Page 51 of Butcher

“Pops.”

Daryl glanced over and scowled at his son. “Boone, you asshole, you were supposed to come home for a visit by now.” Everyone moved out of the way as Daryl charged forward to pull Toxic into an awkward, dusty hug. The man was always dusty and dirty, thanks to running the family ranch up there in Wyoming. Granted, these days Toxic did most of the running remotely, and had one of his cousins—Cynic’s older brother—doing the majority of the manual labor. Still, his father always smelled of horse hair and dirt. And for reasons I’d never understand, women loved it.

They always made sure there was enough work to keep Daryl busy though. He wouldn’t know what to do if they told him to retire. And he’d likely blow a fuse and kick them all off the ranch.

It was going to be a surprise to our brothers to find out that Toxic and his father owned, and ran, one of the largest cattle ranches in the country. Others had asked before what Toxic did all day, justassuming it was drinking and sleeping around. He did plenty of that, for sure, but he played a heavy part in keeping the Diamond Mountain Ranch running. He often saved most of his boozing until after the sun went down and his father, cousin, and hired ranch hands wouldn’t need him anymore. He made it all look effortless, which was why no one thought he did much.

“Sorry Pops, got busy.” Toxic grinned at him.

“Toxic,” Kit said. Everyone was out here except Isla and the older kids. “I’m so confused,” she continued with a laugh.

“Same!” Seek added. “Daryl is yourfather?”

“He is,” Toxic replied with a grin. As if anyone needed to ask. Toxic was a carbon copy of his dad.

“When did he have you?” Hellfire asked. “When he was ten?”

Everyone laughed at that. It was the same damn thing I’d asked when I first met Daryl years ago and found out Toxic’s age. Now the fucker was forty-two and still didn’t look a day over thirty. Daryl looked like he was somewhere around fifty at the most. I’d been fucking shocked to learn he was in his seventies. No one ever believed him the first time he told them his age. “Baby-faced motherfuckers.”

As if they were controlled by the same brain Daryl and Toxic both flipped me off, causing everyone to laugh again.

“Seriously though,” Dani said. “I thought they were messing with me when they told me Toxic was in his forties. Now I see it’s just good genetics. Reallygoodgenetics.”

“Why thank you, Darlin’,” Daryl told her. He reached over and dragged her and her four month old daughter, Hannah, into a side hug. Her blush must have been from head to toe.

“Hey now,” Smokehouse said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I see how your son is. I don’t need you stealing my old lady away from me.”

Daryl chuckled and shook his head. “Sutton rule, boys. We don’t take married women.”

“We’re not married yet,” Dani teased, blush deepening.

Smoke snorted. “You’re better than married. I claimed you, Woman. Get over here.” The last command was said in a softer—forhim—tone of voice as he gently pulled his girls back into his arms and kissed each on the head. She laid her head on his chest, happy to be exactly where she was.

I watched, wondering if I’d ever be capable of that kind of emotion. And if so, would I ever be able to express it? I was pretty sure I wouldn’t. I didn’t know anything about being soft and kind. My mind drifted to Isla, missing everything the others were talking about for a minute.

“Right Butcher?” Ricochet asked.

Focusing back on them, I found everyone watching me. “Yeah.”

They all laughed and Toxic shook his head. “Now you see why I’ve never introduced you to the rest of this MC family,” he told his dad.

“Let’s head inside,” Lockout told everyone. “Scarlett, can you get us some beers?”

“Of course!” She took an extra second to ogle at Daryl before she hurried inside as the rest of us moved as a group toward the clubhouse.

Toxic caught my eye and I saw the question there in his gaze. He was a good friend. Shit. He was more than that. He was a good brother. He always looked out for me. It hadn’t escaped his notice that I wasn’t paying attention earlier and he was checking on me. With a quick jerk of my head, I dismissed the concern. I was fine. It was going to be a fun night as the Sutton men reunited and we prepared for the upcoming mission.

We had a couple days to prepare everything once we got to the White Mountains before Isla made the call to her friend that would set this battle into motion. We were going to make the most of every hour we had with our families. And it’d been years since either Toxic or I had seen Daryl. Despite meeting him only a few times, I had this strange feeling in my chest whenever the man was around. It was like he was the father I never knew. And fuck if I was going to miss the opportunity to drink the night away with him.

CHAPTER 18

Butcher

“You’re not serious?” Isla asked with a laugh, her gaze bouncing between Toxic and Daryl as the older man finished telling a funny story about Toxic and his brother.

She didn’t know it, but Toxic’s brother Clay had been the first born. There were ten years between the brother’s ages. Clay had been killed in action a year before Toxic joined the military. Even years later it had broken him up to tell me about it. These two knew about loss, yet both were the most giving men I’d ever met. Well, at least until I’d met the rest of my brothers.

Lockout, on the other hand, was a mystery to me. He cared. Abouteveryone. The scope of his ability to love and protect was something that fascinated me. I wasn’t really sure I could emulate it. Though I was trying. If there was anyone to model yourself after, it would be Lock. Not that I necessarily wanted to change. Just a bit. To be...closer...with those I cared about. So I could show them that I did.

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