Page 75 of Starting Over

“Ben!”

“Yea, Prez.”

“You and Tank are with me.”

Heading for the door, they both followed without question. They were the two biggest brothers. Though Gunner was a few inches taller, Tank and Big Ben had height, as well as weighted limbs in the form of fucking tree trunks. Whoever was out there threatening my prospect would think twice once they got a look at these two.

I jogged down the few steps, heading for the gate. When I got a look at the man berating Archie, I quickly realized the two men behind me, that I had counted on putting the fear of God into the asshole, wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing to make him cower.

“Get your fucking president out here now, Prospect!”

“I’m here.”

The big motherfucker turned his stoney gaze on me, and I hesitated just for a second.

“Open the fucking gate and let me see my daughter.”

Fuck.

I suddenly realized I was looking at a ghost.

Shane Keller was said to have died more than a decade ago on a run. Yet, he was standing outside my gate.

“Open the gate, Prospect.”

Archie pressed a button, and the gate rolled open. Keller climbed back on his bike and rode into the lot. When he turned off the bike and climbed off, he looked at Tank and Big Ben.

“Are these two fuckers supposed to be scary? Have you met my fucking stepson?”

“No, sir, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

Shane scoffed, “That’s fucking obvious, if you use words like pleasure and Sandman in the same sentence.”

He followed me into the clubhouse and asked, “Where is my daughter?”

“Matlock, go get Fury and Carly.”

“I know I don’t really have a say here, but are you sure about him, Charlotte, ’cause say the word, and I will gut him then get you and my grandson out of this fucking place fast?”

“I wouldn’t have made it out of the city without him, Dad. Please trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

Shane Keller narrowed his eyes and pointed his finger right in Fury’s face. “I don’t like you. You ain’t good enough for her.”

I saw him gulp, then nod. Everyone around him laughed. Including me, and I had already almost shit myself when I met him at the gate. But I couldn’t resist chapping his ass just a little.

Slapping him on his back, I smirked. “Ah, fathers-in-law. Thank fuck I don’t have one. My condolences, Fury.”

He growled, turning toward me and asked, “How is Steele by the way, asshole?”

And just like that, my laughter stopped.

He leaned in close so only I could hear and whispered, “Does he know yet?”

I didn’t answer.

“Let’s get this shit over with,” I shouted, moving away from him. “I’ve got my own fucked-up family to take care of. Matlock, you’re up.”

Matlock grinned, then cleared his throat. “I gotta ask. You sure you want him Carly, ’cause he’s still a work in progress? Not sure even you can set him straight. He’s got a nasty temper and farts in his sleep, but his ma is the best cook in the city, so that’s a plus.”

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