“Fine, I’ll stay.” Bone relented quickly, to my surprise.
“I won’t let anything happen to Cobra,” Spectre replied. “It’s my job to protect the president.” He might be the youngest boy and look like a nice guy, but Spectre was lethal.
“Good,” Dad said. “Now that you’ve discussed Minot and the new gang threat, what’s next?” He was constantly redirecting our attention off our conflicts and steering us in the direction we should go.
“That oughta do it. Lady M is taking care of Hustler’s party.” I took a second to consider my brothers. One day, when I had sons, I’d teach them as my old man had trained us to fight and protect each other. God knew we didn’t always get along, but at the end of the day, we were family… brothers.
We were Knights, and nobody messed with one of our own.
“I have a question.” Bone cocked his head in my direction. “Where’ve you been in the evenings the last couple of weeks? With someone we should know about?”
Dad cut his gaze at me, raising a curious eyebrow.
“Nope.” I didn’t appreciate my brother calling me out. Couldn’t say I was surprised. This was just Bone. He seemed to have it out for me, just waiting for the day I fell on my face.
“Then where do you go?” Bone’s lip quirked up.
“I haven’t seen him in the bar at Club Solo,” Spectre said. “Have you found a new hangout, brother?”
“Nope.” I crossed my arms over my chest. I needed to give them something so they’d get off my back. “Been fixing up my place.”
Karma’s gorgeous face flashed behind my eyes. She was mine, so was Nova. I needed to bring them into the fold and under my club’s protection. I wanted them under my roof. Although I doubted Karma would agree to it. Her life was in Bastion. Well, I’d just have to change her mind.
I’d swear I was going through withdrawals after not seeing her in a week.
Damn woman.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out. I needed her like an addict needed his next fix. I’d doanythingfor the high that was Karma Brandt.
“Your place?” Dad sat forward in his chair. “The one you built for—” He snapped his mouth shut.
“Yes, that’d be the one. Thought it was time to get it finished. No sense leaving a perfectly nice house vacant.”
Dad stared at me. “Does Lady M know?”
“I’m a grown man. Did you really think I’d live at home forever? I don’t need anyone’s permission to move out.”
“Bravo!” Buff clapped. “I’ll move in with you. I’d like some privacy.”
“Dude, why do you think I’m fixing my house? For privacy. I’m not looking for a roommate.” I needed to change the subject before coming clean about Karma being back.
“Well, I’m just surprised, son. I thought you hated that place after she left you.”
She. No one had breathed Karma’s name in over five years. Since the night I got so drunk, I punched my dad in the face for telling me to get over Karma. He’d said a year had passed, and she was never coming back. His words had made me crazy. A week later, I’d started to get my shit together and focused on learning how to be a good president from my old man.
“It’s just a house.” I shrugged as if it hadn’t been a huge part of my and Karma’s future. The home where we’d bring our firstborn to and create the rest of our brood. Karma never knew about it because it was my wedding gift to her. Not that it would’ve been finished in time, but the exterior had been completed. I had figured we could work on the interior together. She would’ve loved selecting paint colors and lighting fixtures.
“Oh.” Dad reclined in his seat. “Well, good luck telling Lady M you’re moving out.” He chuckled, scratching his neck.
“It’s time, Dad.”
“I know, son. But that doesn’t mean it won’t break your mother’s heart. You kids are her entire reason for living. I mean, after me, of course.” He shot me a wink.
I kept my attention on my brothers so I wouldn’t dial Karma’s number right then and there to beg her to give me a chance. If my parents knew about Nova, it would make things easier. Then again, they’d be madder than a hornet after learning they had a six-year-old granddaughter.
Sure I could take measures into my own hands and force Karma to be with me, but it wasn’t my style. The woman I loved needed to want me all on her own. Not because she had her freedom taken away.
“Anything else?” I asked my brothers as I raised the gavel to end church.