Page 85 of Lady Sings the Blues

Chairs scrape across the floor as the men take off to hunt down the newly identified potential victims.

“Chaos, a word.” I pull him to my side but wait for Duke to leave before startin’ back up. Instead of talkin’ right away, I reach inside my pocket to pull the picture of Liv out. “You didn’t ask but…” I hand him the photo.

He closes his eyes and sucks in a long breath. Temper in check, then he grabs it and chances a look. “When you didn’t say anything…was really hoping she wasn’t in there, you know?”

“Didn’t say anything because I knew Blood would want the picture to keep the other brothers from seein’ his baby sister naked. But it ain’t right for Blood to be seein’ his baby sister naked, either. Not when, well, you know. Anyway, didn’t want you blowin’ it in front of him. Too much work to do. We ain’t got time for that drama.”

“You’re being cool about the Livvy situation. Don’t think it’s a betrayal?”

“She’s not a brother’s old lady. That I’d beat the shit outta you for. But this. Can’t help who you fall in love with. Not a brother’s sister or say…your cousin’s girl. Make me kind of a hypocrite, don’t ya think?”

“She won’t have me.”

“Gonna let that stop you? Don’t think I haven’t noticed your lack of female company since you reconnected in Chicago. This woman means somethin’ to you, you do what ya gotta do to see it through. Yeah?”

Chaos crumples the picture in his hand. “Yeah, brother. Yeah.”

“Good. Let’s go catch this fucker so you can get on that.”

---