Charisma
I stretched the next morning, then bolted upright. I glanced around the room and my heart rate slowed as I realized I was safe. For a brief moment, I’d worried I’d dreamt everything. Phantom. Heather’s death. Getting a new life. But I hadn’t. It was all real, which meant… I ran my hand over the opposite side of the bed. The sheets were cool even though I remembered Phantom holding me as I fell asleep. How long had he been awake?
I hurried to the bathroom to take care of my needs, brushed my teeth, and ran a brush through my hair. When I felt a little more presentable, I went to search for my husband. I looked down at the ring on my finger and warmth filled me. He’d saved me in every way possible. Not just me, but the children too. How did I get so lucky?
The house seemed a little too quiet. Even if I couldn’t hear the kids, I usually felt their presence. Instead, there was a void. I peeked into the children’s rooms and found them all still sleeping soundly. I checked the living room and finally found Phantom in the kitchen. He had his phone on the table, swiping and tapping the screen, and a cup of coffee in his hand. He hadn’t heard me yet, so I tried to shuffle my feet a little as I stepped into the room. His head jerked up and a smile spread across his lips.
“Morning, beautiful. Did you sleep okay?”
I nodded and motioned to the coffee. “Can I have some?”
He got up and pulled a cup down from the cabinet by the sink, then poured coffee into it. He placed it on the table and held out a chair for me. I typically took creamer with mine, but since he hadn’t been home, he probably didn’t have any. I didn’t want to ask. If I’d learned one thing about the man so far, it was that he took his role of caregiver and protector seriously. Which meant he’d likely be upset with himself for not anticipating my needs if I voiced my preference for creamer.
I swallowed the bitter brew and tried not to grimace. The important thing was that it was not only hot but caffeinated. “Thank you.”
He lifted his phone. “I’ve ordered you and Li each a phone. Sent a Prospect to pick them up. I’ll program in the numbers for all the club officers, as well as the schools the kids will be attending. There’s going to be a few kids stopping by today. Havoc is sending over his daughter, Salem. She’s about the same age as Nova. The girls can play here, or Salem can show Nova around the compound.”
“And the boys?” I asked.
“Jackal and Scratch both have thirteen-year-old boys. They’ll be coming for Jian. Probably try to talk him into kicking a soccer ball around. Caleb, Scratch’s other boy, is Li’s age. He’s going to lure our oldest away to play video games across the street. I think Havoc’s oldest, Taggart, might pop over there at some point. He’s seventeen, but it will be good for Li to know one of the seniors at the high school when he starts.”
“School?” I asked.
“Shade has the paperwork done. He’s also provided school records for the kids so we can get them registered. I thought we’d go tomorrow. Give them a day or two to make a few friends at the compound before we send them off to fend for themselves.”
I took another swallow of coffee. My stomach rumbled and Phantom got up again. He opened the oven and pulled out an aluminum container. Setting it in front of me, he also handed me a fork.
“It’s breakfast. Had someone run by the diner. It’s a casserole with eggs, cheese, ham, bell peppers, onions, and hashbrowns. I had somebody grab one for each of us. When you walked in, I was making a grocery order for pickup. Just a few things to keep us going the next few days.”
I ran my finger around the rim of my cup before picking up the fork and eating. There were some things I needed to discuss with him. For one, he might have taken out Heather, but I knew she’d made appointments for me to stop by. She’d be missed, and more importantly, so would the boys. Would the social worker share pictures of the boys and ask people to watch for them? What did they call it? An Amber alert?
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I think there are some things you didn’t consider.” I took another bite of food. “As much as I want to believe we’re in the clear, I know we aren’t.”
“Explain,” he said.
“The boys were under the care of a social worker. She’ll come looking for them. The school will report they didn’t attend classes. The men Heather let into her home will know something is wrong when we all vanish.”
“You’re right. I didn’t consider all that when I grabbed the four of you and took off. But thankfully, Shade did. The school will see records showing a transfer. The social worker will be confused and might try to cause a stink, but the system will have an adoption in place for the boys. To a man who doesn’t really exist except on paper.”
“And the men?” I asked.
“That’s another issue, but it’s my problem, not yours. I don’t want you stressing and fretting over it. My job is to keep all of you safe, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure that happens.”
“What if someone remembers your Jeep? What if they come after us?” I asked.
