Page 18 of Making Choices

“You wrangle your brother and I’ll corral your father. We’ll make it a real Hudson family lockdown feast.”

“Deal.”

Once Mumma is out of sight, Venom starts toward the exit. I follow him. We walk together in silence until we’re out of ear range of everyone else. He turns to me, curiosity etched in his expression. “The Trinity, brother. Sounds full-on. I heard the last bit, but what else did Crystal tell you about them?”

My eyebrows draw together as I scan his face. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Just thinkin’…” he trails off with a shrug. “It’d be good to have them on our side with this whole Brutus thing. With Gabriel’s connections and your mumma’s… it could—”

“Don’t even go there. Mumma hasn’t had a thing to do with her family in almost forty years. There’s no way I’d ask her to blow her life up to help us deal with fuckin’ Brutus.”

“Okay. Okay. I knew it was a long shot. Just wanted to put it out there.”

“Look.” I clamp a hand down on his shoulder to stop him when he tries to stalk away from me. “I get you’re worried as hell. I am, too. But the Trinity ain’t interested in petty biker club disputes so I couldn’t ask Mumma for help even if I wanted to.”

“Lily’s my life.” Venom’s throat works as he swallows deep. “Something else happens to her… I’m done. And I’ll take out every motherfucker I can on my way out.”

“Hearin’ ya.” I narrow my eyes and really take in his dishevelment. Venom’s a mess. Tired, red-rimmed eyes, extra stubble on his chin, and rumpled clothes. “Feel like there’s somethin’ you’re not tellin’ me.”

My best friend jams one hand in his hair while he bounces his right leg. He puffs up his cheeks, then empties his lungs in one long blow. I can tell that he’s dying for a smoke, but he won’t risk being caught with one while Cherub’s pissed off at him. “Hunt’s got a theory and I think he’s right.”

“Fuck’s sake. Told you to keep him outta this.”

“He’s in, Slash. With or without my interference. He’s been in longer than any of us. Little fucker’s been trackin’ Brutus for months and he’s noticed a deeper connection to the Maddison Clan and Joseph Kingsley than we first thought. Says they’ve been meetin’ up… says he has proof beyond the shit that went down yesterday that Joseph and the Maddisons are in bed with the Bishops too.”

I scratch my chin as I shake my head at him. “Bullshit.”

“He’s got photos.” When I scowl, he shrugs. “He’s got data from Brutus’ phone to back all this up too.” Venom steps closer and gets right in my face. “Hunt’s not a kid no more. He’s the same age we were when we patched in. That means he’s as much a Shamrock as we are. You really wanna be the one who clips his wings? Imagine how you’d feel if Angelis had done that to you.”

“Christian’s—” My little brother’s real name dies on my tongue. I sigh. “Hunter’s different, you know that. I’ve gotta look out for him.”

Venom knocks my shoulder with his. “He’s a fuckin’ genius. A hardarse when it’s called for. The kid’s almost as skilled as you are with a blade. You’ve gotta let him grow up—he’s not Topher.”

“Low fuckin’ blow.”

“Tell me you don’t look at him and see your dead brother layin’ on the road and I’ll apologise so fast your head fuckin’ spins.”

Since I can’t honestly tell Venom that my reticence to allow Hunter free rein doesn’t stem from my older brother’s death when he was eight, I settle for swiping the mug from his hand and taking a sip. The double-strength espresso is bitter on my tongue—almost as bitter as the home truth my best friend just fed me.

I hand the cup back to him and smirk. “Good luck with Cherub. Hopefully your balls remain attached when you’re finished with her.”

“Cheeky fucker,” he retorts with a grin. “If all goes to plan, they’ll not only remain attached, but they’ll also be empty. Nothin’ gets my sweet thing hotter than a no-holds-bar fight with me.”

“Yeah,” I tell him from between clenched teeth. “I’m sure she’d love to hear how you talk about her when she’s not around.”

“Get fucked,” Venom grumbles. “You’re the only person I say shit like that too… plus you wouldn’t get between me and Lily like that.”

With deliberate intent, I keep him hanging while I drag one of the chairs from the fire pit over to the workshop door. Once I’m settled in it with my legs kicked up on an empty keg, I meet his enraged gaze with a placid expression that belies the mess of confusion muddling my head.

Venom’s right.

I think.

The fine line I walk between being best friends with them both sometimes feels more like a tightrope with a fifty-foot drop beneath it.

I wouldn’t get between them.

Would I?

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