Page 86 of Bound By Flames
Standing, I button my black jacket, already thinking about my little tornado.
“You should get your knee checked out,” I call over my shoulder, “you never know when the pain can strike again.”
I leave him there, turning to the door and heading to find my girl.
-
I fucking hate small talk.
I’ve learned to do it when we had to make new connections with different cartels and organizations around the country, but most people know that I’m a straight-to-the-point kind of man. I don’t have time for bullshits or nice-weather-today shit because I’m dealing with hundreds of men who need leadership every day and who need me to make decisions fast. It’s all about efficiency, productivity.
Protecting my men, expanding the club.
My only priority.
Business over everything else.
Everything…?
Which is why I’m fucking seething as I’m having dinner with myin-laws, and I have to watch her very dysfunctional neglectful parents behave like they give a shit about my woman. All she had to do was ask, and I would unalive them in the blink of an eye.
Yeah, I’m turning all romantic, don’t I fucking know it.
At least her sister’s nice, and watching my Mia enjoy her company is the only relief I get from this. I mean this and the sight of my breathtaking wife, who keeps blushing each time I stare at her like she can feel my gaze feasting on her creamy skin.
And those fucking lips.
I’ve been craving them so much now that it’s become almost painful to look at her without tasting her.
“You look a bit pale, darling. Are you alright?” Amalia O’brian asks her husband, the guy’s face fucking livid after our talk.
She knows I’ve pierced his knee, that he tried to betray us, and that Mia and I only got married to pay her husband's debt to the club. And still, her mother acts like I’m a normal guy, not an ounce of guilt in her. All I see is a woman who keeps touching her hair, and checking in the reflection of her knife that she’s looking good.
Mia had to grow up with this as a mother.
A self-obsessed woman who’d rather talk about herself than take five minutes of her day to call her daughter. Now that I think about it, I don’t even recall hearing Mia on the phone with her in months. All I saw was a watery-eyed Mia, sitting crossed leg on our bed, watching her phone ring as her mother never picked up once.
“Amalia, why don’t you ask Mia how she’s doing in Knoxville?” It’s not subtle, but fuck subtlety. I’m Ares Malone, I’m known for many things, but tact isn’t one of them. Her eyes widen and she swallows hard, glancing at me nervously.
“Of course, I was going to ask. Honey, how’s life in Knoxville? Did you make any friends in this very, um, quirky town?” The tone of her voice is strained, unnatural, and my gut screams that some folks should never have children.
Our kids will be treasured, that’s for sure.
The sight of Mia’s round belly flashes before my eyes, our own flesh pulsing inside her womb, making my ribcage tighten.
“Yes, I’ve met Ares’s sister, Vanessa, and also Erin. She’s the wife of a man from the club,” Mia says with a small smile. “I still haven’t met Rose properly. She’s the wife of Ares’s VP, but I heard she likes reading like me, so I think we’ll be friends too.”
I make a mental note to teach Mia a few signs before she meets Rose. Made the whole club learn basic sentences to make his girl more comfortable. I’m a jerk, but I can redeem myself if I get the chance too. And Vox is like a brother to me, so it’s only fair I make her feel welcome especially after what happened last year. No shame in learning from past mistakes. Only fools pretend to know it all.
“Well, that’ssonice,” her mother says, digging into her salad.
Salad for now with oil on the side, wonder if her mother eats like that too.
At least it’s safe for my girl.
For now.
I’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she’s not panicking when the main course arrives. I asked Larry to pack lots of snacks for her this weekend. Nuts and protein things with dubious colors, but he said she liked them. Maria has put them in her suitcase, but I doubt she’s noticed it yet.
