Page 52 of The Gentleness of Rage

“I’m being good,” Halona said as she took a seat next to Kite and Eagle. Apache’s twin sons looked upset but were holding it together better than Kai.

“I didn’t consider Silvie. Do you think she’ll be able to fly out?” I murmured to Nova.

“I don’t know, Casey. She’s pretty sick. Grandpa is worried, but Doc Paul put Gran on strong antibiotics,” Nova replied.

“It tickles me to hear Silvie called Gran,” Lindsey said, reaching out and snagging Elijah and Zak, her youngest two boys.

“Didn’t I tell you to sit your damn ass down!” Davy snapped, and I choked on a laugh.

“Holy crap, she sounds like you,” I muttered as Autumn arrived. Gunner had a child under each arm and was growling as he placed his kids in seats. They all laughed as he literally tied the seat belts around his twins, Noah and Asher. Aria and Alyssa walked on and took seats near Davy, eying all the children surrounding them.

“Remember who’s in charge,” Davy announced.

Noah howled as Aiden grabbed a chair and Autumn carried Kitty and Karter up. The babies didn’t look impressed, but they weren’t creating a fuss like Noah and Asher.

“You ain’t the boss of us,” Noah challenged Davy.

“Listen here, you little punk…” Davy began, and Lindsey held a finger up. I watched, knowing what was coming.

“The hotel owns an enormous conference room. You can all fight in there. In the meantime, you’ll shut the hell up and not cause this plane to crash. Because I ain’t saving your asses. There’re five parachutes, and they’re for me, Autumn, Casey, Sin, and Nova. You fuckers bring this aircraft down, I hope you can swim… with sharks,” Lindsey threatened.

“Shit, this is going to be fun. How long is this damn flight?” Sin asked, appearing through the door and sitting immediately.

Lindsey snickered as she saw Jett trying to herd their brood up into the plane. Amelia had hold of Brooke and Robin, Levi was on his father’s shoulders, Lexi waddled along, babbling away, and Jett carried Duke.

“Roll call.”

“Blue’s accounted for,” I said, checking my son was still strapped in. Blue was ignoring the chaos around him as he played on his tablet—thank God.

“I’ve got Kite, Eagle, Kai and Halona,” Nova stated.

“Aiden, Aria, Alyssa, Asher, Kitty and Karter… Kid missing!” Gunner announced. “Jesus Christ. How the hell did Noah escape? EJ, watch them while I find fricking Noah.”

Autumn waved a lazy hand. “Let’s have a big family, babe, kids are fuckin’ amazing. You know I’m a hands-on father.Bet you didn’t consider they’d turn out like you!”

Lindsey chuckled as Lowrider began counting their brood.

“EJ, Davy, Elijah, Zak—wait, Elijah’s gone too!”

“That way,” Lindsey declared, pointing, and Lowrider tore off after the six-year-old Hellion. “You might want to check he hasn’t pulled wires out of anything.”

The kids shut up squabbling and all turned to face Lindsey.

“Huh?” Davy said.

“You know what your brother’s like. You better pray he’s not undone something vital,” Lindsey replied breezily.

“Why would you say that?!” Davy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

“There’s my drama queen,” Lindsey cheered as Lowrider carried Elijah with some wiring in hand. Lowrider winked at Lindsey, and she guessed he’d given it to bribe the boy. Elijah had a thing for stripping wires.

Davy and Amelia looked horrified.

“You were told to watch your brothers. If we crash, it’s on your head, Davy,” Lindsey said, sitting back.

“Amelia, Brooke, Robin, Levi, Lexi, and Duke. Mine are all here,” Jett announced, looking relieved.

“You know there’re five mums, counting Nova as a stand-in Silvie and twenty-two damn kids?” I asked Autumn.

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