Page 49 of Sinful Mates

Clubs opened chapters in separate locations to augment the club’s size, strength, and position.

It took me a few seconds to recover from the blow like I took a mace ball to the head. I leaned back on the counter, finding purpose on the edges to keep me steady. “You’re expanding the club?”

Developing the club cost money. Serious investment for at least two years to cover wages, fuel, maintenance, food, and more.

My eyes found Zethan, searching for his opinion, given he used to have his hand in club finances. As usual, he kept it close to his chest. Stirrings on the bond indicated a mild concern.

“We talked about it today.” Slade made it sound casual. No big deal. As natural as the sun and moon. Downplaying it for me.

I brushed the soothing hand on my hip. “Can you afford it?”

Slade placated my worry with a hand on my hip. “I’m thinking about the future. About you and Mia. Shifting risk from us to others.”

Meaning, he wanted to pay someone else to do the dangerous work like escorting Pharaoh. Less risk of him and my men being arrested, ambushed, having to sort conflict with fire, and keeping their asses alive. Clever.

Not the answer I wanted. Finances were tight after all the club’s losses. Fuck. Slade really was thinking about the future. A gamble. But my fiery devil was always a gambler. My heart grew fuller, skipping to a gratified beat that he factored us into his plans. Hopefully, shifting responsibility onto another chapter provided him with more time to spend with his family. Less stress, drinking, and smoking.

I fixed my fingers on his cut and dragged him closer. “If you’re home at five every evening, don’t need to leave to kill anyone in the middle of the night, come home alive, and cut down on smoking, I’ll be a very happy nurse.”

“You’re a hard woman to please, Nurse A,” Slade growled, flashing those dimples, spreading a soft heat in my chest. “How’s my gravel rash?”

I giggled and laid my head on his shoulder. “Your gravel rash scale is reduced to two.”

Slade rubbed at his backside. “Now pick out some of that gravel from my ass cheeks.”

I snorted and hit him, and his jackal growled, nipping my neck, enjoying the play between us.

A phone call interrupted us, and Slade fished out his phone. “Get your ass to the dinner table and feed your old man.” A typical demand from my rugged man. He smacked the side of my thigh and slipped away to take it. “Are you fucking serious?” His raised voice met us from the hallway. “This is bullshit!”

Damn. Perfect family moment shattered. More bad news for the club.

Zethan carried me into the dining room and set me on the chair.

Danny had to choose that time to appear to put me off-center. The bastard refused to let me have an enjoyable moment since I cut his life short. My breath hitched in a gasp. A soft weight caught my thigh and squeezed.

Alaric.

His natural scent sparked my senses back to life. Pine, loam, fresh linen, and spices. He raised a concerned eyebrow at me.

Danny sneered, enjoying tormenting me. “This’ll be your life, sis. The club will always come first. Bros before hoes.”

Fuck off,I shouted at him in my head.

His mouth opened and scarab beetles skittered out as he laughed, hard, lashing me like a sandstorm.

Slade’s boots thumped on the wood as he stormed back to the table. He steeled himself with a long, deep breath before sitting down.

Mia stuffed a bean in her mouth. “Turn that frown upside down, Slade.”

Alaric snorted his water. A smile played on Zethan’s broody lips. Castor’s usual smirk lit his features. I let my lips turn up.

Slade leaned his elbows on the table, clasped his curled hands, rubbing them together. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Mia popped a roasted potato in her mouth, her blue eyes expressive and innocent.

Kid logic. Simple. Live in the moment and don’t dwell on it. If only life were that easy. I wanted her to enjoy her childhood for as long as she could. Stay innocent and remain untouched by the darkness of this world. Thank God my mates worked as hard as me to shield her from it.

Slade’s chair creaked as he leaned back, throwing an arm over the top. “What would you say to a bully who makes you mad?”

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