Page 72 of Law Maker

“They have creams for that, you might want to buy some.”

“I’m saying I missed you, and you are your usual sarcastic little shit self,” he said without scorn, his face split in a grin. “It’s good to see you, Penn. Now tell me the truth of why you’re here.”

“I was a bad boy.”

“Your club allowed you to get sentenced?”

“My club doesn’t own me,” he said with some bite, because that’s what Jay would think, wasn’t it? He was all about trying to own a person, trying to put them in a box and not let them breathe. “We ride free and make our own choices.”

“Stupid fucking way to live. I would never have allowed this to happen to you.”

His eyes snapped and Lawless was looking at a version of Jay he’d seen only a few times over the years. The unhinged version.

This visit had an agenda after all.

Bringing Lawless back into his fold being the agenda.

“How long do you have left to serve?”

“Didn’t your creeping PI tell you the details?”

Clicking his tongue, Jay straightened out the cuff to his shirt. Always impeccably dressed. He’d have great fashion chats with Texas no doubt.

“He said you’re eligible for parole in two more years.” Lawless nodded. “fucking hell, Penn.”

“Don’t take it so personally, Jay. Your tutelage didn’t go to waste.”

The other man snorted, rolling his eyes. “If you ever took anything from what I taught you, it would be a miracle. You fought against authority, even mine when it was for your own good.”

“I’m sure you’re well obeyed by your stable of bowing maggots.”

Another smirk. “I do alright. What about you?”

“Right now? Slim pickings.”

“Not married then?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t already know everything there is to know, Jay, you’d insult the both of us. Sure, married, nineteen kids and a horse farm.”

Benz chuckled.

Around them the other inmates went on with their visits.

Lawless supposed this was one of those nostalgic moments people went through. Now that he was over the surprise of seeing Jay, he could recognize he felt something in his chest that could be fondness for someone from his past that he didn’t wholly hate.

Now had it been his momma sitting across from him…

It wasn’t Jay he was homesick for though.

“The horse farm I’d believe. The elusive Penn confined by a wedding ring, I can’t ever see it, darling boy. Your world would come to an end if you actually admitted a feeling other than apathy.” He didn’t say it with scorn, more like acceptance as a smile touched his eyes. This one leached out feelings like a dripping faucet. Jay and Snake would have gotten along well back in the day before his Winter came along. They would have gossiped and watched those shitty dramas together.

A slither of curiosity had Lawless asking. “What about you?”

The world was a smattering better today than it was when Lawless was young, for men like them and their varying sexualities. Had Jay wanted to have six wives and a handful of husbands, Lawless was positive the guy would make it happen. Living in disgusting polyamorous bliss. Or some sickly sweet sentiment the fish loved to bleat about on their Facebook pages.

“I’m a connoisseur for eating a varied diet, darling. Eating veal chops in and day out would become a tedium, I’d have to swallow my gun.” So that was a no to marriage. Lawless smirked. Poor fucking Marco. That bad fish had been in love with the boss for years.

“Still trying to own the world?”

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