Rev paused with a beer to his lips as Reilly came out of The Barn and practically bounced across the courtyard. Her movements looked like she had done a few lines of coke followed by a hit of acid.
What the actual fuck.
No one ever said she was graceful. Because she sure as fuck wasn’t.
In fact, his heart caught in his throat as she stumbled and almost face-planted halfway to the pavilion.
“Jesus fuck,” he muttered before taking a long draw on the can to keep from rushing over to her. When he was done swallowing his beer along with his instinct to protect her, he realized he’d almost crushed the can within his fingers.
Maybe he needed to switch over to the hard stuff.
Yeah, that woman was enough to make anyone drink. Especially him.
While he was relieved to see her so happy, it bugged the shit out of him that he didn’t know why. If Trip and Deacon had grilled her about where she’d been and what she’d been doing for the last week—and with who—he doubted she’d be wearing that huge-ass smile. It only made him more curious about why Trip and Deacon hauled her, and no one else, inside and upstairs.
He’d have to pull her aside and find out. Right now, the courtyard was packed, and it would be for hours yet. He glanced around to find he wasn’t the only one who noticed she was beaming and excited. It also bugged him that he wasn’t the only one with a functioning dick watching her closely. He was damn sure Reilly was spank bank material for some of his club brothers.
But she was also hard to ignore since Cujo was snarling and snapping at her heels like the asshole Chihuahua he was.
Between the two of them, it was comic entertainment.
Rook yelled for Cujo, but the dog ignored him. Jet rushed over to scoop up the tiny terror so he didn’t trip Reilly as she finished heading over to the pavilion where the ladies gathered.
Yeah, now was not the time to get her attention since she was surrounded by nosy eyes and ears. As soon as the sun went down, he’d have to catch her somewhere no one else would see or hear them.
It wasn’t like everyone wasn’t used to seeing Reilly flitting around the parties and pig roasts being over-friendly and social, but if Rev got her aside, he was going to have a hard time not touching her.
And that could cause a problem.
Not could. Would.
Because his urge to touch her involved a lot more than a friendly hug or handshake. Or casual flirting. So, it would be safer if he had an opportunity to get her somewhere private. And not in his room.
He was surprised how fast he’d gotten comfortable with her sharing his bed and sleeping by his side while in Coatesville. The best part of the trip was being able to simply roll over and slide right between her thighs whenever he wanted.
He had to turn away from watching her now because he was starting to get a semi. He needed to focus on anything other than her. Across the open courtyard, he spotted his sister talking with Chelle’s daughters, Maddie and Josie.
He hadn’t had a chance to tell Saylor that their “father” was dead yet. He was sure the news would put her in a better mood than she already was. She might even start bouncing around the courtyard like Reilly.
Fuck it, there was no better time like the present. Hopefully that conversation would help get his mind off the blonde now sitting under the pavilion laughing and drinking with the rest of the women.
With a few interested eyes, not only the ones in his own head, turned her way.
Reilly peered over the lip of her wine-filled Solo cup as she watched Rev swagger across the courtyard in the direction of Saylor, Maddie and Josie. When he got to the girls, he stood chatting with them, a relaxed smile on his handsome face as he sipped a beer held in one hand and occasionally took a drag on a hand-rolled held in the other.
When Saylor held out her hand for the cigarette, Reilly realized it wasn’t tobacco but something stronger.
“Funny how you disappeared at the same time as Rev did,” Autumn murmured. Her hazel eyes were also glued with interest to Rev across the courtyard.
Chelle’s daughters appeared to be playfully flirting with him while Saylor took a couple of long hits off the joint. Suddenly the smoke shot out both her nose and mouth as she doubled over in laughter at whatever had been said.
After seeing the nightmare in Coatesville, she was glad Rev’s baby sister was happy for the most part and could laugh. It was amazing what support and a loving family could do for someone.
Reilly included.
“And magically reappeared at the same time, too,” Autumn finished softly.
Reilly pulled her gaze from the small group and glanced over at Reese to see if her sister had heard Red.
“Coincidence,” she murmured. She twisted on the picnic bench to face the red-headed woman who was around the same age as her. Reilly needed to change the topic and quickly. “Trip said you’ll do the books for the new business.”
