Page 26 of Lore
“Wait, Lore. Are you okay?” Prez asks, and his stare is so intense that I want to look away. “You’ve had a few big surprises. And you seem a little more on edge than I think I’ve ever seen you.”
My jaw clenches. “I’ll be fine, I just need to… make sure they are going to be okay.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this serious.” He pauses. “Ever.”
“This woman has him turning into Ghost 2.0.” Scorp smirks, lip twitching. “Do you need to see a shrink? I know a good one. Old you would have nailed her in a second.”
“I’m fine,” I reply through clenched teeth.
At least I will be.
“Yeah, you sure sound it,” Prez mutters.
When I leave church, I go in search of Atiana, finding her playing pool with Romeo. Her face has healed, and she looks more beautiful than ever. I can’t look away when she throws her head back and laughs at something Romeo says, and my eyes narrow.
I know that fucker is not that funny.
Romeo has already fucked Lu before she got with Haze, and now he’s flirting with Atiana?
“You okay?” Bones asks, coming up next to me and clapping me on the back. “He’s a good-looking fucker, isn’t he? It’s the eyes. Women love that shit.”
Romeo has one blue eye and one brown one. There’s a name for it, I know. I just don’t fucking care.
“You know with as much shit-stirring as you do, the brothers might want a little payback,” he adds, and I can hear the fucking amusement in his tone.
Cracking my knuckles as I silently seethe, Romeo is about to lean over her to show her some shot like he’s a pro player or something, and I’ve officially had enough.
Bones grabs the back of my cut, holding me back. “You sure you want to do that? What happened to the carefree fucker I used to know?”
“He found out that when it comes to her, he doesn’t like sharing, after all,” I growl, and Bones laughs, his body shaking as he finds amusement in my predicament.
It gets even worse when Suit approaches her, bringing her a drink. A fucking drink. I shrug Bones off and storm over there, hell bent on punching Romeo in the face until Atiana turns around and smiles widely when she sees me. “There you are! Ora is baking with the kids. She’s amazing with them.”
My anger seeps out of me, my shoulders relaxing as she gives me all her attention. “Yes, she is.” I glance up at Romeo and Suit, hoping they take a hint and leave us alone, but they don’t.
Suit takes a seat like he’s not going anywhere, and Romeo nods at Atiana to take her shot.
“You want to get out of here for a bit? Go for a ride?” I ask her. She’s been stuck here in the clubhouse and hasn’t complained once. She left to get groceries a few times with Ora, Lu, and four of us watching them, but that’s about it, aside from taking the kids to the park.
I asked Prez about building a playground in the backyard, and he agreed, so I ordered an epic one, and the brothers are going to help me build it. Omen, who used to be a carpenter by trade, is going to make a treehouse for them.
I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces.
“I’d love to go for a ride,” she replies, shooting her last shot and sinking the black ball. “Good game, Romeo. Better luck next time.”
He smirks and nods.
My eyes narrow. That bastard beats all of us at pool, so he let her win.
From the corner of my eye, I see the twins heading into the stripper pole room with Rose and Brandy. Not wanting Atiana to realize what goes on in there, I quickly lead her to the kitchen so we can check on the kids and ask Ora if it’s all right if we head out for a bit.
When she’s more than happy to watch them, we head back to her room so Atiana can put on some boots. As she’s lacing them up, she looks up at me. “You know I meant it. You’re really good with Rider. And Dove.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for including Dove in everything,” she blurts out.
“Of course. She’s mine as much as Rider is,” I say softly, handing her the new leather jacket I bought her. “You don’t need to thank me for something like that.”
