Page 104 of Back in the Saddle

Mary squinted again. “Who’s payin’ for this hotel?”

“We have an anonymous benefactor for emergencies,” Scott semi-lied in so far as they weren’t exactly anonymous, since they were all standing right there.

Mary tapped his card on her lips in thought.

Louise stared at her daughter. “Why are you carrying a gun?”

Shit.

Raye, Harlow and me quickly shoved our Tasers in our back waistbands.

“It’s not a gun, it’s a Taser,” Luna replied.

“Why are you carrying a Taser?” Louise asked. Then went on, “Where did you even get one of those?”

Shit!

Needless to say, Scott nor Louise knew anything about the Angels. Even if they did, they were card-carrying progressive liberals (that tie-dye did double duty for Louise), and as such, they frowned on things like straws not made out of avocado pits, not taking your own bags to the grocery story, the man-spread…and Tasers.

Eric stepped forward, pulled mine out of my waistband and shoved it in his by his hip.

Oh, and he also looked mega hot doing it.

“They’re ours, Louise.” Now, he was totally lying. “The ladies just wanted to see them.”

Raye was handing hers to Cap with anI better get that backlook on her face. Harlow gave hers to Gabe. Luna handed hers to Knox.

It was then I noticed Knox was the only one who’d broken ranks and was standing super close to Luna.

Interesting.

He’d also been at her pad that morning.

Interesting part two.

“You don’t need to come in armed with the unhoused,” Louise chided Eric.

“We always come prepared,” Mace said in a steely voice.

“Well, whatever,” Louise mumbled, bobbling her head, rolling her eyes and still mumbling, “I mean,really.”

“They aren’t dumb,” Mary decreed, then whipped out a wicked chef’s knife so fast, we all jumped back a step.

Except the Hottie Squad. They all took a step forward with Liam grabbing my waist and shoving me behind him.

“Even I’m packin’,” Mary continued. “Can’t be too careful.”

“Oh my goodness, please put that away,” Louise begged.

As Mary resheathed her knife, I looked around, because somewhere through this, I’d lost track of Eric.

I saw him with Cap not too far away, their heads bent in conversation with the General.

I had a few things to ask the General myself.

“Excuse me,” I murmured, but got not a step in before Brady had his hand at my chest, stopping me.

The instant I stopped, he took his hand from my chest.

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