Phantom leaned closer, bracing his arms on the table. “No one will hurt you or those children. They will have to go through me and every man in this club. Understand?”
I nodded even though I really didn’t have a clue what he meant. How could he promise no one would hurt us? He had no control over other people, and he couldn’t be with us every second of the day. The kids could be snatched on their way to school. For that matter, any time any of us left the safety of the fence, we could be targeted by anyone who tracked us here.
“Taggart and Caleb can keep an eye on Li while he’s at the high school. Taggart will drive the two of them if I ask him to. He’s a good kid. Nearly a man. Several kids attend the middle school and elementary school. They’re used to watching each other’s backs. Adding our kids to the mix won’t hurt anything.”
“How do the younger kids get to school?” I asked.
“The old ladies take turns carpooling. You can drive the Jeep whenever you want to. If it makes you feel better driving Jian and Nova to school, then do it. Want me to ride along, then I’ll be there.”
He made it all sound so easy. Phantom had an answer for everything. But I couldn’t help the feeling something was going to go horribly wrong. It had all been too easy up to now. No, our lives with Heather hadn’t been a picnic, but getting away from her? We hadn’t had so much as one hiccup. It made me leery. After all the pain and suffering, we didn’t really get to start over without having to fight for it, did we?
“I don’t feel comfortable driving the Jeep. I’ve never driven something that big before.”
“Do you want a car of your own?” he asked.
I started shaking my head before he’d even finished the sentence. Nope. I didn’t want him spending enough money to buy a car. He had his motorcycle and the Jeep. It was silly I couldn’t drive the vehicle. Maybe he’d let me drive it around the compound for a few days to get used to it.
Phantom leaned even closer, his nose nearly brushing mine before he backed up enough that I could see his face. “You realize if you tell me no, I’ll likely just buy you one anyway? Wouldn’t it be better to have some input?”
“You don’t have to spend so much money on us, Phantom.”
“It’s just us right now,” he said.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“When we’re alone, you can call me Kenji. My brothers call me Phantom. Strangers call me that. My wife can use my name, when we’re at home, and my brothers or their women aren’t around.”
My lips turned down and I felt my brow furrow. “But I thought it was disrespectful to use your given name and not the one you earned. And I’d love to know how you earned the name Phantom.”
“Not so sure you want to hear that story. It’s not pretty.”
I shrugged. “My entire life hasn’t been pretty, as you put it. I’m not squeamish.”
“All right.” He relaxed back in his chair. “This club was different once upon a time. Before any of us had old ladies. Cinder ruled the place with an iron fist, and we didn’t exactly keep our hands clean. The club ran drugs and guns, and back before my time, I think they were into even more shit. We’ve had wars with other clubs that resulted in casualties on both sides, and my hands have worn their fair share of blood.”
I sipped my coffee and watched his lips, trying to catch every word. If he thought his speech would scare me, he was wrong. The biker I’d spoken with had given me enough information that I’d understood what some of the patches on Phantom’s cut had meant. I knew what colors were, about the rockers, and noticed he didn’t have a 1% patch, even though he admitted they were into some less than legal things. Which told me they were most likely outlaws.
The moment I’d learned my dad was a biker, I’d soaked up whatever knowledge I could find. The biker I’d mistaken for my dad when I was younger had been patient and informative. Since then, I’d spoken to a few others. I also knew Phantom would never harm an innocent. At least, the man he was now wouldn’t do something like that. I supposed he could have been different in his youth.
“I may not always follow the law, but both I and the club do have our own moral compass. Killing Heather was an honor. I usually won’t hurt women. Monsters, on the other hand, are a different matter. I don’t care what gender they are.”
“Seeing what you did to Heather didn’t bother me. Maybe it should have, but I couldn’t feel sorry for her. She’d done far worse to so many kids.”
He nodded. “She had. If you hadn’t come in when you did, I’d have taken more time with her.”
“Does the club still do all that?” I asked.
“In a matter of speaking. We’re a bit more discerning these days. We still sell weapons, but we’re selective when it comes to our clients. That’s about as much as I can tell you. Club business is exactly that… which means it’s not for the ears of our women and kids.”
“Do you go after people like Heather often? I know she was special since she hurt your cousin.”
“Me personally? Not so much. But if Charming tells me to do something, I do it. There are times that might include taking out the trash -- human trash. I don’t lose sleep over it. I truly believe some people are born rotten to the core and should have never been given life to begin with.”
