Page 26 of Outlaws' Single Mom
“What the fuck?” Jackal says from the living room while using my phone as a flashlight for under the dusty bed.
“Looks police issue,” Stiff comments.
“Does. Doesn’t it? Serial’s filed off though.”
I brush the dust off my hands, leaving streaks on my jeans and go to see what they’re talking about. Jackal has a gun in his hand, and the three of them are examining it closely.
“Do you know if this could be Georgia’s?” Lash asks. “It was under the side of the couch.”
“I don’t think so. She never liked guns. It’s probably Jay’s.” I wish I was surprised that they found a gun in Georgia’s apartment, but I’m not, not really.
He nods. “That would be my guess, but if she wanted something for protection, I suppose it’s possible she got it from Sergei. This isn’t a model she would’ve picked up legally.”
Jackal tucks it into his jacket. “We’ll bring it with us. If the cops end up here looking for evidence against your sister, it’s probably better for everyone that they don’t find it.”
That’s fine by me, I certainly don’t want to deal with it. I spend a little more time looking around, but it’s depressing looking through her interrupted life. “Myhead needs rest. I just want to hug Logan and eat something bad for me.”
Lash grins. “We’re right here, baby. All you have to do is ask.”
“Like a burger.”
“Oh. Mind if we tag along?”
All three look at me expectantly.
“Sure, why not? Logan will love it. Get ready for non-stop questions and bug facts.”
15
DAKOTA
“Lash! Stiff! Jackal!”Logan comes running so fast he trips over his own feet.
Only Jackal’s quick hands save him, stopping Logan with his nose only an inch off the ground, then hauls him back onto his feet by his backpack. “Take it easy, buddy. We’re not going anywhere.”
Diana gives me a questioning look. She pulls me to the side, her eyes locked on the guys. “Who are they?”
“Old friends of the family. They’re helping me with Georgia’s apartment. I’ll see you tomorrow!”
Her eyes follow us all the way back to the car and motorcycles.
“Can I ride?” Logan looks hopefully up at Stiff, who’s closest.
I shake my head vehemently. “No way, José. Into the car seat like usual.”
He sighs like I just killed his dreams.
“Your mom’s right,” Jackal says, backing me up. “It’s not safe, but we’ll look into something so you get a try another day, okay?”
Logan lights up at that, and grins all the way from pre-school to the burger place Stiff picked out. And if he was lit up before, he’s practically a shining beacon when he sees the inside. There’s a whole room with arcade and pinball games. It’s not quite Pizza Castle, but close.
His eyes are big as saucers. “I wanna play!”
“Food first.” I cut him off at the pass and steer him over to the counter.
A couple minutes later, we’ve found a table without direct line of sight to the games so Logan can focus long enough to get some food in him before going wild. He’s sitting between Lash and Jackal, beaming. Watching Lash with Logan, it makes me wonder what Lash’s little brother would say about theirrelationship as children. I bet Lash was a lot more important to Eric than he thinks. None of them treat him like most adults treat kids. They talk to him like he’s a little biker, with slightly less swearing, and Logan is eating it up.
I probably look like a love-struck teenager the way I’m sitting here with my vanilla milkshake and just watching them. I always wished Logan had a dad that wasn’t a useless asshole, and this is exactly how I imagine that would be. Maybe not the motorcycles or the weapon-shaped bulges under their clothes, but the rest? Yeah.
