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abs with both hands as if it somehow proved his point

“Sa a little tired “As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, we live in the south, dear, they haven’t quite ee here just yet”

I stood fro froay al in the south, and I knew that the idea was fucking ridiculous, but I illing to spew just about anything to come up with a solution Not to mention, that so over our little family

“Sa It will just take time,” Grace reassured me I looked down at her and took hold of her outstretched hand, bending down I pulled her into a hug and she wrapped her tiny arms around my waist She smelled like peppermint and the potpourri she always kept out on the table in the living rooht have mistaken for trail mix once or twice

Or six times

“We’ve got this, Grace,” Bear said, echoing h, he didn’t sound as convinced as I was

I squatted down next to Grace “We will just have to be a little more…creative”

Grace patted ood boy, Sa so fast it would’ve fallen right off “Oh, and before I forget, don’t forget to check in on Mirna like I asked She’s been more off than usual lately and I want to make sure she’s looked after while I’m away”

“You got it,” I said, planting one last kiss on her forehead and standing up, straightening the crease in my pants Mirna’s house was one of the first Granny Growhouses in our operation Plus, shegood, I’ve seriously thought about rubbing the today, actually,” I assured her

“When will you be back?” Bear asked

“A feeeks or so Not too long,” Grace answered, with a little too lance above Grace’s head She was heading out of town to some facility she’d talked up to sound like a resort and spa for a feeeks, but Bear and I had our suspicions so we’d called the place after she’d first spoke about it and sure enough, it was a es of cancer Grace rarely said the C e were around and vowed that she was going to live forever

“You need a ride up there?” I asked

Grace waved us off “Boys, stop worrying aboutNow go! Go! I’ll see you two in a feeeks”

I was the kind of un at all tiue with Grace when she had herto live forever then it was best to believe her and leave it at that

Bear rounded the table and said his good-bye’s, and I followed hiot the number of that place?”

“Yeah, I called to ot a private room,” I said

“Good, one of the brothers has a stepsister orks there She’s going to keep an eye on her,” Bear said

There wasn’tcare of Grace, even if it was behind her back, was one of those rare things that didn’t require an arguer

“Drop et ht before we ride out”

I nodded While Grace was gone Bear was going to be out on a ride with the Bastards, so somewhere I didn’t really know the details because I really never listened to what he said, and right then there was so me about our earlier conversation “I ’s kid? That’s kind of bullshit” I kneas odd to be offended because my very heterosexual friend wouldn’tto save the kid of their other very heterosexual friend, but there wasn’t a fucking thing I wouldn’t do to e part, it was the thought that Bearme all twitchy

So people

With one hand on the front gate of the fence lining Grace’s yard, Bear stopped and turned around “The truth? Ain’t nothing I wouldn’t do to get King’s kid back for hi know that Believe it or not, this shit isn’t all about you”

I felt better knoere on the saht be true, but what’s also true is that all this sucksasshole”

“That it does, ate

“Hey Bear, you want to knohat they call gay al?” I asked as we reached the car

“No, but I have a feeling you’re going to telltoannoyed

“Marriage, you fucking idiot,” I said, flicking hied over to er

“I ca baaaallll” I belted out the openat a bunch of teenagers walking across the causeway The group of irls scrunched up their noses in confusion as if they’d never been the victi before

“Fucking teenagers,” Imy radio duet at a volume not fully appreciated by most, and especially not appreciated by the party-pooper next towas causing his dick to tie itself in a knot

“We’re all feeling shitty about King and Max, Bear, but do you have to look so constipated?” I asked, punching him in the shoulder

Bear was silent for a moment He blew out a breath and scratched the back of his neck “It’s not just King It’s my old man too He’s been all over ate Bear looked up to the darkened clubhouse, staring at it like he could see so more than s and walls

“Fuck your old man,” I said “That motherfucker best never step to me or I’ll show him the Preppy special”

“What exactly is the Preppy special?” Bear asked, one bushy blond eyebrow quirked up

I er and pointed it up to the clubhouse “A bullet with a side of bow tie” I shot un noise with my mouth

Bear laughed, not that fake-laugh shit he’d been trying to pass off as the real deal these last feeeks, but a real, live, genuine laugh, which was a relief to hear, considering the cloud of doo around in Motherfucker could be so serious sometimes, it made my dick hurt

Bear got out with a good-bye salute and disappeared behind the gate

I headed to Mirna’s, feeling , and protect the people I called family

There was nothing I wouldn’t do

No one I wouldn’t kill

If only it were that fucking easy

CHAPTER TWO

DRE

I have cum in my hair