Page 14 of His Claim

“How many did he bring with him?” Apollo asked.

Gravel shrugged and walked to the front window that looked out on the driveway. “Looks like five bikes and three ol’ ladies.”

“Jesus,” Apollo muttered. “We’re looking for a psycho, and they brought their ol’ ladies with them?”

Ethel smacked the back of Apollo’s head with the dish towel. “Mind your manners, boy. You’re in my home, not that fancy mansion you boys live in.”

Apollo rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, ma’am,” he muttered.

I added Ethel to the list of people who could make Apollo cower.

Tatum moved to sit up, and I shifted to the edge of the couch. So much for relaxing anymore.

“Is Meg here?” Creed asked. “Everything she makes is great, but a few years ago, she sent some food to the mansion for something or another,” he smirked, “and one of the things was this banana pudding cake. I don’t know what the hell it was, but I still have dreams about it.”

“Yeah, she’s on the back of King’s bike.” Gravel looked to the left. “Ope, and it looks like Bear and Greta are here, too, in that fancy Bronco of his.”

“Jesus,” Creed muttered. “Did King bring the whole calvary with him?”

Apollo moved to the window. “We might need them. And Greer is going to be pissed at me once she finds out Meg is here. I told her to sit tight at Wyndemere because there wouldn’t be anything for her to do here.”

“When Meg, Greta, Cyn, and Lennox show up, you know there will be chaos,” Gravel rumbled.

“I think you can just say Meg’s name and know that chaos is coming,” I laughed. Of course, I had spent time with Cyn and Greta, but Lennox was somewhat new to the group. She had hooked up with Snapper when he was locked up, and they seemed to be going strong now that he was out.

Tatum slowly stood and winced. “Sleeping on the couch probably wasn’t the best idea when you’re battered and bruised,” she moaned.

“Let me get you some medicine, honey. I have a concoction that should help knock out those aches and pains.” Ethel smiled wide. “God knows after all of these years, I had to help the doctor and whatnot.”

“Concoction?” Creed asked. “Is that code for weed?”

“Don’t be getting into my stash,” Gravel warned. “I need that for when I can’t sleep.”

Ethel waved her hand at Gravel. “Oh, hush. I’m not going into your drawer. I just meant two Tylenol, an ibuprofen, and a shot of whiskey helps heal aches.”

Gravel hmphed. “I would beg to differ, but you do you, woman.”

“Did someone say whiskey?” Meg stood in the open doorway wearing a black leather coat, dark jeans, and black boots. Her signature purple hair was piled on top of her head, and she had a tote bag slung over her shoulder.

“Shots?” Cyn called from behind her.

“It’s barely noon,” Rigid grumbled from somewhere behind them.

“Just get in the damn cabin,” King shouted. “My whole life is just herding your dumbasses everywhere.”

“Who are you calling a dumbass?” Meg scoffed. She walked into the cabin and headed straight to the kitchen.

Cyn headed over to Gravel and kissed him on the top of his head while Rigid moved to the side of the door and folded his arms over his chest.

King filed in with a pixie-looking woman behind him, and then Snapper, Easy, and Frost stepped in.

The cabin was full.

Tatum looked at me. “Whoa,” she whispered.

“This isn’t even half of them, baby girl,” I chuckled. While we, of course, knew the Devil’s Knights, it wasn’t like we gathered with them often.

Fayth, Leo’s sister, had married Slider, a member of the Devil’s Knights, years ago, forging the bond between the Banachis and Devil’s Knights. Over the years, we had helped them, and they had helped us.

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