Page 96 of Red's Peril: Part 1

“She’s a cutie.” Rosa now spares Clare a glance, her eyes fast narrowing as she seems more eagled-eyed, but she doesn’t pry, just turns her attention back to her daughter. “Look at those long eyelashes.”

I grin. “Yeah, and she already knows how to use them.”

Delly, sensing another person interested in her, holds out her hands to Rosa who delightfully removes my burden from me.

“Clare and Delly are staying for a while,” I tell Rosa.

Her brow furrows. “There’s not a suitable room free.” Then she brightens. “They can have our rooms. We don’t really use them anyway.”

When Brick had died, I hadn’t wanted to move Rosa out, though his president’s suite was much larger than mine—two bedrooms, a private bathroom, and a living area. It’s true, Rosa’s not using it much anymore. Her grief at the loss of her husband might not be fading, but is becoming easier to live with, and she doesn’t mind living with the memories in their house.

“You sure?” I don’t want to pressure her into anything.

“It’s time, Red. It should have been yours anyway.”

What would I need two bedrooms for?But in the current situation, it’s the ideal solution.

“I don’t want to put anyone out.” Clare seems anxious.

“Don’t you worry,” Rosa says firmly. “It’s time. Trist and Tom are getting older now. They need more space and will enjoy more room to have their friends over more often.” She winks at me. “Some parents don’t see the MC as a suitable playground.”

I frown. I don’t want strangers’ kids running around either.

Clare looks like she’s been put in an awkward position, and I mark her up that she’s not selfish to expect everything handed to her. “I won’t be here long.”

Rosa’s face hardens. “You’ll be here at least as long as it takes for Red to sort out the man who blackened your eye for you.”

But that I can’t do, though there’s nothing I’d like better. He’s a fed and my hands are tied. If the Devils take him out, we’d be the first under suspicion. My only comfort is that Pyro’s got a far more personal reason for wanting him dead, and eventually Skull will be six feet under. Won’t be today, won’t be next week. Maybe not for months yet. But one day, he’ll stop breathing and then both Clare and Mel will be free.

Of course, I don’t say that to Clare. She’s a civilian. Her way to get him out of her life is to get a divorce and receive a settlement.

Loud voices get my attention. Turning, I grin as two exuberant teenage boys run in.

“Hi, Mom, we’re starving.”

Them permanently living off compound might lower our food bills.

“Hey.” Reaching out, I grab them both by their collars. “If you ask your mom nicely, you might get something.” I gaze at them sternly. Hell, it seems like only yesterday they barely reached up to my waist, now I only have to lower my head slightly to glare at them. “How was football practice?”

“We made the try-outs,” Trist says, high fiving his brother.

“That’s great.” Rosa gives a fond mom smile. “Got some news, boys, we’re moving back to the house, permanently.”

Tom, the quieter of the two, narrows his eyes, and doing an impression of his father, turns to me. “You kicking us out, Uncle Red?” His eyebrow rises as he awaits an explanation. But just like Brick, he doesn’t dive in and make an assumption.

“F… No.” I refute that immediately. “You’re always welcome, you know that. But we do need the space for a while, and you might like a bit more freedom.”

Trist elbows his brother. “We could have girls around.”

Rosa looks horrified, while I chuckle. “You could bring your girlfriends here.”

“Here?” Trist looks around. “What if we want some privacy?”

What the fuck?They wouldn’t get a chance. They’d have a dozen biker chaperones’ eyes on them all the time.

“There won’t be any privacy in our house either,” Rosa tells them, firmly. And the look she gives to me is to suggest forewarned is forearmed.

At least I’ve already had the discussion with them about condoms. There are some things best said man-to-man.

---