Page 118 of Unexpected Redemption

No one else seems bold enough to speak, which is fine because it’s not me who needs to hear their excuses or apologies.

“Lettie, I need to say something,” Leo’s husky voice sails across the table.

“Is it somethingIneed to hear, or does Tomer?” I’m not trying to incite trouble. Just unwilling to back down. I made my point, and it stands.

Leo’s response is calm and direct. “Both. I’ll start with you, though.”

I lower my fork and fold my hands in my lap. “Go ahead.” To alleviate the mood, I offer a congenial smile.

“Tomer is our family. We love him and would lay down our lives for him. Plain and simple.”

Straightforward. Honest.

My throat gets tight, lips wobbling as his earnestness socks me in the chest.

He continues. “We tease him because we tease everybody we love. That’s how we were as soldiers. It’s how we’ve always been. That’s part of how we cope with all the horrible shit we face. Hell, not even Big Al is exempt from relentless ball-busting. I personally hid his Redleg tablet from him when I found it at my mother’s house. Joking around and talking shit is part of the fabric of our brotherhood.”

“Hey now,” Kri warns.

His dark eyes warm. “Sorry. The fabric of ourfamily. And the shit with Tomer is no different. We tease him because we love him. If you don’t believe me, I’ll give you some examples.” He glances down the table toward my left. “We tease Shep about getting beat on the mat by Kri.”

I levy a glance at Shep. He nods and shrugs with a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

Leo piles on, “We give Kri shit about being a hot head.”

Val snort-laughs.

“We bust Klein’s balls about his old man music. And Sawyer about his dumb voices and being whipped by my sister. Plus, his coffee obsession, and he’s bougie as fuck.” Leo screws his face comically. “We’ve got a lot of ball-busting fodder for him.”

Sawyer takes it well and tosses it back. “And we tease Lionheart for being a giant fucker so far up Boss’s ass he can count his cavities.”

Leo snarls at him, entirely playful, then squares himself with me. “You see? We all get the shit. It’s part of what makes us a family. Perhaps dysfunctional, but a family nonetheless.”

“But Tomer doesn’t see—” I start, ready to say he doesn’t see it that way, which matters.

It’s not playful ribbing if the person being teased doesn’t know it’s harmless.

Leo raises his finger, which is roughly the size of my forearm, cutting me off and making me speechless in one go. Impressive. “Recently, Mia brought to my attention how he might not see it as good-natured teasing. Frankly, I’ll be the first to admit we were dumbasses not to realize it was bothering him on our own. And I’ll be rectifying that with Tomer.”

“Me too,” Sawyer offers. “I already ordered a new sign for him.”

I flash the angriest of angry eyes at him.

“It’s aniceone. Honest.” He draws an imaginaryXover his heart. “I swear.”

“It better be.” I raise my first two fingers in front of my eyes. “Or you’ll be on my shit list.” I flick my wrist, sending them out toward him.

The sound of quiet laughter surrounds me as the mood lightens.

“Oh damn. She’s exactly like her father. Shit list and all,” Shep jokes. “We’re so screwed.”

Val puts her hands in prayer position, resting her chin on her fingertips. “Definitely going to be like Lettie. My new hero.”

Flashing an honest smile at the big guy across the table, I offer, “Thanks, Leo. I appreciate it. He needs to know. As long as you tell him what you told me, there’s no hard feelings.”

He offers his hand for a shake, which I accept. His hand dwarfs mine, making me feel like a kid again.

As amiable conversation resumes, Sue leans across the table toward me. “Can I just say how much I love you for Tomer?”

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