Page 84 of Pride
From the look of her sweat stained clothes, she’d already been working out. Bruises colored her pale skin, and her eyes were still puffy, but she’d returned to her normal routine, resilient to the core.
Except those smile wrinkles looked flat.
The long table was filled with the same women he’d met at the cathedral. Four of them, not including Prudence. The Reverend Mother and their weapon’s master Leila were nowhere in sight. She might still be on the mission with one of the Deadly Seven. He should really check his messages, but he’d wanted last night to be about Alice. If the rest of the Sinners had returned, some possibly before Parker last night, and some after, then most of Parker’s siblings would also be home.
Alice took him to the table and sat him down next to the peaches and cream blond, Tawny.
“I’ll get us some food from the kitchen. Be nice,” Alice said.
“I’ll try,” he replied.
She grinned. “I was talking to the girls.”
Shrewd female eyes landed on Parker. He stared back. For the first time, he realized that none of them held any pride. That sickly feeling normally in his gut simply wasn’t there.
The psychic Sinner eyed him warily from across the table. Parker thought she would feel more at home in his club, Hell, rather than in a convent. Gothic makeup, piercings and rainbow streaks in her hair.
Raven sucked her teeth at him and plucked a cigarette from her pocket, tapped it on the table and then stuck it on her bottom lip. She stared at Parker, challenging him with her eyes.
The red-headed femme fatale gave him a saucy look. “What’s up, Magic Mike?”
“Mercy,” he greeted. He wouldn’t dignify her comment with an eye roll. She clearly referred to their louder than planned sexual activities the previous night. “I hate to burst your daydream but there was no dancing involved.”
“What about the horizontal mambo?” Thea added with a smirk before shoving a spoon of oatmeal into her mouth.
Mercy made a kissing face. “What about, ‘ooh, ooh,ooohParker. That’s the spot. That’s the spot’.”
Tawny slapped Mercy on the chest and then gave a little nod toward Prudence. Mercy had the decency to look ashamed. Thea did, too. Suddenly the sound of spoons tinkling against china bowls was the loudest sound in the room.
Parker cleared his throat and faced Prudence. “How are you feeling, Sister Prudence?”
Empty eyes flicked to him, then away. She took a moment and lifted her chin before meeting his gaze again.
“As good as I can be,” she replied.
Alice returned from the kitchen and placed a bowl before him. Oatmeal. He tried not to grimace and wondered where she had learned to cook because it wasn’t from this place. She said, “If you don’t like it, I’ll make you something else when we get home.”
All spoons dropped and gazes zipped Alice’s way, even Prudence’s.
“You’llmakehim something?” Thea blinked.
“I like cooking. So sue me.”
But while they stared at her, agape, Parker’s heart lifted out of his chest. She’d saidhome. Their home. It was one thing for her to not comment when he’d said it, but to accept it herself. He was feeling ridiculously happy about it and covered by coughing and thumping his chest. The smile he gave her was small, but appreciative. “I look forward to it.”
Without looking at her sisters, Alice said, “Shut it. You all knew this was coming, especially you, Raven.”
Next to Alice, Tawny’s eyes glistened. “But now? For good?”
Alice touched her. “I’ll only be a few hours away if you ever need me. And that record collection I lent you, I want you to keep it.”
Tawny’s eyes widened. “But they’re your favorite. They’re vintage.”
“And now they’re yours. I’ve already delivered them to your cell.”
The mood turned solemn, and Parker shifted in his seat. He felt it was worth saying more to them.
“Further to what Alice said about needing her, I’d like to formally extend that offer from my family, too.” Whether he liked these women, or this organization, he knew that Alice did. If they needed her, Alice would go in a heartbeat. Parker would be a few steps behind. Or perhaps in front, if he had his way. He shoveled a spoon of oatmeal into his mouth and immediately regretted it. The sooner they got out of there, the better. The jet was already on standby.
