Page 68

“What does setting up mean in this context?” I asked Skye, looking around. “Because I gotta be honest, this place is already party central.”

She laughed. “It’s true. We’re just hauling some coolers out here so we don’t have to go back and forth for drinks. It kind of screws with the party atmosphere. The girls have everything else handled.” She sighed before flashing a tired smile. “We all do our part.”

“Fair enough.” I was a part of this place now, at least I wanted to be, which meant chipping in wherever I could.

Skye grabbed two coolers on wheels, and I picked up several big bags of ice stacked beside them. I hauled them to the grassy area, and we filled the coolers with beer. “We’ll put the booze bottles in here.”

I nodded, tending to more beer bottles while she handled the booze. “So what are we actually celebrating?” I asked. “Besides the obvious.”

I stopped right after the words left my mouth. Was it fucked up to celebrate the death of my father even if he had also been my lifelong torturer? He was a cruel bully who only felt better when the rest of us felt small, his death was better than he deserved. I wasn’t sure if it was a fucked up thought or not, but a shot and a beer sounded perfect right now, whether it was grief or celebration.

“A few things, I think,” Skye said with a little smile. “I’m not sure.”

She was being coy, but I didn’t call her out on it. Maybe she realized that I might be feeling some sort of way about the club celebrating my father’s death. Even if he was an asshole who tried to kill me. “It’s been a hell of a long day so this will be nice.” It felt like this day had been going on for close to one hundred hours and all I wanted was to sit somewhere and drink too many beers, laugh too loud and stare at my handsome husband for as long as he let me.

“Heard you were badass today,” Skye offered. “Sounds like you deserve a drink or three.”

My cheeks heated. “Don’t know about a badass, but it felt good facing him down, ya know?”

“Yeah,” she sighed heavily before turning back to the cooler. I glanced toward the corridor that led to the meeting room. The door was still closed. I wondered what the meeting was about, I guessed that a lot had to do with my father, but I couldn’t help but wonder if something else was going on.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Knox

Icame out of Church with my chest puffed out, my head full of too many fucking things, and all I needed was a minute to clear my mind before I joined the party. I made it about three steps before I spotted Magnolia.

She sat alone at a table near the back of the bar staring out the window with a tumbler in her hand, looking sad as fuck. Nearly everyone else had gone outside, but she had stayed behind. The expression she wore tore at my chest, and I just knew I was the reason for it.

I didn’t shy away from it, though. Instead, I crossed the room and sat down beside her. “Are you okay, Magnolia?”

She looked up with a sad smile. “Hi, Knox. I’m fine. You?” Her smile was brittle, the kind that begged you not to ask for details.

“Pretty fucking good, actually.” I let the smile come because I fucking earned it.

She looked down at her drink and sighed. “Rex is dead.”

I nodded. “He is.” I laid my hand over hers on the table. “You’re free.” I gave the words a moment to settle between us because it seemed like we both needed it. “I’m sorry for all the years you and Ivy spent apart.” I said the words with complete sincerity. What Rex had done to them was bullshit and when I thought about it, I wanted to kill him all over again.

“You’re a good man, Knox.” She smiled up at me all soft and sweet. “I’m glad Ivy found you before her heart hardened completely.” She paused as if she were searching for the right words. “Just please, don’t break her. Or her heart.”

My chest squeezed at the plea that resonated in her words. “I’d sooner hurt myself than her,” I replied honestly. I meant that shit all the way down to my soul. “She’s stronger than she realizes and I’m going to show her that every fuckin’ day.”

“Good,” she said and took a sip of her drink. “You both deserve that.”

Magnolia let the silence settle between us, taking several slow sips from her glass until it was empty. “Your tech guy, Switch. He mentioned you have my trust money.” Her words were bland, almost as if she didn’t give a damn about millions of dollars. “I told him to keep half of it for Ivy.”

It was generous but I didn’t trust it. My brows tugged down as I watched her. “Does that mean you’re leaving?”

She gave a sad smile. “I have to. At least for a little while. I need to get my head on straight and I’m not sure I can do that in this place.” She blew out a heavy breath and made a sound that was almost a laugh. “No, I know I can’t do it here and I need to see my family before I can do anything else.” Her voice was steady, but she clenched her jaw tight. “I can’t be anything to Ivy or anyone else until I do that.”

I understood it even if I hated that shit for Ivy.

“You’ll take care of her?”

I nodded. “Not that she needs it, but yeah, I’ve got her.”

This time her smile was one of appreciation. “I know you do.”