“Are there a lot out there? Pedophiles or worse?” I asked.
“Too many,” Phantom said. “For every one we take out, there are dozens more. I’m not sure the world will ever be rid of evil people.”
“Vigilante justice,” I said. “That’s what you and the others do. Where the police fail, you step in.”
Phantom smiled faintly. “More like when their hands get tied by bureaucratic red tape, we get the job done. Sometimes we take care of it before they get close enough to even try. The justice system doesn’t work nearly well enough, and a lot of the prisons are overcrowded. I like to think of it as population control.”
I finished my coffee and breakfast. I got up and rinsed my cup before throwing away the foil container. Stopping behind Phantom, I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my cheek to his. He spoke about taking out those people like it was nothing. Just another day at work. But I knew different. He had a kind heart. On some level, it had to affect him.
“Do you have any idea how incredible you are? The risks you take, so other people can sleep soundly, and the way you swooped in and rescued me and the kids without hesitation. You brought us home. Made us your family. I don’t know anyone else who would have done that.”
He reached around and grabbed my waist, tugging me around his chair and down onto his lap. “I’m just a man, Charisma. I’m not perfect. But I’m yours.”
I smiled and kissed him softly. Yes, he was mine. Maybe it was fate. Perhaps it was just luck. Whatever the case, I was going to hold onto him. If the bad guys came for me and the kids, I’d stand next to Phantom and fight any way I could. I’d finally found happiness, and I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers. Men like him didn’t come along often. At least, they didn’t in my life. Or ever for that matter.
“You’re mine, and I’m yours,” I said. “There’s no one else I’d ever want.”
“Whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together. You. Me. The kids. Even Momo. We’re a family, Charisma. Now and always.”
His lips brushed mine and I melted against him. This was as close to heaven as I’d ever get, and I was all right with that.
* * *
Phantom
It had been two days since I’d brought my family home, and that’s as long as the club could last without poking their noses into our lives. I’d gotten a text to bring everyone to the clubhouse. I hoped like hell they weren’t going to overwhelm Charisma. The kids were more adaptable. They’d immediately made friends within the compound and hit the ground running as far as starting over went. Charisma seemed more hesitant.
I ran my hand down her back and gave her ass a squeeze. She yelped and looked at me over her shoulder, eyes narrowed. But I saw the way her lips curved a little. She might pretend to be upset by the move, but she liked it.
Now that I had her attention… “We need to get ready and head over to the clubhouse. Kids too. It seems the old ladies put together a potluck of sorts, and our attendance is mandatory.”
She winced and I knew she really didn’t want to go. Clarity had stopped by yesterday and introduced herself, just so Charisma would know someone around here other than me and the few brothers she’d met so far. Didn’t hurt she lived across the street. I was grateful she’d made the gesture, and in time, Charisma would be too. With the way she’d lived since losing her mom, I’d realized she wasn’t used to people going out of their way to meet her or be friendly without wanting something in return. While she didn’t like talking about her past much, she’d told me a bit more about where she’d been before landing at Heather’s. It would take time for her to adjust, but she’d get there.
I turned her to face me and cupped her cheek. “You’re beautiful. Do you have any idea how I feel every time I look at you or think about you?”
She shook her head.
“Then I’ll tell you.” I backed her toward the kitchen counter, caging her in. “When I wake up with you in my arms, it feels like everything I’ve ever wanted is finally in my grasp. A smile from you is better than any Christmas gift I’ve ever received. Your touch made me want to tie you to the bed and make you scream in pleasure for hours.”
Her gaze softened. “Phantom…”
I pressed my finger to her lips. I hated when she called me that in our own home. For whatever reason, she insisted. Maybe she worried she’d forget when we were around other people. But the sweetest sound I’d ever heard was my real name on her lips.
“Why don’t you wear your red sweater and black jeans? I have a surprise for you, so don’t worry about shoes.” I actually had more than one, but she’d get the other at the potluck. Cinder had already messaged to let me know he’d be bringing her property cut with him. Meg had picked it up from the lady who stitched on our patches.
“I need to shower,” she said.
I waggled my eyebrows at her and grinned. “So do I. Should we conserve water?”
