Page 33 of At Last

10.

Duke

“So? Dr. Brennan.” Scotch, who’d been sitting at the bar sipping on a double malt when I walked in, turns to talk to me but continues to keep his ass planted on his seat. “She’s a right fine lass. Glad to see you finally manned up and went after her.”

Manned up? Who the fuck does Scotch think he’s talking too?

“Unless you wanna shit that glass out after I shove it up your ass, watch yourself, brother.” I pull a cigarette from the pack and light it, then take a long drag. The first smoke I’ve had since I jumped outta the pickup at Doc’s house. Fuck if I don’t need it.

“You think you got it in you, old man.” Scotch teases. “Come at me. But come at me knowing that we all know you putting the no touch order on Dr. Brennan—”

“Caity,” one of the other brothers calls out as he passes us.

“Caity,” Scotch continues, “had fuck-all to do with Elise or Gun.” Then he slams back the rest of his drink and stands to walk over to me, grabs a cigarette from the pack I offer, and lights it. “Heard Houdini’s back?”

“Yeah. That’s what I’m here about.” To the rest of the room I bellow, “Brother’s rally,now.”

All the brothers, despite what they might ’a been doing at the time, stop to walk into the rally room, the room where we hold club meetings that we don’t need old ladies, hot mamas or pieces overhearing. Only Carver and Sneak, of my lieutenants, sit around the oval table. Boss, Chaos and Blood are out on a run. The rest line the walls and wait for me to take my seat at the head. It’s a respect thing. You don’t sit the table unless you’ve earned that spot as a lieutenant.

“I’m sure you all heard by now, ’cuz you gossip like a gaggle ’a women, Dr. Brennan, which, Caity to you, I claimed her publically as my old lady.”

Laughs, and “’bout fuckin’ time” ring out around the room. Guess all the brothers knew I was hot for the good Doc. Shit. Here I thought I was keeping it low.

I suck back on my smoke before continuing. “Don’t know if you heard, she’s got a little girl, Jade. I call her Peaches. They’re staying at my house right now ’cuz hers got broken into while we were in Nashville.

Another chorus of “fuck” and “shit” travel the men.

“I’m afraid Houdini’s back.” The room goes stark quiet at that motherfucker’s name. “Last time he went after our women. Now, it shits me to say this, he might be going after the kids. All that was missing was a picture of Peaches from a magnet frame on the refrigerator. All that was fucking missing.”

“Kids?” Sneak is the first to ask. “Should we bring the women in? Mine ain’t born yet, is it safe?” All the shit he gave Boss about Gun, the man sits at the table practically pissing his pants with concern. Gonna have to tell Boss that one, let him rip a little on Sneak.

“He caught us off guard last time. Don’t want to overreact, but don’t wanna under either. Elise’s already here with Gunner. She’s staying in Boss’s room while he’s gone. Maybe you and Trish should stay here for now, ’til we get a handle on the situation.” After that, I look to all the brothers around the room. “We got those singlewides on the property sitting empty. Any brother with kids, move ’em to one ’a those. Better safe, brothers.”

I dismiss them with a wave of my hand. But before Sneak and Carver leave, I stop ’em. “Doc is cooking dinner. Italian stuffed peppers. And she made this lemon cake thing for dessert. I’m just gonna say the house smells fucking fantastic. Anyway, the two ’a you and Trish wanna come to dinner, Elise’s already there.”

“Dinneratyour house?” Carver snickers.

Bastard.

“Ayeah. But all she drinks is Guinness, so you want something else, bring it.”

“You’re fucking a woman who only drinks Guinness?” Carver keeps it going.

I’m about to punch him in his fucking face.

“She’s Irish, for Christ sake. Lived in Ireland. What’d you expect her to drink?”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist over some pussy, Prez. But I’d be happy to drop by,” he finishes, and barely escapes my fist from the punch I’d thrown to shut him the hell up. Who knew Carver could be so damn annoying?

“Me and Trish’ll be up after we pack. She’ll be glad, not cooking after a long day at work, or worse, eating whatIcook.”

“Well, it’ll be done soon. So hurry.”

His back to me, he calls, “Will do.” Then pulls his phone from his back pocket. Before he leaves the room I hear, “Hey sweetheart.” Man’s gone soft.

My phone rings next. I look at the screen, Tommy calling. I swipe to answer. “Whatcha got?” I give as my greeting.

“Well hello to you, too.” Tommy teases. “What we got is a lot of nothin’. I don’t like it, don’t like it one bit. Elise at the compound?”

---