Page 39 of Marx

Remy looks fit to burst, Wire doesn’t look any better. My sister is deathly quiet and Tav seems calm. A little too calm.

“Kids, I think it would be best for you all to go to the nursery. There will be no tablets, no TV, no movies, nothing. You are to go up there right now, no messing about or disturbing the babies or Kaia and the twins. You are going to think about your actions.”

“Aw, but Mama Deb -”

“No. Once you’ve given it some thought you are going to each write a letter explaining why it was dangerous for you to do what you did and why you need to tell an adult.”

“But we di-”

“Your brother and sister don’t count!” Blanche growls.

“Holy shit, she sounds like the exorcist,” Nitro mutters under his breath.

He got home just before the kids were discovered. He’s readying the small trailer for Fox’s homecoming tomorrow.

“Sage, we will be having a conversation young lady.” Sage drops her head and nods, Chef, placing his hand on her shoulder, giving it a supportive squeeze.

I like what those two have growing between them. The mutual trust, little touches here and there. My thoughts wander to Marx’s kiss. My blood still feels bubbly, as if carbonated by his lips on mine. It took me by surprise, as did his words. Is it too good to be true, that he wants me? After all his running and pushing me away, am I a fool to think he’s changed? Is it guilt that has him behaving this way? I’m still unsure of his motives, but I know that I want to believe his words. I want to live my life to the fullest and if it means that my gamble doesn’t pay off and my heart gets a little bruised then so be it. I’ve survived far worse and I know I can survive again.

A snort has me glancing at Nitro, then at the three little kids lined up in the front of the large room we’ve started calling Church.

“I swear to all that’s holy if you roll your eyes at meone more timeCove Marie Landry I will remove one of them with a rusty spoon,” Blanche growls in an even lower voice. So scary that Tav takes a big step away from her.

I stare at Cove, looking for fear, instead a smile spreads across her chubby little face. “Yessss! I’ll get an eye patch!”

“Get upstairs! Right now and do as Mama Debs told you!” Blanche goes from a low man growl to a screech.

“Holy shit, I think they broke Blanche,” Savage whispers in awe.

The three kids run out of the room and once the sound of their footsteps on the stairs hits my ears I start to snort. Nitro catches my eye and he chuckles before the dam breaks and the whole of the club and the Landrys burst into laughter.

“Holy shit! I can’t believe those kids did what we couldn’t do,” Dex chuckles.

“And they almost fucking killed him!” Rider roars.

Marx sidles up next to me, bumping me with his incredibly large and delicious looking bicep. I never noticed biceps until I met Marx. Now they and his forearms are the things I stare at most when we’re in a room together.

“We better keep Bee away from that lot. I don’t want to have to lose my shit like Blanche did.” He smirks down at me and my stomach flips.

He’s talking like it’s forever. Or at the very least, long term. Holy moley. What is happening? Before I can spiral Marx bangs twice on the wall, calling everyone to attention.

“We have all six of the fuckers who attacked us. I say we go take care of business.” He turns to look at everyone, not just his men, but us women and the Landrys. “We’re a team. Landrysand the Girl Gang, if you want to join, you are more than welcome.”

“How kind of him, considering we were the ones who caught them in the first place,” Ana says under her breath, rolling her eyes.

“And he has to deal with the sheriff before the kids get to him again,” Pops mutters back before cackling.

Marx circles his finger in the air and it’s almost like a stampede, everyone rushing to get to Pops’ office. I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting yet, and I know it makes me sound like a crazy person, but I’m looking forward to seeing the set up.

“Lovely, would you do me the honor of riding in the ATV with me?” Marx asks, holding his elbow out to me.

I avert my gaze, this gentlemanly side of Marx making me feel all shy. I peek up at him and then nod, tentatively placing my hand in the crook of his elbow. The smile he gifts me transforms his face from grumpy to handsome in an instant.

Leading me outside I jolt slightly when I notice that there is a passenger in the back.

“Is that a minions pillowcase over his head?” I ask, squinting into the dim evening light to get a better look at the man hog tied into the back of the ATV.

“Yes, yes it is,” Marx answers.

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