Her cheeks went scarlet, and her gaze darted around frantically, probably worried the kids had overheard. In the bedroom, she melted at my touch. I loved hearing her cries, listening to her beg. But when we were in the main parts of the house, it was a different matter entirely. I wanted to see that sexy, wild side of her at all times. I just wasn’t sure how to bring it out yet. I knew a lot of it had to do with her comfort level. All this was new. The house. Town. Being around a bunch of bikers. And me…
“Come on. The kids are all outside. Jian and Nova went out back with Momo this morning and I haven’t seen them come back through. Li was out front throwing a football with Scratch’s two boys. We have the house to ourselves a little longer. The kids will be fine going as-is.” I put my arms around her, tugging her closer. “Unless you don’t want my hands on you? Or my lips?”
“You know that’s not it.”
“We’ll shower and dress, then get the kids to pile into the Jeep. I was told we didn’t have to bring anything other than ourselves. Everything’s been handled. The club wants the chance to introduce themselves, and I think it will be good for you to see the families hanging out together.”
“All right.” She glanced at the kitchen doorway. “But we need to make it quick in case they come back in.”
I wasn’t about to remind her they slept down the hall at night when she clawed at my back and screamed my name. If I did, she might not let me undress her ever again. We might not have been together for more than a few nights, but I was already addicted to her. Ever since she’d given herself to me at the hotel, I’d craved her.
Taking her hand, I led her back to our room. I not only shut the door, but I twisted the lock too. Just to be safe. While she stripped off her clothes, I went to start the shower. I let her get in first while I undressed, then joined her under the hot spray. Her nipples had already hardened, so no matter how much she protested, I could tell she wanted me. She reached down and wrapped her fingers around my cock, giving it a stroke.
“I love when you touch me,” I said.
“I like you touching me too,” she admitted. “A lot.”
“It makes me really damn happy to hear that.”
“All those things you said you feel when you look at me? I feel that way about you too. And it scares me sometimes. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find out it was all a dream, because I never knew men like you existed.”
“I’m only flesh and blood, Charisma. I’m not perfect. Not a saint. Just a man who’s completely crazy about you. The kids. You. Even Momo… You’re what’s important to me. Essential. I can’t breathe without the lot of you. I know it’s pure insanity, since we just met, but it’s how I feel.”
“Love at first sight?” she asked, her brow furrowing. “Isn’t that a fairy tale?”
“I can’t say for sure. What I do know is every man in this club who’s claimed a woman did so either the same day he met her, or shortly after. When we know, we just… know.” I reached down and wrapped my hand around her wrist, tugging her loose from my cock. As badly as I wanted to be inside her, I needed her to know she was more to me than a body to fuck. “You’re not a convenience. I love being inside you, touching you, kissing you… but I also enjoy talking to you or holding you while you sleep. What we have is more than just sex. You understand that, right?”
She pressed herself to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I know. You’re an honorable, kind man. I know I’m lucky to be yours.”
I pulled free and shook my head. “No. No! Damnit, Charisma. Don’t you see? I’m the one who’s lucky. Do you think I got to be my age and single if I wanted to settle for just anyone? Because I didn’t. No one tempted me to keep them by my side until you. Full disclosure, I did offer to keep Grey when my cousin wouldn’t man the fuck up. It didn’t have anything to do with me desiring her. I just wanted to make sure she and the kids were safe. My longest relationship was with a woman who didn’t want kids. I knew there was nothing permanent there, but… being with her kept the loneliness at bay.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” she said. “I guess I just don’t feel worthy of someone like you.”
“Baby, there’s no one I’d ever want by my side other than you. The things you’ve survived, the way you protected those boys no matter the cost to yourself, it fucking amazes me. You amaze me.” She reached for me again, but I held up a hand to keep her back. “We should wash and get to the clubhouse. But later tonight, I plan to show you just how much I adore you. Understood?”
She nodded, a smile on her lips. As much as I loved getting to run my hands over her body, I tried to keep things on track and not get derailed by how soft her skin felt, or how much I wanted to suck her nipples. By the time we’d finished and dressed, I knew I’d catch shit at the clubhouse. An hour had gone by, and they’d assume I’d hauled her off to the bedroom before going to the potluck. Which is something I’d definitely try to do… so I deserved whatever they dished out.
Charisma kept admiring the black boots I’d given her. The way her eyes lit up told me she liked them. Hell, she’d thrown herself into my arms when she’d opened the box. At least I knew I could pick out things she’d enjoy without worrying about it so much. The guys always said how much they hated shopping for their women. With Charisma, she seemed to be thankful for anything she received.
