Page 8 of Broken

“Yeah, remember, Kim wouldn’t accept anything buta yes for an answer, and pretty much got you to agree to go.”

She pressed her lips together and smiled. Thememory was there, she just didn’t realize it was that close.

“I’ll try to make it, otherwise, will you let Kimknow that something came up?”

“She won’t like it,” Dirty said.

Petal tried not to tense up.

“It doesn’t matter if she likes it or not. I’m notbeing rude, but family comes first.”

“You might like to know that when Kim doesn’t getwhat she wants, she goes and finds out why. I’m sure your parents would bethrilled to meet the fierce and loyal Kim Cox.”

He knew about her family. He knew about herresponsibilities, and he also knew she didn’t want anyone else to find out whatshe did for her parents. It was embarrassing.

Looking at Rosalie, she offered a smile. “I’lltry.”

There was no trying about it. She would arrive atthe party if she liked it or not.

****

Petal’s parents were not bad people. Dirty knewthat. They were actually very nice people, just a little neglectful at times,and Petal’s mom had come to rely on her too often.

Dirty didn’t like how much time she devoted to herfamily. Even when they were sneaking around, she always had some event to dealwith for a brother or sister. If one of them was in trouble, they’d call Petal,not their parents. It was like she had become the mom.

He did some snooping into Petal’s life. Herparents had been together since they were teenagers. In fact, they werechildhood boyfriend and girlfriend. The classic friends-to-lovers tale for thetwo of them.

Her father worked hard at one of the localfactories. He’d made his way up to managing one of the sections, and it dealtwith food. Dirty didn’t delve too deeply into what he did, all he needed toknow was that the job was legit, which it was. The mother didn’t work, but shetook care of the kids, kind of. She had the help of the siblings, and he knewshe was part of everything. She was just a little sloppy in the cleaning, andrelied on Petal a lot, which he didn’t like.

Not that he’d taken the time to get to know herparents. Or truly met them, or could form a true opinion.

In fact, when her parents arrived at the hospital,he made sure they left without causing Petal more trouble. No one knew theyarrived, but he’d seen them and had only recognized them from the photos he gotabout who each of them were.

Sitting at the bar, he nursed his glass of scotchand waited.

He had a feeling Petal was not going to turn up.If she did, he’d be surprised. There was no doubt in his mind that Kim would gohunting for Petal. Kim was worried about her, as was he. Not that he could showanything, as people would start asking questions.

He didn’t care. This thing with him and Petal wasover. He got free and so had she, before they got a “prison sentence” togetherwith a kid.

“Fuck me, Kim knows how to throw a party or what?”Myth said, coming to sit beside him, taking a long drink from his beer bottle.

The other brother was usually on her protectiondetail, so he spent a lot of time having to be sober. With Kim at the club withall the brothers, as well as her husband, Myth was in the clear for a goodtime.

Dirty wondered if this was why Kim had thrown theparty in the first place. She was a tough woman—strong, fierce—but she lovedthem all deeply and in her own way. She never wanted any of them to go without.

Is that why she insisted on Petal coming to theclub? Did she know about their secret relationship? He highly doubted it. Kimdidn’t need to go sneaking around asking questions about him. He’d been carefulafter her last warning to him, and the fact Colt wanted him to get the jobdone. His part was done.

“There is so much good pussy here tonight,” Mythsaid.

Dirty hadn’t been paying attention to the clubpussy.

“Do you recommend any of the newbies?”

“Sorry, you’re going to have to test drive themfor me.”

“You don’t know which one is the best?” Mythasked.

“What can I say? I’ve been busy.”

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