“Prettier than the floozies Death has been laying with night after night.”
My heart cracks wide open at her words. The fact that Death is sleeping with anyone at all shouldn’t phase me. I knew he got around before I ever got involved. Still hurts to hear though. I know Bensen’s passing has fucked his world up. If that’s what he needs to do to cope so be it.
Things with Belinda’s family hasn’t been easy either. I know she’s awake from her coma and in a rehab facility. They say she will never walk again and needs around the clock care basically. To the world they pretend that Belinda and her husband are grieving privately after the tragic accident. It’s gross that her politician brother is playing on the emotions of people to get votes.
Yara says Death plans to file for divorce. Not that it’s any of my business.
“Is that the guy?” my sister interrupts my thoughts.
I spot Justin fully decked out in his uniform. Well, his costume, appearing as though he stepped out of a classic storybook in all his royal regalia. He waves at me like a big goof, flashing his megawatt smile.
“You know Prince Charming, Aunt Frito?”
“Sure do, Luna beam.”
“Hi.” I go in for a side hug and kiss Justin on the cheek. I immediately regret it. I mean we aren’t even technically dating or anything. He’s simply a good friend, and I don’t know if he has certain rules about his behavior while on duty or whatever.
“You must be Justin. I mean Prince Charming. I’m Yara. Freya or as we call her Frito’s sister.”
“Frito?” Justin makes an amused face. “I need to hear the story behind this.”
“Oh, I can tell you all the nitty gritty and embarrassing details of my sister’s life.”
“Yara,” I hiss. Ugh. I should have known better. My sister can’t help herself. She lives to drive me crazy.
“I’ve got this,” she mouths at me, and I could die right here on the spot. Maybe I should have told her I hate him and hope to never see him again so she would do the opposite of what she is now, which is embarrassing the ever-loving shit out of me.
“I take it you’re Whiskey?”
“Only club brothers call me Whiskey. It’s Mack.”
Oops. Guess I forgot to lay out the club's ground rules. I’m so used to only being around bikers for the most part, it’s easy to forget that outsiders don’t know how things work.
“You guys ready to enter the Magical Kingdom?” Justin moves things along and I’m grateful. He has to return to work, but I regrettably invited him to dinner with us tomorrow night.
Maybe I can tell him I have food poisoning or something. I don’t want to subject him to a night of my sister with the way she’s starting her first impression.
“He’s super cute,” she says, way too loud for my comfort. I’m going to kill her and then I’m going to beg for the ground to open and swallow me up.
Chapter Twelve
“How was your trip, man?” I flop down in the seat across from Whiskey at the break table to dig into my lunch.
“Was good. You won’t believe the stupid fuck Freya is hooked up with.”
It’s been over two months since she took off. I’m trying to get on with my life but fuck if I don’t miss her. Yara came over about two weeks ago with Zuko and Gentry to put her shit in storage. That’s when it really hit me that maybe she’s not coming back. At first, I figured she needs to clear her head. Have a little space. That’s what her letter stated and what Prez told me. Like when I was locked up.
Be patient. She’ll come around.
This time I’m not so sure.
I shake my head. “Not sure I want to know.”
“Bro, get this.” He pauses to take a bite of his sandwich. “The fuck is that?” He spits food at me as he stares at the meal I’m unpacking.
“Hillary made it for me.”
“Hillary made it for me,” he mocks.