Page 39 of Texas

Ruin glared down at us before he waved a hand our way. “Great, babe. Now these two know.”

“Brother, people fart. There ain’t anythin’ to be embarrassed about,” Texas said. “Lucky you didn’t shit yourself in front of your man.”

Ruin ground his teeth together. “It wasn’t Wolf in the bathroom.”

“What?” I laughed. “Who was it?”

Wolf opened his mouth, but Ruin was there, covering it with his hand. “Don’t you dare,” he warned his partner. “Let’s just say it was someone important in the family and leave it at that, but you two aren’t to breathe a damn word of it to anyone.” He dropped his hand to take a grip of Wolf’s wrist. “We’re gonna get a drink.”

After they’d walked off, Texas snorted. “Bet Ruin won’t leave Wolf with the women again.”

Grinning, I nodded. “He’s learned his lesson. Though, I got more enjoyment out of your reaction than anything.”

“Shut it,” he mumbled.

“Maya,” I heard Mum call before I spotted her walking through the throngs of people with Swan at her side. Mum’s smile was cheerful, like she’d just found out something good and just had to share. “There you are. Hey, Texas.”

“Wildcat.” It was what the brothers of the club called her. “Swan.”

Swan raised her hand close to her belly and waved at Texas. “Hi,” she said meekly. She’d admitted to me once that she thought Texas was hot. Not that she’d ever do anything about any type of attraction with anyone. She was too shy and timid. Always had been, even with a mother who was outspoken and loud. Not that Deanna was her biological mother.

“I have good news,” Mum announced.

“What?”

“Your father finally said yes.”

My eyes widened, and I straightened in my seat. “Shut. Up. He did not.”

Swan nodded. “Zara just told my parents. It’s set.”

Standing up, I gripped her hands to raise them in the air and cheered. “Hell yes.”

“What’s this?” Texas asked, and I turned to see him standing behind me.

Beaming, I told him, “Dad finally agreed to let me go with Swan to Queensland for a couple of weeks.”

Texas’s grin faded. “Alone?”

We quieted and I narrowed my gaze at him. “Swan and I will have each other.”

His lips thinned as he peered over at us, but then his attention went to Mum. “You sure the prez agreed?”

Mum smothered her smile by wiping a hand over her mouth. “Yes, Texas.” I wasn’t sure what had her smiling because it wasn’t the reaction building in me. Annoyance surfaced. I was sick of Texas acting like an overprotective brother.

“Maya!” Speaking of brothers, Cody stormed our way. His gaze snapped to Mum. “Mum, you can’t be serious about lettin’ her go to Queensland.”

I groaned. “Cody, I’m freaking twenty-one years old. I can do want I want. You don’t see Griz stopping Swan going.”

Sometimes, I wanted to kick the shit out of the men in my life.

“Never said I was happy about it, though,” Griz put in from somewhere.

“Maya.” My brother’s tone softened. “Come on, sis. You’ll be states away without any of us at your back, and after everything….”

I jutted my chin up. “After everything, you would think my brother would support me having some time away to enjoy life.”

He sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

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