Page 56 of Serendipity

I frowned toward Shots. “Go get the Pres.”

Shots didn’t waste time, and I slid from the barstool and followed Goose.

I looked through the windows beside the front door at the figures standing in the middle of the parking lot. A guy and two kids. Something about the guy's stance, his body seemingly relaxed, set me on edge. He was standing far enough away that he was out of accurate shooting distance, and it unsettled me that he knew that. I pulled my gun and rested it down at my side. I wasn’t about to go aiming guns at kids, no matter my criminal status. Another one of Cain’s strays, maybe?

“Get Cain too. We’ll see if he knows anything about this.”

I stepped out onto the covered front porch of the club house. I plastered on my most pleasant smile. “I think you’ve got the wrong house, Friend.”

The dude remained motionless, that faux calmness nearly impenetrable. He didn’t say a word. I stepped closer, my gun slightly behind me so I didn’t frighten the children, my face still a mask of graciousness. “I suggest you leave. This is private property and we don’t like trespassers all that much,” I yelled across the distance, moving closer. When I was close enough, I could see the bulges in his silhouette that told me the guy was packing and my body tensed. I moved the gun around to my front to let him know he wasn’t the only one with heat. When I was close enough to read the guy, all the hairs on my arms stood on end.

This guy was a killer. Killers could always spot other killers, and my hands were far from clean.

“What do you want?” I repeated. And when he refused to answer, I raised my gun. “You better answer or leave, or I’m going to blow your brains out in front of your kids.”

I didn’t want to shoot this guy in front of his children but something about him set me on edge.

Suddenly, the little boy, who’d been standing slightly behind him, a little girl behind his back, stepped forward. The girl stepped with him like a shadow.

“He’s mute. He can’t talk.”

The man shot the kid a furious look, but his eyes flashed back to me quickly. I looked at the kid and gave him a smile. “Well, fair enough. Do you know what he wants?”

The kid gave me a sly grin. “He wants Serendipity to be his girlfriend.”

I blinked, and the guy looked down and signed furiously. The kid blushed and looked contrite, but the mischief still sparkled in his eyes. The guy looked exasperated.

Unfortunately for him, or fortunately, I knew sign language. My older cousin had been born with deformed vocal chords, and even though he could speak, it was a rough, tortured sound. So instead of scaring us as small children, he’d taken the time to teach all of us ASL.

Dippy has that effect on men. Unfortunately you are shit outta luck. I love her, and she’s mine.

The dude actually growled at me, and the kids eyes ping-ponged between us. He signed furiously at me, and I laughed. “Slow the fuck down man. It’s been a while.”

But that look in his eye? I knew all too well. Relief. He’d been scared for her. He slowed down his movements, keeping his expressions simple.I want to see her. I need to know she’s okay.

“And I need to know who the fuck you are, because otherwise there’s no way you are getting within a hundred feet of her.”

I felt the presence of my Brothers at my back, the overwhelming force of the four of us together enough to make grown men cry. But not this guy. He narrowed his eyes and pushed the both kids behind his back.

Cain grunted like the guy had personally insulted him, which he kind of had, but the other dude wasn’t to know that. “We don’t hurt kids here.” He shot me a quick look. “Who is this guy?”

“He’s here for Dippy,” I said softly, and everyone around me tensed. Even Goliath.

The door opened again, and the man’s eyes shot behind me.

“Marco?” Dippy whispered behind me. She went to race down the steps, but Goliath’s hand shot out and grabbed her. She threw him a furious look, but he didn’t let go. Marco took in Goliath, who was a big scary looking mother fucker by anyone's standards, even before you got to the cold, dead eyes. Then he looked at G’s hand on Dippy’s arms and he pulled his own gun, pointing it directly at my bad tempered Brother. Fuck, this was going south fast.

Judas stepped forward, in full Pres mode.

“What do you want?” He shot a look at Goliath and Dippy. “Stay where you are for a moment Sera. Goliath, let her go.” Goliath huffed, but he uncurled his fingers from her arm. Judas wasn’t stupid enough to tell everyone to put down their weapons.

Marco signed, and Dippy quickly signed back, her face looking happy if a little pissed at us.

She’d get over it. Her safety was my first priority. I’d fuck her to forgiveness later.

Judas raised an eyebrow. “Now for those who can’t speak with their hands?”

I looked between this Marco guy and Dippy. “He said he finally got Hope to tell him where she’d stashed Serendipity. She was chewing him out for bringing the kids to a biker bar.” I grinned as she looked at me with surprise. “What? I’m not allowed to have hidden talents?”

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