“Maybe I’ll be sick for dinner.”
He pulled me close for another kiss and then eased away with a groan. “Fuck. Between you and your kid, I’m starting to look and act like a fucking Hallmark movie.”
I grinned. “That’s not possible, Seth. You’re much too growly and you swear like a sailor. Last I checked, Hallmark hotties don’t swear.”
“Hallmark hotties?” He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.
“Yeah. You know? The hot men who play Hallmark love interests?” I teased him. “You’re just a little too rough around the edges, buddy.”
He lunged at me, his hands just barely missing my waist as I danced away from him. “I’ll show you rough around the edges.”
“Pretty sure you already did. I still have the limp to show for it.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
CHAPTER 27
Seth
Nellie ended up across the table from me. Waylan was on one side of her and Henry had secured the other side. Ms. Vivian was at the head of the table with Woodrow opposite her. He got the special seat for helping cook dinner. That meant Stephanie was next to me. She kept touching me, her clawed fingers raking across my arm every time she spoke. The only reason I hadn’t gotten up and moved away from the woman was because of the look in Nellie’s eyes with every touch. She was definitely punching Stephanie in her mind.
“Where are y’all from originally?” Another touch from Stephanie. She turned her long lashes on Woodrow. “You’re definitely not a local boy.”
Nellie caught me watching her scowl and narrowed her eyes. She leaned over and poured herself another glass of water.
“Nope. I moved over from Australia when I was a kid.” He left out the part where his dad had rescued him from the cult his mother had him in.
“I’m from Georgia. A little town no one has ever heard of. Devil’s Den feels more like home at this point, though.” Henry looked at me and nodded. “Seth’s a Texas man through and through.”
“What part?” Another grating rake of nails over my arm. “I could tell you were from Texas. These muscles? They just grow ’em bigger in Texas.”
Nellie’s eyes flicked down to where the table hid my dick from her view and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “You could say that again.”
Henry snorted and choked on the drink of sweet tea he’d just taken. Ms. Vivian patted his back with a knowing smirk on her face.
I had to fight back a laugh. Clearing my throat to regain my composure, I glanced over at Woodrow and nearly lost it again when I caught him flexing. “The northern part of the state.”
“Do you still have any family there?”
I shifted completely out of reach then, unable to feel her nails on me while thinking about my family. “No.”
“No one?” Stephanie pouted. “That’s awful, Seth.”
Nellie grew serious as she studied me. I could tell she wanted to know more by the curious glint in her gaze. That was the only reason I could give for spilling more of my guts.
“I have a sister, actually. She’s in Dallas with her two kids.” I looked down at my plate. “Our parents were killed in a robbery when we were in our early twenties. Now it’s just us.”
Nellie had gone still. “I’m sorry, Seth. I hope they caught whoever did it and made them suffer.”
The viciousness from her was unexpected but maybe it shouldn’t have been. I’d seen the damage she did to Hammer. She believed in protecting those she loved. That blood thirsty side of her just made me want her even more.
“They were killed a few years later in a gang hit. From what I heard, it wasn’t pretty.” If my voice was cold it was from years of pretending I had no idea what truly happened to the two fuckers who’d killed my parents.
“Good.” Nellie’s gaze speared right through me and for the first time since I’d ended those men, I felt I couldn’t hide the truth. She glanced down at where Waylan was scribbling on a sheet of paper. “How old are your sister’s kids?”
I winced. “They’re around Waylan’s size?”
Henry grinned. “Is that an approximate age?”