Sig’s old lady smiled. “Yes, they already added that responsibility onto my pile.”
Reilly frowned. “Will it be too much for you?”
Autumn shook her head. “No. Honestly, I really don’t have enough work right now. I want to keep busy and earn my keep. Once I got all the books straightened out for the rest of the businesses, including the garage and Justice Bail Bonds, I now only need to keep ahead of it. Luckily, Deke was good at keeping the bail bonds books up to date, Dutch, not so much when it came to the garage.”
Reilly laughed. “Yeah, he doesn’t give a shit about keeping track of bills and receipts and the rest.” She dropped her voice low and made it gruff to sound like Dutch. “‘That’s all a buncha bullshit!’” Reilly then scratched her non-existent balls.
Red giggled softly. “Well, thank you for tracking down a lot of the paperwork I needed. That helped a lot. The man would keep a greasy receipt for a hamburger but not one for an alternator, an actual business expense.”
“Hey, I was just happy I didn’t have to do the bookkeeping at all for the garage and now for the emergency housing business. I hate that side of it.”
“Your sister will be happy about you running the new business. Does it have a name yet? Sig didn’t say.”
Reilly shrugged. “They didn’t mention one. They offered me the opportunity to run it but that’s about it. Reese is supposed to be handling the paperwork.” She turned toward her sister who sat with Chelle and Cassie at the next table. “Hey, sis!”
Reese glanced over her shoulder at her.
“Is there a name for the new business?”
Her older sister turned on the bench seat to face Red and Reilly, a plastic Solo cup in her hand, too. “I’m working on putting the paperwork together now. Trip didn’t give me a name. Did they make you the offer? Is that why they dragged you inside?”
Reilly nodded.
Reese smiled. “And? I assume you said yes?”
“Of course. But the business needs a name if no one picked one already.”
“It’s going to be your business for the most part, you pick,” her sister said.
“It’s the Fury’s business,” Reilly corrected her. “I’ll only manage it.”
“Trip wants you to run it as your own. The more money the business makes, the more you’ll make.”
“And the more the club makes,” Reilly added.
“But it’s a business you don’t have to invest a dime in, Reilly. It doesn’t get any better than that. It’s no risk to you.”
Reese was right.
“Truthfully, I’m excited. I’ll finally get to put my education to use and you can stop harping on me about that.”
Reese rolled her eyes. “That education wasn’t cheap.”
“Eventually, I’ll be able to pay you back.” If she did, that would be one less thing Reese could hold over her head.
“I don’t need to be paid back. I’ve never asked that of you. I wanted to give you a solid start in life, that’s all.”
“And you did and I appreciate it. If I can, I want to pay you back,” Reilly insisted.
“I don’t need the money,” Reese said with a frown.
“Then donate it to charity,” Reilly snapped, unable to control the irritation at her sister’s stubbornness.
“Yes!” Cassie chimed in, attempting to cut the tension between the sisters. “That’s a great idea. You can donate it to the Kids Can Do Foundation.”
Kids Can Do was the children’s cancer foundation Cassie’s late husband stole tens of thousands of dollars from. The BFMC had organized a couple of fundraisers so far to raise enough money to replace the funds the asshole embezzled from the charity. Even though Cassie had nothing to do with the crime, she still felt guilty and wanted to help Kids Can Do recover some of their loss. Not to mention, it was a worthwhile cause.
It also didn’t hurt for the club to be involved in goodwill by doing charity fundraisers or helping the less fortunate in and around town. It helped settle the townspeople’s fears when it came to the growing BFMC since the Originals had wreaked havoc on the town all those years ago. Havoc some town residents still remembered.
“That’s fine with me,” Reese answered, getting up from where she sat and moving next to Reilly.
“Then that’s the plan,” Reilly said.
“But with your first million, I’d like you to get out of that apartment and into a house out here.”
Reilly sighed. “So my every move can be watched?”
Reese’s lips pinned flat.
Stella cut in from two tables over. “Reilly, you know Trip wants everyone as close as possible. Not so you can be watched in the way you mean, but to keep you safe. He worries. Judge worries. Hell, they all worry.”
