Page 82 of The Fates We Tame
Briar wraps her arms around his waist. “And there’s the man I fell in love with.”
“King?” Rae says.
“If you’re gonna yell at me in Shakespeare, Duchess, just get it over with,” King says.
Rae steps right into our president’s space. “Shakespeare would turn in his grave if I wasted any of his words on you today.”
Gwen steps forward. “I propose a vote. If our men won’t take care of Theo and Sophia?—”
“Babe, I voted for,” Clutch offers.
She glances his way. “Yes, but what kind of vice president can’t convince his men to follow in his direction?”
“Ouch,” Niro offers. “For the record, I helped the two of them escape.”
King glares at Niro. “Do we have to tell them fucking everything? This is a fucking MC. Women don’t get a say or a vote.”
Cat coughs. “No?”
King rolls his eyes. “Don’t be pedantic. We votedforin the end.”
“In the endis doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. I’ll talk toyoulater,” Gwen says, glaring at her brother. “Anyway. If our men won’t take care of Theo and Sophia, we’ll show them that we will. All in favor.”
The hand of every single old lady goes into the air.
“Motion carried,” Rae says.
King shakes his head. “Doesn’t work like that, Duchess.”
“Thanks to Niro, we can shoot as well as you,” Vi says. “We’ve learned surveillance. There are enough of us to form a rotation.”
Niro rubs his hands together and whoops. “Fuck me. I formed a rebellion.” He crosses the floor to stand with the women. “There are more pussies on that side of the room than there are on this.”
Rae glances to him. “Too far.”
“Really?”
Briar nods. “We don’t use that word in that context. Linking a word used to show weakness to vaginas is sexist.”
Sophia laughs, then puts her hands to her lips, her body shaking. “Sorry. Can’t help it. My brain doesn’t filter things the same way.”
“It’s okay. We got you, sweetheart,” Niro says as he winks at her.
I pull her close to me and feel the shudder of her breath. She really does need a minute.
Perhaps we both do.
“Anyway,” Niro continues. “I’m still on the right side of history where we protect our brother, no matter what the cost,” Niro says as he looks to Spark. “You married into the fucking Irish mob. You should be on our side automatically.”
It’s such a juvenile thing to say, but he says it with such passion, I feel every word.
“And what side is that?” Spark asks. “The dead-man-walking club?”
Niro shakes his head. “The ‘men who made women they should have left alone their old ladies’ club. Clutch fucked his best friend and president’s sister. You married into the Irish mob. King kidnapped Rae.Kidnapped.And I know what you all thought of me wanting to keep Catalina.”
“You didn’t keep me. I stayed,” Catalina says with a soft smile.
He turns to face her, the anger leaving immediately, and he kisses her sweetly. “Can we agree it was both?”
