Page 136 of Where Sinners Repent

Ash claps, goading her on.

“Shots!”

“Shots!” Leon parrots.

“Did someone say shots?” Matty grumbles, dropping his handful of presents by the tree and falling into the chair across from Kaleb.

“Matty!” Maddy squeals.

It’s fucking mayhem. My glass is filled, and I don’t give anyone the satisfaction of a carry-on. Holding her blue eyes, I lift the glass and shoot it, not giving her the reaction she was pushing for.

She rewards me with a sexy little smirk.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Maddy calls out, bringing dishes to the table. “Where is Griff?”

“Here,” he grumbles, shoving open the door.

We all straighten when a familiar face hobbles in behind him.

“Mama Griff!” Leon cheers, pushing out of his chair to hug the older woman, and spinning her around. “Missed you.”

“Missed you, you fucker,” she laughs, her voice raspy from too many cigarettes.

Griff looks like he’s about to knock him out, but he stiffly nods at us instead. “Brought Mama. Hope that’s okay.”

Maddison’s smile is huge as she hugs the woman, introducing herself. The lady has been around the Devils longer than any of us.

Griff’s mama smacks Leon across the back of the head. “Put me down before you pull your back out.”

Leon gasps, but he lowers her to the ground. “You think I’m weak?”

“I think you’re a fucking idiot,” she scoffs.

Matt snorts into his drink. Griff’s mouth twitches, but he catches me looking and immediately wipes it off his face, replacing it with his familiar scowl.

“Sit down,” Ash orders, motioning to the remaining chairs. “Before the girls decide we need another fucking shot.”

“Too late!” Roxy yells from the kitchen, prancing back to the table with some very burnt potatoes.

Mama Griff settles beside Matt, which leaves one chair left.

Leon points to the empty chair beside him. “Your throne awaits, princess.”

“I’ll fucking stand,” Griff growls.

“You’ll fucking sit,” his mama snaps. “You’ve been miserable since the moment you came out of me. Be miserable sitting if you must.”

Everyone bites back laughter, as Griff is scolded by his mama and slides into his chair, muttering curses the entire time.

“Dig in!” Maddy yells.

We all eye the food. It’s very evident it wasn’t cooked by professional chefs. Everything is either slightly burnt or looks like it’s been hacked with a saw. I’ve cut the skin from bodies and it looked better prepared than this.

Ash catches all of our eyes, the warning shining in them loud and fucking clear.

When Roxy drops into the chair between me and Kaleb, both of our hands find a soft thigh.

Everyone digs in. As one big family, we share a meal. Glasses clink and people talk over one another. Roxy keeps stealing bites off my plate despite having the exact same food on hers, and every few minutes I catch her staring at me with a little line between her brows. When I catch her, she smiles, but it’s clouded by something.