Page 84 of Redeem Me

“Most definitely,” Sick Ricky says from a nearby table. “Who else would want to marry a chick with no face? So, yeah, the Syndicate would keep Bear to his word to ensure they could marry off a faceless Natasha.”

“Stop talking about her getting hurt,” I growl, standing up to threaten Sick Ricky because the older man is easier to intimidate than my brothers who just laugh at me.

“Settle down,” Noble says, strolling over with a grumpy Zoot. “That wasn’t your brightest moment.”

Settling back in my seat, I grumble, “I’m not scared of Sick Ricky.”

“I meant last night with Natasha. If she got hurt, we’d be dealing with a pissed Kovak family.”

“What would they do?” Thump asks and smiles at his fellow Hills Chapter members. “Have one of her pretty brothers stare at you and say nothing?”

“They stare at you to keep you focused forward while another one of them comes from behind to sever your spine,” Zoot snarls at Thump. “Why are you even here? Get out of the city and go back to your shithole.”

“Caveman said we could come,” Thump mumbles, acting like a scolded kid, but I know he’s full of shit. No way are any Hills Chapter members scared of Zoot when they have to put up with Aunt Fred’s brothers on a regular basis. “Besides, I like eggs.”

Zoot glares at the man while Noble rubs his tired eyes. “One of the cops from last night got his police car shot up. It’s all over the news. Press is playing it as the war-on-cops shit.”

“Why should I care?” I ask as my coffee arrives.

“Because that doesn’t happen unless Viktor is pissed.”

“Wait, you think he had the Syndicate shoot up a car? Seems tame.”

Noble glances at Zoot who stops scowling long enough to smirk. “No, Bear, the Syndicate had the pigs shoot up their fellow porker’s car while he was inside. It was an act of submission and alliance to the king.”

Shrugging, I sip my hot coffee and point out, “Well, they were starting shit with the daughters of powerful people last night. I assumed they wanted trouble.”

“Siobhan swears up and down that she was on her best behavior,” Zoot says of his niece. “Normally, she’s full of shit, but I actually believed her this time.”

“Siobhan wouldn’t ruin Natasha’s bachelorette party just to throw down with dumb bitches,” Sync replies as he digs into his pancakes. “Carys, though, would start trouble if her hormones were out of whack.”

“Don’t talk shit about my woman!” Pork Chop yells from another table. “She’s cooking my baby girl. I ought to kick your ass, motherfucker.”

Everyone chuckles because Pork Chop doesn’t even stop spreading butter on his waffle during his tirade. Full of shit as usual, he just says the words to hear them said.

“Natasha got home safe, yes?” Noble asks as Elvis enters the room and high-fives his club brothers before stopping to measure dicks with Caveman sitting in the corner.

“When her security took her home,” I answer as my food arrives, “she was healthy and satisfied.”

Tack starts applauding again, just to fuck with me. Golden would join in if he weren’t so hungover.

“Stop making noise,” the dumb blond whines from under his hair.

Noble pats the younger man’s head and leaves me to eat my breakfast.

Aunt Fred doesn’t join us for these breakfasts. Instead, she leads catered brunches with her daughters, sister, the club’s old ladies, and their kids at the farm.

Not long after I finish breakfast and start riding around town, I get a text from Natasha. She asks to drop by the house for the afternoon so the kids can see their home again.

I reach my house with a few minutes to spare before the line of black SUVs arrives. Exiting the middle one, Natasha glows when I head in her direction. She’s wearing faded blue jeans and a red tank top. Her hair is especially wavy today, and I immediately reach out to touch the soft strands.

Behind Natasha, a young woman helps the kids exit the SUV. They look hilarious in matching khaki pants, pale green shirts with roaring T-Rexes on the fronts, sandals, and purple tutus.

The kids hurry over to me and pretend to be bears. Once I growl back, Hector lifts his arms, so I’ll pick him up. Meanwhile, Jacinda dances around my legs and meows.

As Hector runs his finger over my vest’s seam, Natasha and the young woman join us.

The chick is pretty but plain like an unfinished drawing. She keeps her gaze on the ground as Natasha flashes a big smile at me. I sense I’m about to hear something I won’t like.

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