Page 2 of No Fear
He wanted her like he’d never wanted anything. Needed her like he needed air to breathe and live and maybe that was the thing that struck him hardest. She reminded him that he hadn’t been living, not for ten years, maybe longer.
“What are you smiling at over here all by yourself?”
Remy glanced up at the sound of a sweet, knowing voice and realized Skylar had snuck up on him while he wasn’t paying attention. She was good at that. She always seemed to be hanging out on the edges of his life, looking for a moment to barge her way in. The pretty blonde had decided they were going to be friends sometime during the mess with Colt. So far, no amount of scowling had convinced her otherwise and honestly, he liked that about her. He figured that was how Colt had ended up wrapped around Skylar’s little finger in the first place. The woman was damn hard to deny when she wanted something.
He had to forcefully tell his lips not to curl when he looked at her, “You.”
She scoffed, “Not a chance. I mean I’m cute and sweet to boot but I think I might be a little old for your tastes.”
Her playful teasing earned her a chuckle and her grin was contagious. He’d never had a sister but he thought sometimes that Skylar would have been his first choice for the role. She was cute and sweet, just like she said, but she had hard edges that kept her from getting run over too. She was bold as she pleased and hard-headed as a mule. She was going to make a damn fine Bomar someday and that thought widened his smile.
Skylar and Jemma were the future of the Bomars and for the first time, possibly ever, the future looked bright from where Remy was standing.
Instead of taking the bait and having a discussion that would no doubt lead to his intentions towards Skylar’s young friend, he deflected with a grin, “Sweet my ass. You’re straight up gangster to hear the family tell it.”
“I’m never gonna live down slapping Lincoln am I?”
“Nope.”
She grinned like the cat that ate the canary, “Good. Gives me street cred.”
His smile faltered at the mention of his cousin and some of his good mood waned. For just a second there, he’d forgotten the reason Skylar was standing in his shitty trailer. He’d forgotten why his brothers were huddled together talking amongst themselves while Jemma nodded and stroked Cash’s back reassuringly. The tension radiating off the three of them seemed to swell in a wave and crashed back over Remy where he was standing in the kitchen.
Right. Lincoln. Bomar family meetings. The same old bullshit that always dragged them down. It was time to get to the point, the reason he’d called his brothers and asked to see them despite the fact that he’d been doing his damndest to keep the darkness of their family’s business away from them for the past few weeks.
He’d gotten them out. He intended to keep them out. And that meant convincing them that they shouldn’t be present for his first fight in the cage tonight.
“Okay, hey guys, let’s do this.” Remy cleared his throat and ignored the way Skylar’s lips pursed unhappily before she moved back towards her boyfriend, “I think you all know why I asked to talk to you so let’s get it over with. We’ll deal with the Bomar family bullshit and then you four can get back to your lives.”
A hush fell over the place and Remy shot each of his brothers a glance in time to see their jaws tighten apprehensively. He reminded himself that no matter how much they disliked what he was about to say that he was doing it for them. Part of trying to be a better man was taking care of his brothers this time around. He’d left them behind to deal with their abusive parents when they were just kids. He wouldn’t leave them alone to deal with their destructive family this time.
It didn’t take back what he’d done, couldn’t wipe out the years of their lives that he’d missed, but it was a start.
“What’s the latest?” Colt spoke up expectantly. “Did Lincoln get the fucker that attacked me?”
“Not yet.” He sighed and when Colt cursed he held up his hand, “But he says he’s narrowed it down to a handful of guys and we should know more after the fight tonight.”
“We’re coming.” Cash spoke up then and Remy automatically shook his head.
“No.”
“Yes.” Colt argued.
“No.” He reiterated more sternly, having expected the immediate argument, “You two should stay home tonight.”
He’d gone over this in his head a hundred thousand times and always came to the same conclusion. There was no way the twins could be present at the fight tonight. It was the first time Remy would be stepping into the cage to fight for the family and he didn’t want his brothers there to witness it. Maybe it was selfish that he needed them somewhere safe but far away from him tonight but it was what it was. He couldn’t have them there. Worrying about them, about the girls, would only distract him.
“Bullshit.” Colt scoffed. “We’re coming.”
“No you’re not.”
Colt glared at him, “This is personal for me.”
“It’s personal for all of us. You don’t think I want him caught just as much as you do?” He asked seriously. “Some bastard attacked my little brother and left him for dead. I take that personally. I take it real fuckin’ personally that the bastard is probably a member of Link’s crew. You don’t think he takes it personally one of his own guys turned traitor and hurt one of us? Link might be an arrogant prick but he cares about the family and he’s not gonna let this go without getting blood in return. None of us are.”
They all knew that Lincoln believed the man responsible for attacking Colt was one of their own. Not a family member, of course not, but someone they’d let into the crews that boosted cars and did other dirty work for Lincoln and the boys. Remy didn’t know how anyone could be dumb enough to know Lincoln that well and turn traitor on him but it didn’t really matter who it was to him. He just wanted the guy found and he wanted him handled.
“He attacked me.” Colt continued to argue, “He could have attacked Skylar.”