Jet, Rook’s ol’ lady, said, “Just because the feds raided the Shirleys’ compound, doesn’t mean they’re no longer a problem. For all we know, it might only be a temporary reprieve. We don’t know where some of them went, if any of them were released from custody or if any are coming back. Even if the government seizes their land, that won’t stop them from squatting up there. They live by their own laws and they don’t care about breaking real ones.”
“Exactly. They don’t give a shit what the government does,” Stella reminded them. “They think they are their own government. Just because the feds take their land doesn’t mean they won’t try to take it back. In fact, count on it.”
“The guys are aware of that, right?” Reilly asked.
“Of course,” Stella, the black-haired, heavily-tattooed bar owner answered. “They’re using the prospects to keep an eye on things.”
“Speaking of prospects,” Jet began, “Scar isn’t going to be helping you with the new business, is he?”
Jet hated Scar. She didn’t trust him for a second. The feeling was mutual between former cop and the ex-felon.
“No. Trip said Castle and Bones for now.” She was glad she wouldn’t be responsible to keep Scar in line. Even though both Castle and Bones were recently released from prison, too, they didn’t seem as intimidating as Scar. They didn’t look as scary, either.
“Good. Ladies, please be cautious around him,” Jet warned. “I really don’t want to have to plug a .45 between his eyes because he did something stupid with one of you.”
“If he does something ‘stupid’ to one of us, you’ll never get that chance,” Cassie said. “One of the guys will do it first.”
“True,” Jet said on a laugh.
“Does Rook regret sponsoring him?” Chelle asked, her head tipped to the side. She was wearing her glasses and would look like the school librarian she was if it weren’t for the torn jeans, the curve-hugging Harley T-shirt and “Property of Shade” cut she wore. It made her look like a librarian badass, if there was such a thing. If not, Chelle would be the definition. She not only rocked the look, she was one hot momma. “He is really damn scary. I wouldn’t want to be alone with him in a dark alley.”
“Yeah,” Jet agreed softly. “Rook’s being cautiously optimistic that Scar will end up being an asset to the club. I hope he’s not wrong.”
“I see he started to get that teardrop lasered off,” Autumn mentioned.
“That was one of Trip’s requirements,” Stella explained.
Jemma wandered over, carrying Dyna. She sat down and propped the ten-month-old baby girl in her lap.
“Where’s Tessa?” Reilly asked, tempted to grab the baby and blow on her pudgy belly to make her laugh.
Jemma shrugged and flapped a hand over her shoulder. “Now that the run is over, I told her I’d take Dyna and she should go have fun for the rest of the day and night. She said she might have a date later and won’t be home until,” Cage’s ol’ lady shrugged, “later.”
That meant Trip’s sister might not be coming home at all tonight.
“With who?” Stella asked, her eyebrows pinned together.
Judge’s sister shrugged. “Not my business. She’s old enough to have her own life.”
Reilly bugged out her eyes. “Right? Just like I am. And Tessa is younger than me.”
“No one says you can’t date,” Reese muttered.
“Just as long as whoever I date doesn’t wear a Fury cut, right?”
“Have you ever seen anyone wearing a Fury cut date?” Reese asked.
Reilly’s eyebrows rose. “What did you and Deacon do?” Already knowing the answer was not dating.
Stella snorted so loudly that all the ladies burst out laughing.
Reilly turned toward the president’s ol’ lady. “Did you and Trip date?”
She snorted again, not as loudly this time. “No, we fought and fucked.”
Jet laughed. “Same. I highly recommend it. Hate fucks are the best.”
Reilly turned to Autumn. “Did you and Sig date?”
“No. We… uh… No.”
Reilly turned toward Chelle. “How about you and Shade?”
Chelle’s cheeks bloomed pink. “We spent a lot of time together.”
“Sure you did,” Reilly huffed, “in bed.”
“And other places,” Chelle added, the pink in her cheeks turning to a flaming red.
Reilly leaned forward. “Jemma? Cassie?”
Judge’s ol’ lady lifted a hand. “Keep me out of this. I think you can sleep with whoever you want to sleep with. We’re all independent women who are secure with our sexuality.”
“Damn right!” Stella yelled, pumping her fist into the air and hooting loudly. A bunch of interested eyes of the male variety turned their direction.
