Page 28 of In It for the Long Ride

“What the fuck? Easy, I’m gonna fuck you up!” Crystal outraged, causing my eyes to go wide.

“Oh my God,” I was shamed beyond belief, and trying to slide off Carl like Crystal could fucking see me.

Both Carl and my nephew were in stitches, with Carl even reading my horrified expression for what it was.

“Calm down, love. She can’t see you.”

“See what? What the hell are ya’ll doin’ over there?” Oak drawled, doubling my mortification.

“Nothing. Nothing. Jesus,” I cursed.

Carl clung to me, buried his face in the crook of my neck and laughed.

“Listen, do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to hold you? I ain’t letting go anytime soon, woman,” Carl warned.

“Does she know?” I asked, causing Eric to instantly fumble the phone.

He scrambled so fast to shut the speaker phone off that he accidentally hung up the call.

“We’re going to tell her in person and decide the best route,” Carl hurriedly whispered. “We’re leaving tonight.”

“Why can’t you just tell her?” I bugged my eyes as the phone rang.

Eric delayed answering it.

“Because if they open an investigation, they may put some of us behind bars for suspicion, investigation, that kind of thing. If they do that there are fewer of us out here. The mob will pick us off one by one. Law enforcement knows Trista is with them, have they retrieved her? Has their involvement aided her in any way?”

I took a deep breath and shook my head, not liking it one bit.

“Eric,” I knew arguing with Carl would be useless, he had trauma where captives and the government were concerned, and no one would fault him for that, but damned if my nephew would sink with this mob fiasco. “If you know and you don’t report, surely that is some kind of… criminal trouble for you… I don’t want you getting wrapped up in organized crime charges and all of that.”

Eric’s jaw partially dropped and he tried to abruptly recover himself, and avert his gaze before that smirk of his took hold, but I saw it forming.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He swiped the phone, answering it and walked toward the door, calling over his shoulder, “I've been a Disciple since birth, it wasn’t something I chose. So, it’s a little bit late to sit around now, pondering labels likeorganized crime, don’t ya think?”

He didn’t wait for my answer, I watched through the window as he took the phone to Blaze and stood nearby while the boy talked to his mother.

Chapter 12

Montana

She didn’t looka day over thirty, stretched back, her neck elongated to peek out the window from where I held her on my lap. She was so busy worrying. Constantly. She’d drive herself mad trying to keep everyone safe.

I slapped her ass hard enough to sting my palm and gripped what I caught. She shot upright and shoved at my shoulder like she intended to flee, but I raised a brow and held tight.

“What the hell's wrong with you?” She reached back and rubbed her ass.

I let her calm and then answered, “Trust me.”

“Trust you?” She squinted.

“Yes.” I bobbed my head and squeezed the area I’d swatted, “Trust me.”

I drew her tighter against me and hugged her, “You crawled into my lap, Daisy. I mean it. I’m not letting you get away. You’re mine. I’ll handle this mess, but I need you to still be you when this is done, and if you can’t relax… I’m afraid that's not gonna happen.”

“Pray tell, who the fuck would I be?” she playfully quipped.

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