Page 58 of Walking Red Flag

“What the fuck do you mean by wife?” Dima asked, starting to push Milena behind him.

I walked up to Milena, pushing her brother out of the way as she said, “It’s a joke, Dee-dee. Learn to take it.”

“I don’t like when people joke about taking my sister away from me,” Dima, a.k.a. ‘Dee-Dee,’ grumbled.

I offered him my hand and said, “I’ll make sure she comes to visit often.”

The laugh sounded again, and both Dima and I shared a look. His said “the only reason I’m allowing this is because you’re making her laugh and she needs to laugh right now.” Mine said, “I don’t care what you think, I’d do anything to make her laugh. I’ve claimed that laugh as my own.”

Both of us acknowledged the other’s thoughts, and we turned to survey the woman behind our motivation.

“I see you found the secret clubhouse,” I mused, studying her.

She looked better.

Well rested.

“Shasha can find anything that he wants,” she admitted. “Plus, he has a really good computer guy that is a genius at finding things that are hidden.”

“He does,” Apollo called from somewhere behind us. “His name is Lev. He’s got an IQ score that rivals mine. He’s been at it less time than me, which is why I’m still better. But I imagine if we give it a few more years, he’ll surpass even me. He has the driving force of anger behind him and has something to prove.”

Both Dima and Milena turned to study Apollo.

Apollo was an attractive man, even me, secure in my heterosexuality, could admit that he was something to look at.

Which had me feeling a jealousy that I shouldn’t be.

I moved so that my body was blocking her view anyway.

Her eyes traveled up the length of my chest before stopping on my lips for a long moment, which had my dick jerking in my pants, before continuing up to my eyes.

“Can I have a beer?”

She could have my whole goddamn soul if she wanted it.

“Absolutely,” I said. “But it’s hot…”

She smiled. “I don’t mind hot beer.”

I caught her hand and led her deeper into the clubhouse, introducing her to my club brothers as I moved.

I stopped at Chevy, however, and said, “This is my brother, Chevy.”

Milena studied my brother, who was fast asleep on the couch.

“He looks just like you and Copper,” she said. “Why is he sleeping? How is he sleeping?”

“Chevy works at the hospital,” I said. “On the overnight shift. It pays a whack, he only has to work four days a week, and it exhausts him, so he doesn’t have to think about his issues.”

A brown eye became visible as my brother’s eyes opened a slit. “Why are you standing over me?”

“Because you’re sleeping in the middle of a party,” Milena’s sweet voice replied.

God, she was beautiful.

His eyes opened farther. “What time is it?”

“Almost seven o’clock,” she answered without missing a beat.

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