’m going to borrow Katie for a minute while you figure this out.”
Maisie
ILED KATIE to one of the bunk rooms and closed the door, Dani stepped in a few seconds later, and rather than asking anything, we just waited for Katie to work things out.
“Mother fucking, piece of shit, asshole, gorgeous, dickhead…” She threw her hands in the air, and I glanced at Dani with a raised eyebrow.
Dani sighed. “Katie—”
“Did you know?” she snapped.
“Did I know what?”
Katie let out a frustrated squeak. “That he was coming!”
Dani shook her head. “No idea. I don’t even think Booker knew.”
“Can someone fill me in, please?” I asked.