“Cage and I definitely didn’t date. I didn’t want anything to do with him in that way. I was treating him as if he was poison ivy.” Jemma sighed. “But I agree with Cass. If you want to bang Dodge one night and Whip the next… or Ozzy and Easy at the same time, who am I to judge? More power to you, girl.” She lifted her wine with one hand and with the other helped steady the bottle in Dyna’s mouth as the baby contently drank formula. “I think it’s wrong that just because we are the sisters of Fury members that we were put on some damn list in the first place. That’s crazy. That’s like us putting them on a list to try to control who they fuck. Ridiculous. And archaic.”
Reilly lifted her plastic cup high in the air. “Hear! Hear! Now someone’s talking some sense. I should be able to sleep with whoever I want to. Fury member, hang-around, Joe Schmo or even the Easter fucking Bunny. Who cares?”
“I care,” Reese said. “I don’t want you getting hurt again.”
Reilly sighed and as she lifted her glass to her lips, she spotted Amber approaching Rev from behind. He was unaware she was there until the sweet butt tucked her arms under his cut and wrapped them around his waist, pressing herself to his back. And not in a friendly bear hug type of way, either.
Reilly could only imagine what her hands were grabbing onto on the front side of the biker.
She began to stand but forced herself back to her seat. She couldn’t say anything and she definitely couldn’t go over there and act like some jealous bitch. She needed to remain where she was and not let any of what was normal activity between the single bikers and the sweet butts bother her.
It never bothered her before. It shouldn’t bother her now.
Rev turned in Amber’s arms with a frown and Reilly was right. Amber was grabbing his crotch and giving him a big smile.
And probably an offer to take care of his business for him in one way or another.
Reilly sucked air through her nostrils and more wine down her throat before forcing her attention back to the ladies.
Shit. What had they been talking about?
Oh, yeah, the list that she, Tessa and Saylor were on. And now Maddie and Josie, too. The “They’re Not Virgins But Let’s Pretend They Are” list.
She grimaced and peeked back over in Rev’s direction again. Amber had moved on, thankfully, and he now had his sister pulled off to the side. They were having what looked like a serious conversation. Maybe he was telling her what happened in Coatesville. Reilly couldn’t see Saylor’s expression because Rev’s broad body blocked her.
“Did you start unpacking your boxes yet?” Reese’s question snapped her back to the pavilion.
“Not yet. It took forever to unload them from the car yesterday. That’s one downfall of living on the second floor.”
“You should’ve called. Deke and I would’ve come over to help carry them up.”
“I needed the exercise.”
“So, who did you visit with? Did you girls have fun?”
Suuure. We lived in a horror movie during the day and a porno at night.
“Yes, it was nice to see some of my old friends,” she fibbed.
“I bet they were worried when they found out what happened to you.”
“I didn’t bring that up.”
“Well, they’re welcome to come up here to visit anytime.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Reilly said smartly.
A few emotions crossed Reese’s face and none of them were good.
They also made Reilly feel awful for causing them. “Sorry.”
“Me, too,” Reese said softly. “I know you want to do your own thing, Reilly, I do. I also know I’m overprotective, but you know why. I’m trying to do better, I am. I’m sorry I’m failing at it. Taking care of you and being worried about you is deeply ingrained in me. It has been since the moment you were born. It’s a hard habit to break.”
Reilly squeezed her eyes shut for a moment because that unfamiliar sting was bothering her again. She thought about how Saylor and Rev grew up. In a totally rigid and loveless house.
Reese always tried her best, even when she didn’t have to. Even when it wasn’t her responsibility. Reilly never felt unloved by her. Not once.
Reese, even as a child, had done a better job at being a parent to Reilly than John and Rachel Schmidt had ever been to Saylor and Rev.
She opened her eyes and grabbed Reese’s free hand, giving it a squeeze. “No. I’m sorry. I’m lucky I had you.”
“You still have me. No matter what.”
“And you have me,” Reilly said. “Always.”
Reese gave her a soft smile and cleared the thick from her throat. “That’s what family is for… Anyway, I’m excited for this new opportunity for you.”
“Me, too. I love you and I love this crazy, patchwork family of ours. It’s crazy how we ended up here but I’m glad we did.”
Reese nodded. “I never, ever could have imagined it.” She laughed and shook her head. “Look at me, wearing a leather vest that says I’m property of a man.”
