Page 14 of Wrath’s Nightingale

I nod my head. “Deal. Let’s unpack. I’m starved.”

“Does he know what he’s getting himself into?”

“He’ll find out fast,” I say with a laugh.

For the next few minutes, we set the dining room and set the trays of food from Loveless out on the table, along with serving utensils.

“Tell me about Wade. Where did you meet? Does he have a family?”

“We met at the hospital. He was admitted with a gunshot wound. The club was ambushed. He got shot defending his brothers and ultimately keeping my friend Nay out of the hands of human traffickers.”

“Human traffickers; is New Orleans safe?”

“It’s no worse than when I lived and worked in Indy, Mom. I’m careful. I have my handgun and mace with me. I always have someone walk me to my car, daylight or dark.”

“Good girl. Sorry for interrupting.”

Wrath

Behind the main cabin sits a cottage-sized replica. A hundred yards away is a large garage with the bay door open. Brian expertly backs the trailer into the garage. I get out and unload my sled.

“Damn, that’s nice,” Tyler says.

“Sweet ride,” Micah agrees.

“Thanks. I have a couple. This is my favorite and the most comfortable for a passenger.”

Brian motions for me to follow him. He leads me to a door on one side of the garage. After he opens the door. He reaches in and flips a switch. The lights blink on to reveal several sleds of different makes and models, including half a dozen dirt bikes.

“We have our own track if you want to ride.”

“I’d love that.”

“Sis will no doubt drag you onto horseback sooner or later,” Tyler says.

“She already mentioned Soldier.”

“Her first and only horse. Dad gave her the gelding for her twelfth birthday. She loves that horse,” Micah says.

“Soldier was her first love,” Brian adds.

“Let’s drop off your stuff and get our grub on. We can come back after we help clean up and help unpack,” Tyler says.

“Deal,” I say.

We make quick work of putting our luggage downstairs. The first floor is a sitting area with a small kitchen, second floor is a master bedroom with an ensuite, and the third floor is a librarywith a reading area. There’s a balcony off the bedroom that’s accessed by French doors. That’s all I had time to take in before we head back to the big cabin. The ladies are in the kitchen adding the final touches to the feast laid out on a large wooden table that could easily sit ten.

“Do we need anything else before we sit down, Mama?” Brian asks Lisa.”

Lisa shakes her head. “We have everything. Let’s sit down and eat.”

Everyone takes a seat at the table. I wind up sitting in between Brian and Millie. And across from Lisa. My mouth waters taking in the feast before me. Brian says grace over the food, and we dig in.

Besides trays of those amazing biscuits, there’s meatloaf, fried catfish, fried chicken, thick slices of ham, country fried steak, chicken gizzards, mashed potatoes, greens, green beans, mac n’ cheese, corn, slaw, grits, and gravy.

Just when I don’t think I can eat another bite, Lisa carries this lemony-looking multi-layer confection on a glass pedestal. I feel someone touch my arm and look to see Millie’s hand on my arm.

“You’re going to love this. It’s a lemon and blueberry dream,” she says.

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