Page 74 of Forsaking All Others

“It comfortable?”

I don’t know where he’s going with this, but no one has ever complained about it being uncomfortable.

“Yes.”

“We bring the kids home tonight then,” he says.

It finally clicks for me.

“You’re going to be sleeping on my couch?”

“For now.”

For now.

“Don’t ask me what that means, Holly. Just take it as it comes.”

* * *

The doorbell wakes me,forcing me to lift my head from the couch. I glance around the living room, expecting to find Maverick and the kids, but it’s just me—nestled under a soft blanket I don’t remember throwing over me. Pushing it off me, I sit up and throw my legs over the side of the couch. The bell rings again, lighting a fire under my ass and I quickly move to answer it.

Standing on my front porch, holding two bags of hamburger buns, Ghost pats one of the prospects on the back. There’s been a rotation of recruits posted at my door since Maverick gave in and decided to let us leave the compound. Hell was on the horizon and he wasn’t taking any chances with his family. Wiz and Hawk took Tara and Shep to school every morning and they stood outside until the kids were dismissed. Then, depending where I was, they either took them back to the compound or home. If I was at the compound, the kids hung around the clubhouse while I worked on getting H & M off the ground. They did their homework, Tara got lost in TikTok videos and Shepard—my wild child—he tore the clubhouse upside down at least once a week when he suckered his daddy’s brothers into participating in a Nerf gun battle. The common area that once resembled a frat house had a corner dedicated to Theo’s toys. If anyone was looking for Leftie, they could find him and his inhaler on the floor playing with my toddler. They were both big fans of the plastic workbench Maverick bought him.

Ghost tears his attention away from the prospect and tips his chin to me in greeting.

“Hey, Hol,” he says as he lifts a hand to my cheek and inches forward to press his lips to my forehead. “How ya doin’ gorgeous?”

Ghost is right up there with Leftie on my list of favorites when it comes to Maverick’s brothers. In his darkest hour, he really stole a piece of my heart and it doesn’t look like he’s gonna give that piece up any time soon. That’s okay, though. He can have that piece so long as he keeps having Maverick’s back.

“I’m good,” I finally respond. “Um…I fell asleep on the couch, but I think Mav is here somewhere.”

He holds up the two packages of buns.

“He damn well better be here,” he grunts. “Sent me to the fucking supermarket for these things. Got two perfectly good prospects here and yet he sends me to be his bitch.”

I laugh at that.

Taking the buns from him, I reach for his hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

That earns me a smile—a rarity for Ghost.

“Thanks for the invite babe, but—”

I cut him off and pull him inside.

“I insist and I think you know better than to argue with me,” I tease, feeling a little more like myself and lot less like a zombie that’s been pouring from an empty cup since her husband was killed and her life got flipped upside down.

Relenting, he closes the door behind him and turns backs to me.

“You’re not alarmed?”

“Alarmed?”

“Yeah, Holl, take a listen—your house is awfully quiet for three kids and Mav.”

He’s right, not to mention Tara’s boyfriend is supposed to be joining us too. Suddenly, as if on cue, music sounds from the kitchen. Ghost and I both turn and stare toward the kitchen. The music— as loud as it is—becomes background noise. Laughter fills my ears and I go completely still.

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