Page 20
“Since when does anyone fucking listen to me?” Wizard yelled.
“Where are you going?” Chai sat up without bothering to lift the sheet to cover herself. “Are you coming back?”
Wizard shifted on his hip to look at her. “Get dressed and go meet some of the other members.” Wanting to reach Natalia before she left, he rose quickly and cast Doom a meaningful glance. “Make sure Kat introduces Chai to the brothers and that she has a good time.”
“Will do,” Doom assured him.
Confident Doom understood that he wanted Chai kept away from Natalia and him, Wizard rushed out of the bedroom and strode down the hallway. He entered the club’s main room so focused on reaching the front door that he almost missed the members gawking toward the bar.
Natalia stood behind the counter, handing paper plates to the members forming a line.
Changing direction, Wizard glared at Puck and Jesus until they made enough space for him to pass between them. Then, walking behind the counter, he addressed Natalia.
“Thanks for bringing the food. You don’t have to help. Kat and Celeste can make sure everyone gets a plate.”
“I don’t mind.” Natalia continued distributing paper plates and plastic forks. “I’m not in any hurry.”
Her words made his fucking night.
Hanging back, Wizard watched the members take their plates and begin spooning huge portions of food onto them.
“Puck, Buck, save some for the rest of the brothers,” Wizard ordered in such a cheerful tone that everyone stared at him. Maintaining his good humor despite their disbelief, he added, “There’s plenty. I’m sure there’ll be leftovers.”
Jesus nodded toward the brothers ahead of him in the line. “The food’s almost gone. How will there be any leftovers? Make Buck put some back.”
Obnoxiously, Buck plucked a slice of pizza from the mound on his plate, folded it in half, and then shoved the whole thing into his mouth.
Recognizing that Jesus was two seconds away from smashing Buck’s plate into his face, Wizard gave him a threatening glare.
Thankfully, Natalia prevented the looming disaster. “I have six more trays in the van. Doom went to get them.”
“There you go. There’s no need to be so anxious,” Wizard reassured Jesus and the other brothers, who were equally pissed at Buck.
So help him God, if these fuckers started a fight that caused Natalia to leave, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
Wizard searched for Doom in the crowded room. The brother must have used the opportunity to fetch him rather than retrieve the trays. Spotting Doom settling Chai into a back booth with Burn, he was about to send someone else when Yo-Yo entered carrying the food.
Turning his attention back to the spread, Wizard felt his stomach growl.
Natalia glanced over her shoulder at him. “Fix yourself a plate.”
“I’m waiting to see how many of them drop after eating.”
Spinning on her high heels, Natalia faced him, her breasts heaving with anger. “Exactly what are you implying?”
“We didn’t end on the best of terms yesterday,” he reminded her.
“No, we didn’t,” she agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I would take it out on someone else. To be brutally honest, you aren’t worth spending the rest of my life in prison for.”
“So, you didn’t think about it?” He egged her on, enjoying the way her breasts jiggled beneath her silk blouse.
Her eyes narrowed when she noticed where he was looking. “I actually came here to bury the hatchet with you. I love Arden like a little sister, and I don’t want her to feel torn between her loyalty to me and her husband. I want us to get along—at least well enough that I no longer want to run you down with my van.”
Wizard grinned at her, still not lowering his guard, even when Tink reached out to hug Natalia.
“Thank you, Mama.” Tink released her. “I appreciate you making the effort.”
When Tink turned a recriminating gaze on him, Wizard shrugged. “I’m game. Consider the hatchet buried. Come have a drink with me to celebrate. Tink can watch over the food.”