Page 28 of Nova

My brother laughs. "He was a pain in my ass." I can't even defend myself. I was a pain in the ass. My ass was always doing something that got us into trouble. "Nice to meet you, Promise." Riggs turns and waves his wife over. Luna, who is holding their daughter, crosses the room. "This is my woman, Luna, and our daughter Aria," he signs as he speaks.

"Nice to meet you," Promise returns, and Luna signs her hello, keeping her voice to herself.

"Over there," I gesture to my right, "At the bar is Wick, our VP, beside him, his woman Vayda. Everyone here calls her Tequila."

Wick gives Promise a chin lift, raising the beer in his hand, and Tequila waves.

"Tequila, huh? I bet there's a good story behind that name," Promise remarks, earning a light laugh from Tequila.

"The guy sitting over there, holding the guitar is Fender, and our Viking lookin' friend over there is Kiwi."

"How ya doin'?" Kiwi greets her.

Finally, I point to the three sitting at a table close by. "Big guy, there is Everest, and these two lovely ladies are Payton and Josie." All three say hello.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Promise holds my hand a little tighter.

"We just sat down to eat lunch." Piper points over her shoulder, "Why don't you join us? Uncle Abel makes the best jambalaya in Louisiana," she boasts.

Grabbing Promise by the hand, I follow my daughter to the table. We take our seats, and Payton walks over, sitting a bowl of food in front of us, along with a slice of cornbread. I watch Promise crumble her cornbread over her jambalaya, mixing it all. Wanting to get more pressing issues out of the way, I mention one of the reasons I needed to see her today. "Is there a possibility the charges against me can be reduced?"

Her eyes scan the room before she turns her body and looks at me. "We don't have to talk about that now. We can wait until it's the two of us."

"We can discuss it now. Everyone here is family."

"Alright." Promise places her spoon in her bowl, then wipes her mouth with a paper towel. "As I said before, if we get the right judge, it's possible. My hope is for you to get no more than a few hefty fines. Probation isn't being ruled out either, but it is far better than sitting behind bars for a few months."

"What about the fucker who touched my daughter?" My words come out harsher than intended. When I look at Piper, she's staring into her bowl, pushing her food around.

"From what I know, he bonded out a few hours after you. The police have your daughter's statement. All of that will be presented in court on the day of his hearing." Promise shifts her attention to my daughter. "Piper." Promise slides her hand across the tabletop, placing her palm on my daughter's arm. Piper lifts her head. No tears visible, but emotion present behind her hazel eyes. "I know you've been through a lot, and there's a possibility you may need to testify against your attacker. But, if I can get a chamber meeting between you and the appointed judge for your dad's case, would you be willing to tell him, in your own words, what took place the other day?" Promise asks, her voice soft, but firm. "It could help."

Piper cuts her eyes at me. It's her call. I won't make her do anything she isn't comfortable with. She looks back to Promise, holding her head higher. "Yes. I'll do anything to keep my dad out of jail."

The bar room falls silent a beat, while my brothers and I share similar looks. All of us are probably thinking the same. If we have it our way, we'll exact our brand of justice, making sure the sorry son of a bitch never has the opportunity to put his filthy hands on another woman again.

For the rest of the day, we sit around, enjoying good food, over easy conversation. Promise doesn't say a whole lot. Mostly she listens, fully absorbing interaction between me and the others, never once hinting at being uncomfortable. One thing she did mention was her and her friend, London are lookin' to start their own firm, and that little nugget of information gave me an idea, which I plan to act on later, when the time is right. I mostly watch the way Promise and my daughter interact. The fact Piper is at ease around her, being her usual chatty self, only cements the thoughts and developing feelings I have toward the vibrant woman sitting next to me.

When she is ready to leave, we get on my bike. The ride is the same as before, comfortable, and welcoming. All too soon, we are pulling up in front of her apartment complex, and I'm walking her to her door. Snaking my arm around her waist, I pull her into my body, her palms resting against my chest as she lifts her blue eyes to mine. "Thanks for the ride," Promise tells me.

"I appreciate what you did today."

Promise scrunches her face. "What do you mean?"

"You talked freely with my family and made my daughter feel like she could trust you." I lean in closer, feeling her breath on my lips.

"Piper is as protective of you as you are of her." A look of longing crosses Promise's face. "She adores you, and I can tell family means the world to all of you."

"My family is my life," I say with conviction.

"I like that about you," Promise admits, surprising the fuck out of me just before her lips touch mine. Her kiss is soft and sweet. Not at all what I'm used to. My cock hardens, and I pull her closer, wanting her to feel the effect she has on me. She lingers there for a moment before breaking our connection.

I press my forehead against hers. "I want nothing more than to sweep you off your feet, press your back against that door, and make you come on my cock," I admit freely, hiding nothing. Her breathing increases, and even though I know she wants it too, I let my arms fall to my sides, releasing my hold on her. "Soon," I promise her. Though I warned her that I wanted her, I want to show Promise I'm after more than what's between her legs. I want all of her. This woman is worth waiting for.

Promise steps away, turning her back to me as she unlocks the door. "Um," she says, her face flush, "I'll call you once I find out your court date." After stepping inside, she faces me, her smile giving me the confidence that I made the right move.

"Alright," I answer back, and she stands, unmoving, her eyes locked on mine. Cocking my head, I grin. "I'm not leavin' until I hear you lock the door, Sugar." Her smile grows as she closes the door, and her beautiful face disappears. Rooted in place, I wait to hear the locks engage before jogging down the stairs. The ride home felt a little empty without her on the back of my bike.

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