He doesn’t say the wordstraffickingbut we all know what he’s referring to.
Willow made a statement and it was broadcast on the news, she credited the whole operation to me, Brew, Cash and the MC. It wasn’t like we needed the recognition, but it still helps with people’s perceptions of the MC. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll be readily accepted into society and not be looked down on because we’re bikers. None of that worries me, though. Lookingaround the table tonight I’ve never felt so much love in the room, even with two grumps at the table.
Brew is still fussing over Erica, but she’s waving him off and telling him to get back to his dinner before it gets cold. He can’t wait to be a father, but I see the angst and worry in his eyes, too.
I know he’ll be the best dad. He’d do anything for the girls in his life, and the new baby on the way. Just as it should be.
“The force is extremely grateful to the MC,” Willow says, looking around the table. “This one crept up on us, and they deserve the credit because they were the ones who saved the prisoners and even more lives from being ruined. Not that I agree with taking matters into your own hands, but these people had to be stopped.”
There’s a few murmurs around the table.
“That they do. I think when you join forces, you’re unstoppable,” Mom says, glancing over to me. “I’m so proud of my boys, of all of you.”
It wasn’t like Willow to go praising the MC a few years ago, but she’s lightened up a lot since getting back with Haze. She sees what the MC has been trying to do, and while it may have seemed like we were a thorn in her and the force’s side, we just want to help people. She doesn’t condone vigilante justice, and she’d never ask what happened to the bodies at the motel that night, but we all know it’s the elephant in the room. She got some of the bad guys (we kept a couple alive), closed the entire operation down on national television, and assured the citizens they were cracking down on this and had set up a special task force.
Nobody really wants to know what happened to the men that didn’t get away, but the few we did leave with bullets in them were clearly gunned down in self defence, according to Willow. I guess it doesn’t hurt to have a cop on your side every once in a while.
“Well, let’s not put a damper on things,” Nova says, squeezing my hand. “The bad guys were put away, and we all lived to fight another day.”
“Wait, is it true that you and Luna went undercover?” Olive asks, clearly she’s been dying to know because she’s wide eyed in anticipation.
Nova leans over to her. “I’d like to tell you, but that’s strictly club business,” she whispers that last part, tapping her nose. “We’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
Olive’s eyes go wide as she nods.
Christ knows where Olive heard that from, and Erica gives her a look across the table like she’s wondering the same thing.
“Eat your vegetables,” Brew tells her. “Less of the hundred questions while people are tryin’ to eat.”
Olive is too polite to flip him off or even poke her tongue out. She’s a good kid, and Brew adores her, but he’s always saying she talks too much. “Fine,” she sighs. “Dad, can you pass the peas?”
The entire table stops. Brew’s brow furrows, but not at her, at the rest of us. “What?” he barks.
“Dad?” Casey mouths. “This is new.”
Olive shrugs. “I know I have another dad, but Brew is much nicer, and never yells at us, I’d much rather call him my dad than my real one.”
Erica’s hand squeezes Brew’s and he smiles. “That’s my girl.”
Mom and Chris hold hands, looking really proud as they look down the table.
“Well, it’s gonna be a couple of years until you hear the new kid say anythin’ coherent,” Haze says. “So she may as well test it out.”
“Uncle Haze,” Olives sighs. “You’re really annoying.”
Everyone laughs and he flicks a pea at her, and then gets told off by my mom for attempting a food fight.
“I’ll have you know kids start blabberin’ about one year’s old, right honey?” Brew asks Erica.
She nods. “Two-word sentences by two, but Da-Da and Ma-Ma is a pretty easy one right off the bat at around ten months,” she tells us.
Padyen says something to Logan and he shakes his head.
Nova whispers to me, “Is it just me, or are those two acting shady?”
Of course, she noticed, too.
“Was just thinkin’ the same thing,” I murmur.