Page 78 of Fanatic

“Yeah. He’s coming to mine to escape you lot.”

“Can’t lose him, Willow,” Chill said with a moment of vulnerability.

“We won’t. There’s too many of us around that will kick his ass otherwise. Razor is going to be fine,” I replied and believed it. One way or another, Razor would be okay.

“Inglorious was at the Sheriff’s office. Go find him while I pull a disappearing act. Get Inglorious to arrange a cookout and bring Fanatic.”

“Is anything secret, Chill?”

“Did you not hear Phoe take out a fuckin’ announcement about how she’s got a new grandson and Fanatic’s settled down? Gotta respect a guy that can put his feelings aside and make the woman he loves his best friend. Then to go one further and accept her man, and call him brother. Fanatic’s got special inside,” Chill said and dropped a kiss on my cheek and took off running.

“Chill! You shit!” a woman bellowed, and I turned.

“Hey, Willow, you look great. See you soon, I’m going to catch a Chill!” Inglorious’s woman stated.

“Wrap up warm honey!” I called.

“Don’t need to. Inglorious is smoking hot!” she added and cackled.

“Hey.”

I turned and saw the man of the moment. Inglorious looked better than what I expected. A little thin but healthy. Inglorious came off the wooden decking in front of the sheriff’s office and wrapped me up tightly. The last time I’d seen him had been Grey’s funeral, but I knew about his difficulties.

Inglorious wore a black wife-beater vest, with blue jeans and shitkickers. His hair was loose. But the war had left its mark. There were deep lines around his eyes from grief, and his eyes didn’t sparkle as brightly. Inglorious had a haunted look, that I reckoned, six months ago had looked a lot sharper than today.

We didn’t say anything as we held each other tightly. Out of all the other MCs, including Hellfire, Inglorious had been the president I’d been closest to. He never made me feel awkward and had demanded I be treated with respect. Being one of only afew kids amongst the allies made me highly visible, and I hadn’t always been welcome.

“I hear rumours of a surprise romance,” Inglorious finally muttered, releasing me. I held on for a few more moments, and Inglorious let me.

“Who saw that coming?” I teased, and Inglorious smiled that beautiful smile of his.

“I did. It was obvious how Fanatic felt. Maybe Hellfire and Rage didn’t recognise it, being too close to the situation. But to the rest of us, yeah, we knew Fanatic was crazy about you,” Inglorious replied.

“Damn.”

“How you doing, kid?” Inglorious asked.

“I’m better. Some days are harder than others. Danny does something and I turn to tell Grey, but it’s Fanatic. That’s when it kicks in.”

“That you’re betraying Grey because Fanatic’s sharing those moments instead of him.”

“You get it,” I agreed.

“Hell yeah. What do you think her brother would have done to me?” Inglorious asked as we heard a scream from Chill and a yell from the woman chasing him.

“Kicked your ass several times and then embraced you when you couldn’t move anymore,” I replied, and Inglorious laughed.

“Fucker might have castrated me as well, Willow, you never knew with him.”

“He earned his name, that was for sure. Did you see her coming?” I asked as we both lent back on a bar once used for tying horses.

“Fuck no. She swept in like a damn tempest. The prospects had no idea. Wasn’t amusing at the time, but now… yeah. I can see the humour. She ran from us because of what happened with my sister, so it took a lot for her to walk back in.”

“You’re in a different place than the MC she ran from, Inglorious.”

“Night and day, Willow, night and day.”

I leaned and watched the antics as Chill did his best to escape.

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