Page 23 of Judge
She narrows her eyes at me. I’m pretty sure I’m still on her shit list after the pepper incident. “How am I meant to help you?”
“You any good with booby traps?”
A grin slowly grows on her face and her eyes light up with a level of glee that I’ve only ever seen on Chewy when she’s torturing.
“Got any small explosives and nails?”
Yes, I think she’ll do nicely.
Chapter 7
Judge
“Something doesn’t feel right,” I mumble under my breath to no one in particular. All I know is that I feel itchy in my own skin.
“What? Could it be leaving your family behind while we camp out here ready to take out a whole damn gang house and cartel?” Rider asks, chewing gum loudly.
I glare at him. I knew it was coming, the teasing. I didn’t mind when it was focussed on my other brothers who were falling for their ladies, but now I’m in the spotlight, I’ll have to shut it down quick.
“I mean, I get it brother. That’s the perfect little family unit. Not sure how you managed to pull that hottie though.”
“She was my best friend,” I growl. Ignoring my own advice to nip it in the bud.
“Ahh, playing the long game, heh?” He raises his brow at me. “So, how you gonna get back into her good books?”
“What makes you think I’m in the bad books?”
Tav snorts so damn hard that he starts coughing up a lung.
“What?” I swing on him, thumping his back with my hand, none too gently.
“Have you not seen the way that woman looks at you?” Tav asks with a strained voice.
I stare at him, because no, I haven’t noticed. I’ve been avoiding all eye contact. It was bad enough when she was mad at me. Then disappointment crept in and now when I look at her all I see is shadows. I have no idea what the fuck she’s been through, and I just don’t know if we’re at a point where I can even ask. I mean, it can’t be that bad right? The kids seem pretty well adjusted, don’t they?
“Dude, she looks at you like she wants to turn you to ash with her eyes,” Vic Landry pipes up.
“Nah, she’s stopped doing that now. I mean she still looks like she wants to punch something, just not him anymore.” Rider grins.
“Can we fucking not talk about Kaia and the kids?” I growl, turning my back to watch the surveillance set up Tav’s got going on.
“No, we have to talk about it. Because I can’t stand to see my brother not get his woman,” Rider pushes. Because he’s a pushy fuck.
“What makes you think she’s my woman?” I ask even though we all know what she is to me. I was hit with a bolt of lightning as soon as I saw her again. It was like my soul recognized hers. I keep that shit quiet because these rat bastards will be all over my ass if they knew my thoughts.
The room is silent for a beat as my brothers stare at me before they piss themselves laughing. Even the Landrys join in and they haven’t been here long given they’re prospecting along with Gus and Jules.
“Enough!” I roar, annoyed I let it go on this long. “Fuck’s sake we’re on a mission here. Let’s get this shit done and then we can go home.”
The dicks start making a high pitched “oooohhhh” noise and I’m about to tell them to all fuck off when Tav’s phone starts vibrating all over the table.
“Pres?” Tav flicks it to speaker so we can all be briefed.
“Tell me what you see?” Marx barks down the line.
“Not a lot of anything. Cartel turned up, there’s an almost silent party going on and pizza was delivered twenty minutes ago. Why?” Sniper asks.
There’s curses down the line, “What are the odds that two cartels, in two different states, would be doing the same thing at the same time?”
