Page 12 of Judge
“Sounds good to me,” I smile back, walking through the open door.
“Mama needs a drink!” Ana announces, and I can’t help myself, I burst into laughter.
We bustle around in the kitchen dining area before migrating to the couches, joined by Pops, Mad Dog and two Russian men Ana says are her best friend and his brother. I still have no clue how the hell a girl from small town New Zealand managed to befriend the Bratva, but it seems to work. She throws insults in Russian and teases Sasha about being the girl in his relationship with Roman. We all laugh at the big blonde man, and then I laugh even harder at the look on his brother’s face.
“Soooo Kaia, how’s everything going with Judge? Have you gotten the flutters of remembrance of the good times you shared with each other?” Mira waggles her eyebrows, “Oh oh! This would make the perfect second chance love story, I love a second chance. I’ve written a few of them, you know.” She nods and I still marvel over the fact that she’s a famous writer.
“OK, I admit, I love your second chance romance books, but there is no second chance for me and Judge. No way. There’s too much water under the bridge, so to speak.”
“I dunno girl, I think there’s still a spark there,” Pops adds, smirking.
“Nope! No way, nuh uh, you keep that smirk to yourself, Pops! I’m just here to keep my kids safe and then I can go home, back to the diner and continue to let Judge ignore us. I mean, I’m all for forgiving him, even if it was his fault that he never checked his damn emails.”
“Boys aresodumb!” Ana slurs out.
“So dumb!” I agree. “But even after the fact, after the whole missed emails reveal, he still hasn’t made any moves to get to know the kids or talk to me. The Leo I know would face things head on. Judge, well, he seems to be hiding his head in the sand. I don’t need a man like that in my life.”
Pops gives me a shrewd look, before nodding his head. “I’m just going to pop to the big house for some ice.”
“So, you don’t think you’d ever, in the history of the world, want to see Judge naked again?” Mira asks, a glint in her eye.
My core clenches and I have to tamp it down. When we were kids he was always handsome. Oh OK, I admit it, once we hit teen years he was the hottest thing on two legs. Thick, brown, wavy hair, bright green eyes, skin that tanned in the sun. He was always bigger than most of the kids our age, but with puberty came muscles. So many muscles. Now though? With that shaved bald head and tattoos and the scar just above his eyebrow? That shit can melt panties clean off your body.
“Nope,” I lie through my teeth.
Nobody buys it either, they all laugh at my expense, even Dima who up until now has remained fairly stoic, sitting stiffly between his brother and Ana.
“If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say he would be good in the sack. He’s all intense and stuff,” Chewy says, looking thoughtful. “He wouldn’t be as good as Rhodie though. He’s perfect. And he lets me do things to him.”
“For shit’s sake Chewy, do not mention any more butt stuff with my kid!” Mad Dog grumbles.
“But he’s just such a giving lover!” she argues back with a glint in her eye.
Lovely plops down next to me on the couch. “Pretty crazy, huh?” I smile, nodding in agreement. “Feels good though, right?”
Turning to her, her kind eyes hold my gaze, long enough to make me tear up.
“You’re not alone anymore, Kaia. No matter what happens with you or Judge or the kids, you have us now.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“What she said!” Pops yells out, back from the big house drawing attention to us. “You’re girl gang now, girl. So if Judge doesn’t sort his shit out, I’ll do it for him.”
“We’re always open to a little ass kicking,” Mad Dog adds with a grin.
“Hey! Since we’re here and we’ve got all nightandwe have new members-” Mira waves at me and then Sasha and Dima, “I say we play a get to know you game.”
Some of the women cheer and I look at Sasha and Dima on the couch in horror. No way. Not happening. There is nothing worse than getting up and sharing stuff about yourself. Judging by the groans from some of the other women, namely Remy and Blanche, I can tell they aren’t down with the idea either.
“I dislike sharing with people,” Chewy bluntly states.
“Says the woman who likes to talk about Rhodie’s ass,” Nat says under her breath, causing me to snort into my wine glass.
Mira’s wide eyes narrow, “OK, well, how about this, we’ll call it ‘Would you ride it?’ and we each come up with a character description, then the person whose turn it is has to answer if they’d ride it or not. I’lldefinitelybe able to tell a lot about you from your answers,” she waggles her brows and this seems less sweat-inducing than the alternative.
“Nat, you’re the first victim. Ummm,” her face screws up before she brightens, and I can just tell it’ll be a doozy, “He’s 6’5”, voice that could melt your panties, rides a hog called Lucifer, but he says ‘yum yum in my tum tum’ everytime he eats vajayjay?”
We all stare at Mira in horror.