“Hell froze over the day you first put that on. But seriously… I doubt Deke holds you to that.”
Her sister’s expression turned serious. “He’d like to.”
“But he doesn’t. I don’t think he’d ever want to try to take away how strong and independent you are. He loves that about you.”
“And I love that he respects that. Which is why I wear his cut on club runs without an argument. I do it for him.”
Reilly wouldn’t doubt Reese wore it for herself, too. Deacon made her realize there was so much more to life than burying herself in her work. Every time she donned Deacon’s cut and climbed on his sled, Reese allowed the pressures of life to fall away. Even if only temporarily.
Before Deacon, all she did was focus on her career. Reilly had been afraid she’d work herself to death.
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“You have no idea,” Reese breathed. She glanced around first before lowering her voice so only Reilly could hear her. The other women were now busy chit-chatting and drinking at the other tables. “But I’m also really scared right now.”
Her strong, fearless sister was scared?
“What about? Me?”
“No…” She shook her head. “I’m pregnant.”
“Holy shit,” Reilly whispered. Her eyes landed on the cup her sister was clutching like a lifeline.
“It’s iced tea,” Reese answered her unasked question after again making sure no one else was listening in on their whispered conversation.
“Does Deke know?”
“Of course.”
“Does anyone else know?” Reilly asked.
“Not yet. It’s early and we want to wait until after the first trimester to tell everyone. I’m not old but I am older and we just want to get past that first hurdle. And… I know Trip’s been working on Stella about having children, so I don’t want to put any more pressure on her. Plus, Judge and Cassie have been planning, too… I’m positive Cass will announce something soon. I think they were waiting to see how the Shirley thing shook out.”
“Was this planned?” Not once had Reese ever mentioned wanting children that she could remember.
“Not really,” Reese admitted. “Chalk it up to birth control failure.”
“Like Dyna.”
“Yes. Dyna is one reason I’m not so upset about it. Dyna’s a precious gift and she started to bring out the motherly instinct in me every time I held her. Also, every time I hold her, I remember cuddling you when you were that age. I remember holding you tight and hoping… praying I didn’t fail you. I was so scared, Reilly. I really was. After all that, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to raise another child again, even my own.”
“You were eleven when I was born. Of course you were scared. What eleven-year-old can successfully raise a baby?” Reilly raised a hand. “You, of course. Because you’re a badass bitch, even when you were eleven. You put your mind to something and you get it done, no matter what. Tenacious should be your ol’ lady road name. I have no doubt you’ll be a badass mother this time around, too. And look at it this way, now you’re an expert because you have raising me under your belt.”
Reese laughed softly. “I’m certainly not an expert. I screwed up so many times with you.”
“And here we sit alive and well, with only a few emotional and physical scars. We survived.” She smiled at Reese. “Well, I’m happy for you. And I can’t wait to be an auntie. More importantly, I can’t wait for Deacon to be a daddy. Holy shit, he’ll be awesome at it. Daddy Deacon. I like the ring of that.”
Reese’s lips twitched. “He does, too.”
“Having a baby might put a kink in your kink,” Reilly teased.
“Having a baby will put a kink in a lot of things. Deke mentioned getting a house mouse to help out while we work, but I don’t know…”
“You’ve got time to decide.”
“There’s a really good daycare the next block down from my office. Plus, there’s always Lottie, though I’d hate to dump that kind of burden on Deke’s mother at this point in her life.”
“Again, you have time. Don’t stress it. You’ve got a huge family here to help, too.”
Reese’s smile broadened. “That’s for damn sure. You know, I’d hate to give that asshole Warren any credit but one good thing came out of that mess…”
“More than one,” Reilly corrected, slightly tipping her head to Reese’s stomach.
“True. More than one.”
“And lots more to come,” Reilly promised.
“Let’s hope the bad times are behind us and we only have good times ahead.” Reese lifted her drink and Reilly tapped their cups together.
She glanced over to where Rev stood, now by himself, leaning against The Barn, one hand buried deep in his front jeans pocket, a beer bottle hanging by his side between two fingers of his other hand. His bright blue eyes turned in Reilly’s direction.
Yes, she hoped the bad times were behind all of them and only good times lie ahead.
But life had a habit of throwing them all curve balls when they least expected it.
