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Damn it, if she wasn’t, he wouldn’t have accepted the invite.

But maybe he should make an appointment with Veteran Affairs to have his head examined.

He moved to the French doors that led out to a huge deck. “Nice backyard.”

Not only was it spacious, it had an inground pool.

He glanced over his shoulder at Vi’s mother. “You swim?”

“Every day when it’s warm enough.”

“What about your ol’ man?”

“Sometimes, but he sinks like a bulldog.”

Reaper smothered his laugh until he made sure the coast was clear.

“What are we having to go with the beans?” Vi asked her.

At least food was a safe topic.

Hopefully.

With those two women, he shouldn’t be confident with that assumption.

“Your father’s going to throw some steaks on the grill. I have them marinating.”

“Does he know that?”

“Not yet.”

After hearing the slam of a door from the garage side of the house, the lumbering steps of a large man approaching came next.

With each step, Reaper’s muscles tightened a little more.

Diesel stepped into the kitchen, stopped short, and a frown marred his expression. His dark eyes immediately landed on Reaper. “What the fuck’s this?” he boomed. “Why the fuck’s he here?”

“Hi, Daddy!” Vi chirped loudly.

Daddy?

Diesel grunted in response and his dark eyes flicked from his daughter to his wife when Jewel announced, “Dinner. I figured the table set for four would’ve made it obvious. He’s also your club brother and one of Vi’s Shadows.”

“Know who the fuck he is, woman. Why the fuck’s he standin’ in my fuckin’ kitchen?”

Reaper and Vi’s eyes met but her expression was locked down tight. They both turned their attention back to the husband and wife exchange.

The size difference between the two alone was always startling. But the petite woman wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with her beast of a husband.

Yep, she was exactly where Vi and Indie got their spines of steel. He had to assume Scarlet was the same.

Jewel’s tone turned slightly sharp. “First of all, it’s our kitchen and Reaper’s here because I invited him, D.”

His heavy brow furrowed. “For what?”

“So I could get to know him better. He’s…”

“He’s what?”