Page 116 of Sinful Mates

“We got each other’s back’s, baby,” he breathed into my ear.

“Always.” In that moment, I knew I would do whatever it took to keep my men by my side, even if it involved committing murder or a crime, because no one was taking them from me. Ever.

CHAPTER40

Castor

Fuck,that smelled good. Onions, garlic, melted cheese, ham, tomato sauce, basil. Pizza, garlic bread, and pasta for a celebratory dinner with the family after the barbeque with the club last night where things got rowdy. The aroma filled Alaric’s Forrester as I drove back to Slade’s place and pulled up in his driveway, waiting for the roller garage door to open.

Everything cooled down after Aaliyah’s magnificent reckoning. Peace and calm finally reigned after half a year of hell. Goodbye to police tails, investigations, and meddling in our affairs. Best of all, zero fucking charges, and Zethan, Alaric, and Slade acquitted of their accused crimes. Official letters from the police hung in frames on the wall and plenty of drinks were shared last night. The icing on the cake though, was that all investigations into the club’s enterprises were dropped, returning us to business as usual.

Pride for all the months of teaching Aaliyah magick swelled in my chest. Fuck, my woman made me prouder than I ever was to be her mentor. When she said she had an idea, I didn’t expect her to take charge like that and turn things around like a fucking goddess of Hell.

Showing no mercy, my woman sent all the corrupt cops and management involved in the active investigations against the Jackals straight to the inpatient ward at Bloomfield Hospital for psychiatric assessment, as well as those assholes on our payroll who failed to warn us of incoming trouble. Any officers doing their job and taking orders as well as administration staff, were released from the demon’s hold and left to explain the story.

Of course, no one believed their tales of hearing voices in their heads and seeing visions of horrific abuse, so the incident was ultimately put down to a gas leak that damaged the brains of twenty staff members. Investigation still pending, according to official records I hacked into.

I got out of the vehicle, wound down the garage door, and juggled five boxes and loaves of garlic bread, plus two containers of pasta inside. The TV blared from the lounge as I set everything on the kitchen counter, piling on paper plates and napkins.

Everyone watched a kid-friendly movie on the TV. Slade kicked back, feet on the ottoman, drinking a beer. Mia sat tucked under his massive arm, engrossed by the movie, not noticing his little strokes of her hair or the pleased smiles he dropped at her.

Zethan flicked through paperwork, pouring over the plans for the fast-approaching toy donation. A beer warmed in the holder creviced in the recliner chair’s arm.

Aaliyah snuggled with Alaric on the longer sofa, occasionally stretching back to share kisses.

The instant I dropped dinner on the coffee table, Slade stretched forward, snatched up the loaves of garlic bread, and hid them under his cut. “Quick, steal the garlic bread before Mia does.”

Riling her and Aaliyah up was one of his favorite pastimes. These days, our woman didn’t bite as much, and gave it back to him. Mia hadn’t caught on yet, but she would soon.

She tugged at his vest, pouting, fueling his teasing. “Give it back, Slade! That’s not fair.”

The president slowly unwrapped the aluminum foil off one loaf and sniffed the steaming aroma. “I won it, fair and square.”

“Share it, Slade!” Mia grouched. “You’re not the fun boyfriend.”

“Yes, I am, Bossy Boots.” He broke off a piece for her, blew on it a few times to cool it down and handed it to her. “You just don’t like it when I tease you.”

“Thank you, Slade.” Happy, she slumped against him, munching away on her treat.

That was how it went most nights, with Slade coming up with new ways to muck around with his stepdaughter. Secretly, Mia loved the attention.

Something told me she wasn’t given this same amount of regard from her adoptive parents. From what I gathered, they worked long hours, leaving her with a nanny. A story I didn’t share the extent of with Aaliyah as it would have made her dwell on the past and regret her decisions.

Aaliyah and Alaric shared a happy smile as he sat up to get them plates of food. Little nester loved nurturing and pampering her domestically.

Zethan put aside his papers, and grabbed two plates, holding one out to me.

“In a minute.” First, I had to have a word with my woman.

I leaned on the back of the sofa and dragged my nails along the bare patch of skin showing where her shirt lifted. “Got a minute, Sorceress?”

“Yeah, sure.” Her smile set off a brighter, hotter flame in my chest.

Alaric gave her a sweet goodbye kiss and tapped her thigh as she stood.

I came around the front to meet her and took her hand. We went outside to sit on the back porch, the sun beginning to set.

“Everything okay?” Aaliyah cozied up to me with warm arms locked around my middle.

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