We stepped outside and I called out to Li. “Get your brother and sister. Momo can come too.”
He frowned and glanced at the other boys, clearly wanting to keep tossing the ball around. I couldn’t blame him. It seemed the boys hadn’t said anything to him yet. Otherwise, he’d know they were going too.
“Where are we going?” Li asked.
“Clubhouse. Everyone will be there. Bring the football if you want. You can’t throw it inside, but there’s no reason y’all can’t go out back to toss it around. All the kids will be there. It’s a family event.”
He tossed the ball to me, and I put it in the back seat before helping Charisma into the Jeep. A moment later, Jian and Nova came racing around the side of the house with Momo in pursuit. With my family crammed into the back seat, I realized we were going to need a bigger vehicle. On the way home from Heather’s, I’d been more focused on getting them to safety. Long-term, the Jeep wouldn’t suffice. And Li would need transportation when he turned sixteen. Maybe I’d keep the Rubicon and let him have it after he got his license. I’d start looking at larger SUVs tomorrow. Something with a third row was definitely required.
While there were a few bikes parked at the clubhouse, mostly from the single guys, the lot had filled up with trucks, SUVS, and a few cars. There were times I stood in awe as I looked at how things had changed around here. First Jackal had claimed his woman, and the little girl he hadn’t known he’d fathered. Then Scratch had fallen for Clarity and her son. Havoc had literally tossed Jordan over his shoulder and walked off with her. I’d worried my time wouldn’t come, but here I was, heading into the clubhouse with my wife and kids.
“Why are you smiling?” Li asked. “We aren’t walking into some sort of ambush, are we? Like everyone’s going to swarm us and want to know everything about us? Make us hug them and crap?”
“I’m happy, that’s all. Let’s get something eat and mingle for a bit.”
I pushed open the doors and let the kids and Momo go in first. I heard someone cuss about the dog being in the clubhouse, but I flipped them off. It wasn’t like Momo would hurt anything. Although I wouldn’t put it past her to steal some food. I scanned the space, making sure she wasn’t near the tables at the back wall, and realized she’d glued herself to Nova. The dog danced at her side, looking up at my daughter in adoration. Looked like I wasn’t the only one who’d been wanting a family. Momo was in heaven with three kids to run after.
I led Charisma to a table and pulled out a chair for her. “Want something to eat? I can fix a plate and bring it to you?”
“Just bring me a little of all the main dishes. I’m not sure how much I can eat, but I want to try everything.” Her eyes went wide, and she looked around, seeming frantic. I realized she thought she’d been yelling, which she did on occasion.
“It’s fine, baby. No one here cares how loud you are. They know you can’t hear, and they’d much rather get to speak to you, than have you sit here alone. No one will judge you.” I leaned down to kiss her forehead then went to fix a plate for her. The kids were already in line, and I spotted Momo on her hindlegs, trying to steal a piece of chicken. “Momo! Down!”
The dog dropped to the floor and glowered at me. Until Nova broke off a bite of her chicken and handed it to her. I wasn’t sure if I should scold her for giving Momo people food, or just let them have fun. The kids had never had a pet before. I didn’t think it would hurt anything, for now anyway.
I glanced over where I’d left Charisma and saw Darby sitting with my wife. I liked Renegade’s woman and knew she’d make Charisma feel at home. After I piled up two plates and grabbed some sodas, shoving the cans under my arm, I went back to the table and set down Charisma’s things. I kissed her again, and let her know where I’d be, before heading to a spot in the corner where Scratch, Charming, and Havoc had decided to sit. I slid into the empty chair and cracked open the soda can.
“No beer?” Havoc asked.
“Don’t need one right now.” Light filtered into the room, and I saw Cinder and Meg come inside with their son, Tanner. He lifted a gift bag when he saw me, and I knew he’d brought Charisma’s property cut. “Be right back.”
I hurried over and took the sack from him. Meg followed me to where Charisma sat, still talking to Darby and Nikki had joined them. I helped Charisma to her feet, even though she looked a little worried.
“As you can see, each old lady here is wearing a cut.” I tipped my head at Darby, who twisted in her seat so Charisma could get a good look. “It’s called a property cut, like I mentioned before. And I have one for you.”
