Page 19 of Forsaking All Others

“I thought New York was distancing themselves from the reaper,” I say, reaching for the humidor I keep on the shelf behind me. Bringing it to rest on top of the table, I flip the top open and pluck a cigar from the bunch. I cut the end and lift it to my mouth. Holding it there for a moment, I bring my eyes back to King. “You gonna tell me Parrish is making the trip down here to sell me Girl Scout Cookies?’

He shakes his head and leans his elbows on top of the table.

“Can’t bury the past, man, that shit will always resurrect itself.”

Don’t I know it.

“It seems to be a fucking trend these days,” I mutter.

The second those words leave my lips, Holly’s face flashes before my eyes. Ghost is right, I’m fucked.

“They got some old demons looking to even a score,” King continues, drawing my attention back to him. “Now, I don’t know if they’re looking for an ally or if they’re looking to fill their bare cupboards with ammo, but I wanted to give you a heads up before he showed his face.”

I nod and look to my brother, his presence finally clicking. I mentioned Shady did a stint in another charter after me and Holly got together, well he became familiar with Wolf there. Wolf’s sister was shacking up with the president and I think Shady even had a fling with Wolf’s niece, Kelly. Anyway, the guy has experience in dealing with Wolf—Parrish, I’m not so sure.

Still, I ask, “What do you think?”

“That all depends on whether Parrish is coming here on his own accord or on Wolf’s command,” he supplies, leaning back against his chair. “Parrish is a loose cannon. He shoots first and deals with the consequences later. Wolf is more levelheaded, the type to broker a peace deal before drawing any blood.”

“Yeah, well, Wolf is the one holding the gavel these days,” I remind him.

“Meat mallet,” King interjects, drawing my gaze back to him.

“What?”

“They don’t use a gavel,” he shares, shrugging his shoulders. “Wolf wields a meat mallet. I think it’s got sentimental meaning or some shit.”

My eyes fall to my own wooden gavel as I take another puff on my cigar. I can’t imagine trading it for a fucking meat tenderizer but to each his own I suppose.

A knock sounds on the door and I lift my gaze as Ghost appears in the doorway.

“Jack Parrish here to see you, Prez,” he announces, stepping aside for Jack to enter.

Balancing my cigar between my lips, I push out my chair and rise to greet the man. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him last, the dark hair that used to be sprinkled with gray hairs is now all silver and just as unruly from the wind as it was twenty years ago. That aside, time has been good to the man. Maybe that’s what happens when you step back from the chaos and take time to enjoy the simpler things in life.

His dark eyes hold mine for a beat before they drop to my extended hand. He gives it a shake before glancing over his shoulder at the man he brought with him.

“Maverick, Lincoln Brandt.”

“Call me Linc,” Linc says, offering me his hand. I release Parrish’s and take his.

“Nice to meet you,” I say, looking to Shady. “I hear you and my brother go back.”

Linc’s gaze swings to the other side of the table where Shady sits with his arms crossed against his chest.

“Been a long time,” Linc says evenly.

“Heard you and Kelly got married,” Shady replies. “How’s that going?”

“It’s going just as it should,” Linc says, dropping my hand. “We have three kids and a dog with a pink tail.”

Shady flashes a faint smirk and knocks his knuckles against the grain of the wood.

“Glad to hear it, brother.”

I raise an eyebrow at the sincerity in my brother’s voice. Who knew the chump had it in him to be happy for someone else? King makes small talk with Parrish, then we all take our seats around the table.

“Can I offer you a cigar?” I ask.

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