“If you make things awkward for Hope or upset her in any way, I’ll nail your nuts to the wall as a trophy. We clear?”
“Crystal clear.” He stares at the sheath at my side. “Are we good now?”
I silently count to ten before answering, “We’re good.”
“It really was an accident—”
“No.” I hold up one hand. “What we’renotgoing to do is ever discuss this again. You feel me?”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re gonna learn to fucking knock on a closed fucking bedroom door from now on.”
“Yes, Prez.”
I tilt my head toward the kitchen. “Go.”
He glances behind him. “Uh, you’re not going to tell anyone, are you? Wrath and Murphy aren’t going to take me out back and shoot me later, right?”
I’ll probably tell Wrath. Otherwise, he’ll annoy the fuck out of me. And Hope might tell Trinity, which is as good as telling Wrath. As much as he enjoys being an asshole, if I tell Wrath it’s handled and to leave it alone, he will. Rav doesn’t need to know that, though.
My mouth curves into my coldest smile and I slowly lift my shoulders. “Live in fear, brother.”
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Charlotte
“We’ve done our duty.It’s time to go.” Marcel presses his hand against the small of my back. “I don’t want you breathing in all this smoke and shit.”
I lift my gaze to the high ceilings and fans circulating above. “The windows are open. Ventilation is good. I feel fine.”
“I don’t want to leave Murphy and Heidi watching all the kids by themselves.”
“I’m pretty sure the kids are sound asleep.” I pull my phone out of my purse and show him the picture Heidi sent me. The three older kids nestled into sleeping bags on our living room floor and baby Bit-Bit snuggly in her daddy’s arms.
Marcel grunts at the picture but a flicker of a smile passes over his lips.
“Why are you so bugged about being here?”
He stares at me and frowns, like he’s trying to figure out the answer himself. “They built it to be their little den of deviance and that part of my life is behind me.”
I snort and then full-out laugh. “You’re kidding, right?” I lean up and whisper in his ear, “You’re probably the biggest deviant in this room.”
One corner of his mouth tips up and he nods to one of his brothers in the corner with a girl on her knees in front of him. “You sure?”
“That’s just showing off.” I scan the room. “Have you seen Carter?”
“Worried he’s going to be corrupted?”
“That ship has sailed.” I roll my eyes. “I don’t live in older sibling fantasyland like you do.”
He chuckles and puts his arm around me.
“Come on,” I say, “I want to have Shelby read my fortune before we leave.”
“I know your fortune. Your deviant husband’s going to love you for a very long time. And if you die before me, I’m jumping in your grave.”
“How perfectly romantic for Halloween.”