I pulled the cut from the bag and held it up for her to see. Tears misted her eyes and one rolled down her cheek. I leaned in and kissed her, not caring who watched. When I pulled back, she eagerly took the cut from me and slid it over her shoulders, running her hands down the front with reverence.
“How do I look?” she asked, turning slowly.
“Perfect. You look like a biker’s old lady, which is what you are.” And I hoped like hell I could convince her to wear that cut and only the cut at some point, while I took her from behind. I liked the thought of fucking her while I looked down at my name plastered across her back.
She shooed me away, which made me smile. I mouthed a thank you to the ladies sitting with her, knowing they were why she felt so at ease right now. By the time I got back the table and my food, I growled. “Who the fuck took my corn bread?”
Havoc grinned. “Shouldn’t have left it.”
“You fucker! That’s the best damn part of the meal.” I looked around and saw Jian nearby and yelled out for him. He came over without question. “Your uncle Havoc here decided to steal my cornbread while I gave your mom her cut. Can you snatch another off the table for me?”
“On it,” he said, darting off.
“We need some new rules around here. Not touching another man’s bike or woman isn’t enough anymore. We need to add not touching another man’s food and beer to the list.”
“You aren’t drinking beer,” Havoc pointed out.
I reached over and snatched his, draining it in one gulp before he could protest. “Now we’re slightly even.”
“That was a dick move,” Havoc muttered, getting up to go grab another one.
Scratch chuckled. “Serves him right. He should have known better. I’ve seen people get stabbed for stealing a slice of that cornbread. Meg made it and sent it over earlier. She even gave the Prospects their own for helping set all this up.”
“Well, now I want to kill the fucker. I didn’t realize Meg made it. I don’t know what she puts it in, but that shit is like crack. One piece is never enough.”
“She made four huge pans of it,” Charming said. “We’ve already put out two. If you want a second piece, I suggest you get it soon.”
“How’s married life?” Scratch asked. “Haven’t seen the two of you out of the house much.”
“I think she’s overwhelmed by everything. I can’t blame her. I’ve tried to ease her into this new life, but…” I shrugged and dug into my food, chewing and swallowing before I continued. “She told me today she doesn’t feel worthy of me. It about gutted me to hear those words come from her.”
“She’ll get there,” Scratch said. He looked over at Clarity, who was leaning against a wall talking to Janessa. “Our women tend to think they’re broken. They don’t realize how wrong they are. She’ll see that in time.”
“At least your kids are fitting in easily enough,” Charming said. “I think they’ve already made friends with everyone close to their age. Nova and Momo are playing a board game with Madsy, Tanner, and Salem. Should we warn them Momo will steal the pieces?”
I snorted. “No. They’ll probably have fun chasing her down to get it back.”
“Just saw Li head out with Taggart, Levi, Caleb, Payson, and Allegra. Any idea what that’s about?” Havoc asked as he sat down again.
Jian brought my cornbread to me, and I hugged the hell out of him when he handed me three slices. Then he ran off to play some handheld video game with Noah. “I put Li’s football in the back seat of the Jeep. Told him they could go out back to play if they wanted. I’m surprised the girls are going, though.”
“You know they like proving they’re as tough as the boys,” Scratch said.
Charming took his phone out, frowning as it buzzed. He swiped the screen and read the message, paling a little. “Um. I’ll be back in a bit. Need to take care of something.”
He bolted before anyone could say a word. I looked over at Scratch and saw the contemplative look on his face. I remembered Charming’s near slip up on the phone with me… about waking someone up. It seemed even the VP wasn’t aware of what was happening with our President. And that made me even more curious.
“Anyone else find it odd our President seems to be keeping secrets?” Havoc asked. “Not to mention, he’s forbidden anyone from going to his house.”
Now that had my attention. “When I called, he started to say I was going to wake someone up. Then he wouldn’t tell me who was at his house.”
“I have a feeling everything will reveal itself soon enough,” Scratch said. “Until then, we’ll wait and be on guard. Because if the Pres looked that rattled over a text, and is hiding someone in his house, I have a feeling the shit will hit the fan at any moment.”
“Did one of you assholes make the mistake of saying it was quiet around here?” I asked. “Because things always blow up right after that happens.”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Havoc said. “But if they did, I’m going to pound their asses into the ground.”
There’d be a line forming behind him too. I had a feeling we’d all want a piece of whatever fuck-up did that shit.