No one expected the kid thrown to the wolves to return leading entire the pack. And now that I was back, stronger than I’d ever been, I had no forgiveness for those who doubted me.
Continuing up the path, we passed the massive garage that had just gone up a few months ago.
Both of its doors were wide open, on one side was my tech guy—Gizmo.
He had a pair of headphones on and was fully immersed in his latest trinket.
On the other side were a few men and women sorting through our latest supply run.
Hearing loud laughter spill from behind us, I knew the evening was just now getting into full swing.
“You in for the night?” Maliki asked, following me up the stairs that led to the front door.
“Yeah, you?”
“Depends on, Gwen.”
I smirked, looking at him over my shoulder. He’d been with her since we were nineteen, proving he had a fuck of a lot more patience than I did because he’d been dealing with her melodramatic bullshit steadily for seven years.
We walked the length of the upper deck to the steel door, pushing it open to enter the house.
The aroma of hot food met us right inside the entrance. Voices came from the kitchen—one belonging to Trix. Heading towards them, I made sure not to track any dirt on Meg’s freshly shined pine floors.
“I’ll see you later,” Maliki said, stepping away in the direction of the back hallway where our bedrooms were.
I nodded, continuing the short distance across the open floor plan. I hadn’t wanted any hidden corners when the house built. There was nowhere for anyone to play a round of hide-and-seek if they chose to sneak in or run from me.
The only games I played were on my mattress or in the shower—occasionally the back of my truck.
“Mi hijo,” Meg greeted with a smile.
I placed a kiss on her timeworn cheek, discreetly doing a health-check when I stepped back. Her wise hazel eyes were gleaming with energy, which meant she’d had a good day today.
Further proof was the large spread she was preparing in my kitchen and the animal print clip in her gunmetal grey hair.
“Anyone give you any issues?” I asked, watching her stir something that looked sweet in a large mixing bowl.
“No, no. If they did I know how to handle them,” she replied. “Plus, I have, Demon, and Grizz,” she added with a wink.
I nodded, spotting the bear of a man himself at the table with Trix, cutting up fruit. I always put Meg in charge when I went out.
She was to be respected and had never taken anyone’s shit.
Grizz, I trusted and knew he would never let any insubordinate fuck think they could get away with disrespect if they felt the need to try her.
And, we were a gang of killers; there would always be an occasional scuffle or two. I didn’t want Meg getting between that, which is where Demon came in.
I watched her flounce around the kitchen for a minute longer, telling her about the initiation before announcing I was going to take a shower. She waved me off, now dumping whatever she’d been mixing into a glass dish.
It took a lot to make sure she always had an ingredient to cook with, but she’d done everything for me. I’m not sure what her life plan had been before my Dad propositioned her.
Whatever it was, she’d given it up to raise two wild boys in the absolute slums.
I could vividly remember all the times she’d gone hungry just so Maliki and I could eat. So I really didn’t give a fuck how much it took to ensure she lived like a queen, never wanting for anything.
I’d heard the details about my birth mother, and I could positively say I would never replace Meg for the mental bitch if she were still alive.
I didn’t mind crazy—fuck—I loved crazy, but there was a good kind and a bad kind. Mom sounded like the latter, but that didn’t necessarily mean I wouldn’t have liked to of known her.