Page 68 of Disturbed Lucidity

“Jesse!” Reaper shouted, running after his boy, who was hellbent on evading his father, when Massacre quickly side stepped and snagged the kid by the back of his shirt.

“Got him!”

“Boy, I’m going to whip your ass when I get my hands on you. I told you not to run off,” Reaper grumbled, taking his son from Massacre.

“But, Dad, I wanna go play.”

“Play later. Are you trying to get me killed before nightfall?”

“Who’s gonna kill you, Dad?”

“Your mother,” Reaper groaned, swatting the young boy’s ass, shoving him back toward the other kids. “Now stop being an asshole and do what you’re told for once.”

“Pop-pop, who’s that?” Soleil asked, pointing behind me.

Turning, I smiled. “Soleil, this is Ivy. She is a friend of mine.”

“Hello,” Ivy said, looking intently at my granddaughter before she looked at me, her face contorted in confusion and worry. “I didn’t know you were a grandfather.”

“And soon he will be again.” Sunny walked over, smiling. “Hello. I’m Sunny. Solomon’s wife, and you must be Ivy. He’s told me so much about you.”

“He shouldn’t have,” Ivy murmured, looking around at everyone.

She was nervous.

Frowning, Sunny gently reached for Ivy’s hand. “You’re safe here, Ivy. No one here will hurt you.”

“Give me my niece, asshole!” Wraith roared, storming over while Soleil giggled, clapping her hands, and when Wraith was in arm’s length, my fearless granddaughter leaped from my arms into her uncle’s.

“Luc, he hit him,” Ivy whispered, and her eyes glazed over.

Stepping into her view, I cupped her face.

“Look at me. I need you to hear the words coming out of my mouth. No one, and I mean fucking no one here would ever, and I mean ever, lay a fucking hand and intentionally hurt any of these kids. These kids are protected and spoiled fucking rotten. Everyone here, including the women, would happily kill a motherfucker before any harm comes to any one of these kids. Do you understand me?”

A tear rolled down her face and she slowly nodded.

“I’m sorry. I just saw him and my head...”

Hugging her tight, I whispered. “I know, baby. I know.”

“Ivy? We briefly met the other day. I’m Reaper and this is my son, Jesse.”

Ivy turned and looked down at the young boy standing in front of his father, kicking the dirt. Kneeling before him, Reaper shoved the kid forward and growled, “Jesse.”

The young boy sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Tentatively reaching out for him, Ivy whispered, “It’s nice to meet you, Jesse. I’m Ivy. I get in trouble a lot too. It’s easy sometimes, huh?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “My mom says I’m a magnet for trouble.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

Jesse nodded.

“Trouble follows me everywhere, too. It’s like a bad shadow. But I’m trying to do better. How about we make a pact? If you try to stay out of trouble, I will try not to overreact and get upset when you do.”

“Guess that sounds fair.”

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