Page 30 of Tyrant

Penny hadn’t seen a lot of tattoos before, but she’s never made a comment to me about them. She was absolutely exhausted by the end of the Day of the Flowers, but she was up extra early the next day. She was the only one. Raiden isn’t much of a morning person, my dad must have been up during the night with my mom, and while I should have slept soundly, all I did was lie awake, replaying the strange and unexpectedly wonderful day over in my head.

“Is this something that Gray planned?”

I caught him looking at me funny a few times that day. Funny, as in… I’m not sure how to pick those expressions apart. He didn’t bother to guard them, and I can only say they were heated and a little animalistic. He looked at me like he had plans forusand the fact that he had no business doing it only made it shamefully hotter.

“Can’t say one way or the other on that, but he isn’t going to be there. He’s meeting with the city this morning about rezoning a warehouse we just acquired. He wants to turn it into low-income housing, and they aren’t happy about it. They say it’s too industrial, but they really just want to keep poor people in their place.”

Fuck. Does Gray have to be so damn likeable?It’s really hard to hate a good man.

Never mind that my mom cried tears of pure joy and my dad sobbed right along with her when she walked out into the backyard and saw that ocean of flowers. It smelled like heaven and even though she’d been in a lot of pain the day the club came and worked their magic, she was more like the old mom I knew before I left home.

Ranfrom home.

It’s been a few days and Mom has spent hours in the backyard, just sitting on her lawn chair or perched on the porch swing. Morning, afternoon, and evening, she’s out there. I never would have fulfilled her wish on time if it was just me. I know what a debt I owe Gray and the rest of the club.

“Okay…” I study the scenery as we move past.

My parents’ car is older, but it’s near immaculate and has almost no miles on it. No rust, either. My dad’s been meticulous about caring for it. It’s been garaged all its life when not in use.

The houses end and the industrial area starts, but even that fades away. “There’s nothing out here except the golf course and the gun club,” I snort. And wait. Raiden’s silence is so telling. “Ray!”

He shrugs, giving me that faux innocent look, like it wasn’t his idea and he’s just the driver.

“Raiden! You can’t bring a kid to a gun range!”

Penny has no idea what that even means. She’s not paying much attention to us when I turn and look at her. She’s lost in her own little world, playing games on my phone. Educational ones. I have a few really good apps including Spanish for kids, which I really want her to learn, and a few learn to read and do early math ones.

“You can when it’s club owned.”

“That’s not the point.” This should be common sense.

“Gray arranged everything. The range is open, but you’ll have Bullet’s undivided attention. He owns the place. You’ll never have a better teacher.”

“He was there the other day?”

“Yeah. The scary big guy with the beard and the—”

I can’t help but laugh. “You do know that’s every single guy.”

Raiden grins. “Not the prospects. They have trouble growing beards and their scary levels are dubious at best.They try, though. We have a great group of prospects, I have no complaints. Anyway, he was there. Served a couple tours overseas. He was in special ops.”

“Oh. My. God.” I motion pointedly to Penny, as in,this is who you guys are going to trust with my daughter? Never mind that because there’s no way I’m letting her anywhere near there, but you let this guy handle guns all day, every day?

For real, no judgement, but special ops? Doesn’t that come with a ton of PTSD?

“Bullet’s a good guy. I’d never leave my sister with anyone that I wouldn’t trust with my own life.”

I huff. “What about Penny?”

“Penny? I’m taking her for ice cream.”

“Ice cream?” Penny doesn’t selectively tune that out, but what kid would?

My brother glances sheepishly my way as we pass the golf course. Tall trees perfectly planted and spaced line the immaculate greens. “If that’s okay?”

“Ice cream for breakfast?”

“Technically we already had breakfast. Thought about stopping at the library after.”

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