Page 81 of Ruin

Further down the table, Talon stood. “Let’s hit the road.” He turned to me. “Thanks for lunch. No doubt we’ll see you again.”

I could feel Josh looking at me. I squeezed his hand. “You will,” I told Talon.

The Hawks men started filing out as I stood with Josh. His father was the last to leave. “Call your mother,” he ordered Josh.

“I will.”

Stoke glanced from his son to me. “Take care of him.”

I tipped my head down. “You have my word.”

“It’s not forever,” Josh said. “I still gotta come home and get my shit….” He looked to me, eyes wide a little. “That’s if—”

I gripped his upper arm and told him, “You are moving in.”

He smirked. “That an order?”

I grinned. “Yes.”

“I’ll need to find a job.”

I nodded. “I’m sure you will.”

“You’ve always got work within the Hawks,” Stoke said. “You know that.”

“Yeah, I know, Dad.”

Stoke’s jaw clenched. He reached out, and I let go of my hold on Josh for Stoke to tug him forward. They rested their foreheads together. “Love you, kid.”

“Back at you, Dad.”

With a slap to the upper arm, Stoke shifted away.

“Please thank Talon again for his assistance. I will forever be in debt to the Hawks MC.”

“It’s all good, Wolf. Just do good by him.” He thumbed towards Josh.

“I will.”

“He’ll try to at least, but he gets on my nerves sometimes,” Josh commented.

I glared at him. “You mean you get onmynerves.”

Stoke grinned and told Josh again, “Call your mum. I’m gonna have to bring the tribe here, you know that?”

“Shit,” Josh groaned.

I elbowed him. “They’re more than welcome.”

“Babe,” Josh said quickly, covering my mouth with a hand. “You have no idea what you’re sayin’. Mum will dote, Nary will question, and Rayne will think now I’m into a guy, that we can do nails and make-up.”

Unable to resist, I pulled his hand away and started laughing. Wiping my eyes, I said, “Again, you are all more than welcome.”

Along with Stoke’s smile, he sent me a chin lift, and with another pat to Josh’s arm, he made his way to the door where Ryo stood waiting.

“I have cancelled everything for the day,” Ryo announced. “If something comes up, I’ll deal with it,” he added and bowed before he closed the door after Stoke and himself.

Josh faced me, smiling. He tipped his chin up. I noticed it was something the Hawks men did a lot in communication. The gesture was cute. Josh said, “Hey.”

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