Page 53 of Property of Player

“That’s great.”

“It is.”

“Come on. Let’s take a walk on the beach.” He takes my hand and leads me down the stairs.

“Your sister seems to be enjoying her party. She had a good turnout. There must be fifty kids here,” I observe.

“Yeah, Dad’s not so thrilled having them all milling around his new place, but she’s happy, so I guess that’s all that matters.”

“He didn’t expect so many to attend?” I ask.

“Guess not.” Player shrugs. “Too late. Now he’s stuck.”

“I’m sure he or one of his guys will handle any problems.”

“Oh, no doubt.”

“I noticed you put the fear of God into any boy who looked at your sister,” I tease.

“True. And Drae’s been taking up any slack. I think he’s sweet on my sister.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“How’s Gage feel about that?”

“Don’t think he knows. But he’d have Drae’s head if he found out.”

“What about your sister? Does she return his feelings?”

“It’s hard to tell. It looked to me like there was something going on, but I don’t know for sure.”

“Have you asked her?”

“Nope, and I don’t plan to. Drae knows he better not cross that line. Anything happens, it’s all on him.”

“Is he a good man?”

“The best, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?”

“For one, he’s too old for her. Two, he’s in the club. I don’t think Dad wants her with anybody in the club.”

“Why not?”

“Just doesn’t.”

“You know this for a fact, or are you just guessing?”

“He’s never much wanted her hanging around the club, and that feeling solidified after the bombing.”

“I see.” My smile falls at the mention of the clubhouse bombing that took the lives of my brother and Player’s wife and mother. I heard rumors the club suspected the Depraved Sinners. The two clubs have been at war for a decade or more, but it had crossed the line of murdering family members. Like in the mafia, family had always been off-limits in the MC world. That day changed everything. I don’t like to think about it or talk about it, and I know Player feels the same way, so I don’t go there now. Instead, I ask about Drae and Sissy. “So how’d they get together? If your father doesn’t want her hanging around the club, I mean.”

“My father got overprotective, and he’s trusted Drae with her protection when he felt she needed it.”

“You mean like a bodyguard?”