Page 127 of Irons

“Do you think it has to do with her and his mom? He doesn’t talk much about them, but he was pretty damn pissed off when he learned she had their mom living with her.” I said.

“No, he’s over that shit. It’s something else. That fucker is so damn tight lipped we’ll probably never know. Dammit, it’s all that broodiness ever since shit has gone down with you and Carlson, but it doesn’t add up.”

“Maybe it’s having Kayla around. He still sees her as his little baby sister, and she’s all grown up.” I waved it off, but saw Magnus wince.

“What the fuck was that shit?” I pointed at him with the hand that held my bourbon.

“What shit?”

“Whenever I mention Axton’s sister you get uncomfortable. Please tell me you don’t have a thing for her? Axton will lose his shit.” Axton was insanely protective of Kayla.

“No, it’s nothing and don’t worry about it.” He blew me off just as I looked up and almost dropped my glass.

Long blond hair, big doe eyes, bee stung lips turned up into a smile, one hell of a kick ass body in a cropped cream wrapped sweater that hugged her breasts perfectly, a worn pair of jeans, and cowgirl boots. She smiled at me as she took steps closer, and I gulped. I was instantly hard and all I could imagine was wrapping my fingers into that long soft hair while our heated bodies dripped sweat as I made love to her.

“Holy mother of hotness.” Magnus whispered to himself.

The love of my life was not like other operatives. There wasn’t an ounce of tomboy in her and she was gorgeously feminine.

“You boys ready to meet the girls?” She had the brightest smile on her face despite everything she had to process about her dad.

I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into me. Her body met mine with a thud. “You’re so damn pretty you’re going to have other men standing on their heads to get your attention.” There was a sudden desire to put a ring on her finger and lock her down.

“Oh yeah? Well, I tend to think the two of you are going to have the ladies swarming.”

I was dying to grind myself against her warm heat, but that would have to wait for later. I threw a twenty on the table and guided Wrenly out to the Tahoe.

When we arrived at the bar, I saw a few familiar but much older familiar faces. The girl squealed as they jumped up and pulled Wrenly into hugs. Then they turned on me and I fought the urge to run.

“You’re all grown up!”

“As handsome as always.”

“Welcome home.”

Their excitement wasn’t just over the top, but over whelming.

“Girls, you obviously remember Travis, but this is Josh Magnus. Josh, these are Jill, Tia, Amberley, Brianna and Sloan.” She pointed at the pool table. “Jill, Amberley, and Sloan’s husbands are over there.”

“Irons!” A deep voice called my name from that direction, and I saw a few old buddies, Steve and Derrick. “Holy shit, he returns!” Derrick set his pool stick down and a few guys walked our way. Two bro hugs later, and I was being introduced to Greg and Hank, the other girls husbands who didn’t look familiar. I introduced Magnus and we all took a seat at a long table just feet from the dance floor. Steve ordered us a few pitchers of beer and we all enjoyed a few laughs.

Vultures

Wrenly

“I see the vultures are out in full force.” Tia nodded her head toward the bar where Magnus was ordering a few more pitchers of beer. Just as suspected, Magnus had a slew of women trying to talk to him. One in particular caught my eye, Stacy. It wasn’t enough that she already tried something with Travis the other morning at a dinner, suddenly she was standing next to Magnus with her boobs practically in his face. I was sitting on Travis’s lap after he pulled me over when three guys approached me and Tia on our way back from the bathroom.

“Wait…what?” I tilted my head in confusion as I witnessed Magnus shake his head and I think I read his lips and what I could make out was “Thanks, but have a good evening.”

“Umm… Travis. I think Magnus just shot all those girls down.”

“Yeah, I saw that and its strange. He must not be in the mood tonight.”

I shook my head. “No, something is bothering him. Didn’t you notice today that he seemed to get lost in his own thoughts here and there?”

He nodded in acknowledgement. “I asked him about it earlier and he said it was nothing.”

I hadn’t known Magnus all that long, but I knew him long enough to know he was acting out of his typical behavior. There was no flirty smile or charming little moves like pushing a woman’s hair behind her ear. Nope, what I was seeing was the Magnus I knew from hanging out at Creed’s place with him. The one where he was hanging out with his friends and his friend’s wives and girlfriends. He looked right past those women like he didn’t even acknowledge their existence. It was very strange, but I let it go when he returned to the table with a few pitchers and set them down.

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