“And she’s coming in your side door?”his mother inquired.
“Keekee,” Hound warned.
Keely shut her mouth.
“Respect, I love you, but how many dates did you go on withHound before he was at our breakfast table?”Dutch asked.
There was utter silence, until Hound chuckled.
“Gotcha there, Ma,” Jagger said.
“When you all have children, I will be laughing,” Keelystated.
“Maybe I should—” Georgie started.
“They’re leaving, you’re not,” he told her.
She sucked in her lips and lifted her brows.
“Right, about this murder,” Hound said.
Dutch looked to him.“It’s mine.”
“Dutch—” Hound began.
“It’s mine.I’m doing what I have to do.It’s mine.”
Hound stared into his eyes and Dutch knew this bit.Itstung.It pained him.
This man took them out to get candy on Halloween.
This man sat them down and gave them their sex talks.
This man put their names forward to be brothers at Chaos.
This man gave them a baby brother and made their motherhappy again.
But what Dutch was doing for Carlyle was about Carlyle.
It was about Khalon Stephens.
And it was about Graham Black.
Dutch knew it would not erase his father’s death or Carlylelosing his own dad.
He also knew, for whatever reason, he had to do this.
If he didn’t, he’d never be right again.
He sensed Georgie knew it.
And looking in Hound’s eyes, it didn’t surprise Dutch in theslightest that Hound knew it too.
Hound Ironside knew his boys down to the soul.
So he knew this.
Keely sidled closer, whispering, “Dutch.”
