Page 13 of Ethan's Sky

My eyes snap to Gabe’s.

“What do you mean, no?”

“Just what I said. No.” He cocks his damn eyebrow again, challenging me to argue.

“You’re Ghost’s niece. George was a friend of the club, and like it or not, it makes you club family too.” I don’t’ say anything. What can I say? If I deny his claim, I’ll hurt my uncle and if I accept it, I’m agreeing to his terms.

Bastard.

“We’ll have the funeral. You’ll be there, front and center with Ghost and the rest of us at your back. Ethan will probably throw a tantrum, but I’ll deal with him. He’s my problem, not yours. Got me? He’ll follow orders.”

“He’ll grumble like a little bitch.” Caleb chuckles. “But we’ll keep him in line.”

“You’ll have a room here at the clubhouse,” Gabe declares.

“No.”

“Excuse me.” Gabe glares at me, leaning closer on his forearms. “What did you say to me?”

“I’m not staying at the clubhouse. This is the brothers’ sanctuary. Ethan may have to put up with me moving back to town, but I’m not going to invade his safe place. I’ll stay at Daddy’s safe house. It needs some work done to it anyway. It’ll keep me busy until I figure out what I want to do with myself.”

“Where’s the safe house you’re talking about?” Mack asks.

“Down on Mulberry Road, not far from here,” Ghost answers for me.

Gabe looks to Eli who nods. He approves of my decision.

“You have a job at O’Malley’s if you want it.” Gabe changes the subject, but I know he’s not pleased I’m not following orders.

“I don’t know if I want to work right away. Eli and the guys have been good to me. I have money put away.”

“Your father had an insurance policy…” my uncle starts, but I wave him off.

“I don’t care about any of that. Not now.”

He concedes with a nod. “Okay, Butter Bean.” He kisses my temple. I hold back the tears at the mention of my nickname.

Hold your shit together, Sky.

“Why don’t you head out with the boys. Let us finish up in here,” Eli suggests. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I jump at the chance to get the hell out of this office.

I head straight to the table where Cash and Xander had been sitting earlier, not making eye contact with anyone.

I lay my head down on the table and pray for this to all be over soon.

I want to go home.

A soft hand rubs my shoulder. I look up to find Lisa, Mack’s wife, and her daughters, Jayde and Sadie standing there. Lisa gives me a side hug.

“It’s so good to see you, sweetheart. I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Thank you. You, too.” Lisa sits next to me. Sadie sets drinks down on the table while Jayde scans the room looking irritated with something.

I’m surprised to see Sadie. She’s Gabe’s niece. Mack and Lisa took over caring for her when her mother went crazy when she was only a baby. I’ve known both these girls since they were in diapers. I helped watch them a few times with Liz.

I’d been holding up just fine. Accepting hugs from people who haven’t seen me in a while. They reluctantly approach me at the table where I sit under the watchful eyes of Eli’s men. They greeted everyone, but Eli’s guys are all very protective of me. They don’t know the whole story about my past. They only know I was brought to them to be watched over and cared for, away from Oak Ridge and its inhabitants.

Even Eli only knows the basics. Gabe wanted as few people as possible to know all the details. Even he doesn’t have the whole truth. I’ll take it to my grave, Em.

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