Not much had changed except for the fact the walls were painted a robin’s egg blue, when, before, they’d been a sickening yellow. The carpet had been replaced by cream tiles and a dark blue rug, and the leather sofas were no longer black but brown.
When I looked around, measuring the place up, I saw the kids were staring at us. Most were Amaryllis’s age, but there were a couple a few years older. The eldest was around eleven, and I tipped my chin at the kid who gulped, then pointed at his chest as if to say, ‘Me?’
Nodding, I waited for him to approach, and when he did, I squatted down to his level. “That’s the Prez’s daughter. If anyone so much as prods her, you tell them that whatever they do to her, I’ll do to them back. Twice as hard.”
The boy gulped, his eyes huge in his skinny face as he whispered, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Name?” I asked. “Just so I can tell your parents that I warned you.”
It might have seemed cruel, but these little fuckers were spawned by bigger fuckers. They all had attitude problems—I’d been one of them, so I knew. This little shit here was, without doubt, the ringleader by age alone.
“Lawrence.”
I cocked a brow at him. “Lawrence. Who’s your daddy?”
“I’m Wheels’ boy.”
“He’s still here?” I said with a laugh, pleased by that. Most brothers stayed for life, but that life could run short. I was glad to know the SOB was still on this plain and wasn’t messing around with my dad and the devil.
“Yes, ma’am. Don’t worry. I’ll tell the others.”
“Good. I’m putting her safety on your shoulders, Lawrence. Don’t you dare let me down.”
He gulped again, then in a squeaky voice, inquired, “Are you Lucie?”
My eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask that?”
He shrugged. “I just… I saw a picture of you and my mom told me some stuff.”
“Who’s your mom?”
“You threatening my boy, Lucie?”
I straightened, preparing myself for a catfight, then my mouth dropped open and I squealed, “Dorie?”
The brunette grinned then launched herself at me. “What the hell are you doing back here, Lucie?”
I shrugged. “Home. It was time I showed my face.”
She reached up and pinched my cheek. “And what a face. No wonder Wolfe stormed inside here looking like someone had set his cut on fire.”
Snorting, I told her, “You know him and I always did raise hell together.”
“Something like that, that’s for damn sure.” She cocked a brow. “You here for good or just a little while?”
“For good.” I pointed at Amaryllis, who was picking through one of the many boxes in the room. “She’s mine.”
A gasp escaped Dorie, and I nodded before she even asked, “Wolfe’s? What the—” Dorie’s mouth worked for a second and she shook her head. “You were pregnant when Bomber—”
“Yes.” I didn’t want to talk about it. Not now, at least. “Where did Wolfe go?”
“He’s in his office.”
Daddy’s office.
I gnawed on my lip, but before I could say another word, Dorie called out, “Lawrence?”
Her son stepped over to her, his chin lowered. “Yes, Momma?”
“Did you break that window?”
The kid licked his lips. “No.”
Dorie narrowed her eyes. “Did. You. Break. That. Window?”
I had to stop myself from smirking because, shit, not only was it hard to imagine little Dorie being a mom, but reprimanding an eleven-year-old?
I wasn’t even fucking sure when that had happened, because she sure as shit didn’t have a kid when I’d left.
Lawrence’s shoulders dropped. “How did you find out it was me?”
“Your father told me.”
“And he ratted me out?” Lawrence scowled, his small hands balling into fists that settled on his hips. “That’s not fair.”
“You know what’s not fair? How many shifts I have to take at the diner to cover you and your incapability of aiming your goddamn baseballs at the batter! No allowance for two months.”
He scoffed, “I ain’t had none for three months anyway.”
“Looks like you’re out of dough for longer then, doesn’t it?” I tacked on with a smirk.
Lawrence glared at me, then when I narrowed my eyes at him, he took a step back.
Kid knew not to mess with crazy.
Wheels and Dorie had taught him something, at least.
“Can I go? I have homework?” Lawrence whined.
Dorie nodded, eyes narrowed, and watched him go.
“When did that happen?” I questioned, seeing the affection warring with impatience in the smile she tried to hide as he skulked off.
“Clubwhore dumped the kid on Wheels a few years back. He didn’t know he existed, Lawrence didn’t know Wheels existed either.” She cleared her throat. “I helped out.”
“Then helped yourself to an old man?” I teased, elbowing her in the side.
She giggled and covered her face. “Maybe,” she admitted sheepishly.
“You always did like the ones who stank of grease and motor oil.” My nose wrinkled in disgust. “Is he treating you right?”
“You think I’d let him treat me anything less than that?” Dorie demanded, her shoulders stiffening in mock outrage.
“Good.” As I laughed, I held out my hand and we bumped fists.
“Got two little girls with him now. He’s a good man, Lucie.”
“I’m glad.” And I meant that. I’d always liked Dorie, and she deserved an old man who was good to her. “Now I have a man of my own to wrangle.” I didn’t suck down air like I was drowning, even though I wanted to, but only because I’d never let anyone, not even Dorie, see a hint of weakness.
“Good luck.”
My smile was tight. “I figure I’ll be needing it.”
❖
Flame
“You scared the piss outta that kid.”
Lucie jolted at the statement, and then when she saw it was me, she grinned. “Doing what I do best, Flame. Scaring the piss out of anything with an X and a Y chromosome.”
Her laughter had me grinning at her. Fuck that. It wasn’t just a grin. I was beaming like a goddamn set of headlights, and did I give a fuck?
Nope.
No sirree.
This bitch?
She was mine.
If anyone was allowed to make me smile, it was her. She’d more than earned the goddamn right.
“Wolfe sent you after me?” she grilled, cocking a brow my way.
I shrugged. “Kind of. I came on my own accord. Wanted to see what you were about.”
“Wanted to make sure I didn’t try to steal the family jewels?”
Snickering at that, I shook my head. “No. I was curious about you. Always been curious about you and that fucked up head of yours.” I cupped her chin and saw, deep in her eyes, that she took no offense at my words. Why would she? I only spoke the truth and Lucie was many things, but she wasn’t a liar.