Her face lit up when she saw me. “Trent! I just felt the babykick.”
I sank down onto the couch next to her. “That’s awesome,babe.”
Raine shot me a knowing grin. “Are there going to be any little Trents running around these partseventually?”
She fucking loved to give all of us a hard time. I just rolled my eyes at our queen. “Let me change her last name before you start asking us shit likethat.”
Sloan’s face turned every shade of red possible as she shoved myshoulder.
I kissed her cheek. “Just a joke, love. Either of you needanything?”
“If there’s juice, the baby would really appreciate it—oh, and bacon! See if Crickett has bacon!” Raine bounced a little as excitement emanated from her tinybody.
“We’ll see what I can scrounge up. Sloan? Beer?” I squeezed her shoulder a little while gettingup.
“I’ll helpyou.”
We walked hand in hand into the kitchen where Crickett was stirring a pot of chili. Her famous chili could make a cowboy cry, I was just that damn good. I could smell the jalapeño cornbread in theoven.
“Damn, woman! That smells amazing.” I wrapped my arm around her. “How’re you holding up with everyone bombarding yourplace?”
She waved her hand dismissively. “You know I prefer it when the whole family istogether.”
“The prego princess has requested bacon,” I stated, opening thefridge.
“Bottom drawer on the right. I’ll fry some up for her right now. Gotta keep the baby happy.” Sloan reached down and grabbed it for me while I filled up a glass with applejuice.
“Will you take that in to her?” I handed the cup to Sloan and she left without question after grabbing a beer forherself.
“How’s she doing?” I askedCrickett.
She cocked her head to the side. “She seems a little rattled, but she’s going to fit in here just fine. She likes you, I cantell.”
“Yeah?” I leaned on the counter, twisting open my beer bottle with myforearm.
Crickett nodded. “A woman like that doesn’t slum it for just any outlaw. Trust me, she’s akeeper.”
“Should I tell her what’s going on?” I mumbled as low as I possiblycould.
Crickett pointed her finger at me. “You do not tell that poor girl anything. She has enough stressing her out right now. If she asks, deflect—you’re good atthat.”
“Yes ma’am.” I help my hands up in surrender. Crickett was right, but I just hated omitting things when peopleasked.
Ryder walked up next to us. “How’d it go today at theshop?”
“Same old shit. Nothing to write home about.” I peeled the label off my Coors Lightbottle.
“Do you think I’m overreacting?” Ryder glanced from me toCrickett.
She shook her head. “Not my place. Trent, stir the pot. I’m going to check on everyone, make sure they all know where they’resleeping.”
“I don’t think you’re overreacting,” I finally answered, “I would probably do the exact same thing. It’s better to be safe thansorry.”
Ryder looked deflated. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes were bloodshot, and he barely had any color in his face. “I just don’t know what to do. I want to get each and every one of those fuckers, but they’re just going to keep coming. How do we keep everyone safe and avengeAbel?”
“Fuck if I know, man. Heavy the head that wears the crown.” I pointed to the patch on his chest. “Abel would be proud of you, you do know that,right?”
He opened another beer, taking a long pull. “Sometimes I feel like it shouldn’t be me wearing this patch. Holt, Red, Jesse, you…I mean, out of everyone, I feel like I deserve it theleast.”
