Page 76 of Heresy

A showcase or production.

A spectacle, giving every Inferno member a front row view of what Tanner deems worthy of attention.

Mostly our fuck ups.

And it’s usually Damon or me in the hot seat.

Like now.

A shoulder nudges mine, and I glance over to see Damon’s amber eyes staring at me.

Normally, his expression is bright and cheery as long as it’s not him being wrung through the wringer by Tanner or Gabe. But since his dad died, there is something unstable about him. Even now when he offers a smile and shifts his weight over the couch cushion next to me.

Leaning my direction, he keeps his voice low.

“So what did you do now?”

I shake my head and glance around Tanner’s living room. The only other people who have arrived yet are Ezra, Taylor and Jase. I assume Tanner is still in his home office, and the rest of the guys are on their way after getting a text that said:Family Meeting. Shane’s a dillhole.

I mean, seriously?

How the fuck was I supposed to know Brinley would somehow get the governor involved and that he would send the goddamned Terminator over to pick her up?

I’d put money on the fact that of all the ways the guys thought I’d lose control of this situation, that particular turn out wasn’t one of them. Nobody could have seen that coming.

But will I still catch crap for it?

You bet your ass I will.

Regardless of the number of times Tanner lost control of Luca and Gabe lost control of Ivy.

Those times don’t matter.

But somehow, this time will.

This entire thing is bullshit, and I hate that I even took the assignment.

“Let me guess,” Damon continues on despite my ignoring his first question. “Brinley fucking wrecked the shop and took off with your car.”

I chuckle at the absurdity of that. If anyone touched my beauty, I’d be out there chasing them the fuck down and not in Tanner’s place, waiting to be scolded like some dumb kid.

“That would be too boring,” I answer. “Ivy already pulled that stunt on Gabe.”

Damon snorts at the memory. “Speaking of which.”

Lifting his chin to the doorway, he indicates the two new people finally arriving.

“Since when are Luca and Ivy part of the family gatherings?”

Damon shakes his head as a third female enters the room. “Emily too.”

To say he’s disgruntled about her constant presence is an understatement. Sure, he’s made peace with the fact that Emily ended up with Ezra in the end. And Damon is genuinely happy for Ezra. But it’s still a burr in his skin to see the happy couple.

Emily is family now and a constant reminder that the three-way relationship that once existed is now an exclusive partnership where Damon was rejected.

I nudge his shoulder with mine. “You good?”

After watching Emily go take a seat next to Ezra, Damon looks at me and nods his head once. Not that I believe it.

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