English man next to Viking pointed at Tanner. “That means you were a total fucking twat, mate. Your bitch just dropped you in it.”
“I was.” Tanner’s friends laughed, but I didn’t. They didn’t know of the life he lived. They didn’t know he was abused by his father, beaten until he became the man he was—filled with nothing but hate. They didn’t know how alone he was . . . or how kind he was deep underneath it all.
“Not anymore,” I said, just loud enough for us to hear, and ran my hand over his arm.
Beauty saw the gesture and leaned her head on Tank’s shoulder. “I like seeing you like this, Tann,” she said.
A commotion at the front of the room made us all turn our heads. I couldn’t see over the crowd, but I heard the cheers. It was several minutes before I saw Styx walking through with his wife. And in Mae’s arms was a tiny baby being cradled to her chest. She looked tired, but the smile on her face made me think she appeared the happiest woman in the world.
Beauty was on her feet and rushing toward Mae. The men got up and congratulated Styx. Tanner shook his hand. Styx’s eyes fell on me. Tanner hovered close, but when Styx nodded and moved to sit beside Ky, Tanner’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
Mae came to sit down beside her husband, when her baby started crying. She gave a tired smile. “Styx, I need to feed him.”
Viking, who had taken his seat again, got to his feet. “Mae, as a liberal man, let me be the first to say I have no problem with public feeding—”
AK pulled Viking down to his seat. Styx was glaring at the man so harshly I was surprised he didn’t turn to ash on the spot. I couldn’t help but hide my amusement when Viking saw me watching and winked my way. Who the hell was this man?
“Come on, darlin’. The rest of the ladies are waiting for y’all in the back room anyway. Maddie?” Beauty said, then turned to me. “You coming, Lita?”
My heart started racing as I remembered that room. Remembered the women who were in there . . . and what they had told me.
“I’m . . .” I said quietly. “I’m not sure I’d be welcome in there.” I couldn’t stop thinking of Saffie. The last thing she would want is for her abuser’s daughter to be sitting next to her. Beauty’s smile dropped. Maddie stood beside Mae.
But then Mae stepped forward. “You will be welcome, Adelita. I promise.”
Tanner squeezed my hand. When I looked at his face, he nodded. He leaned closer, then whispered into my ear. “Go. Mae is Styx’s old lady. If she says you’ll be fine, you will. And Beauty will be there. She’ll have your back.” He kissed my lips. “Go meet the other old ladies, baby.” Other old ladies . . . I liked the sound of that.
“Okay,” I agreed and got to my feet. Tanner’s hand slipped from mine, and he handed me my wine.
“Dutch Courage,” he said, just so I could hear.
Moving to Mae, I looked down at her son. He had thick dark hair. Even crying, he was precious. “Que bendicion,” I said, and ran my finger over his hair. “What a blessing,” I translated.
“Thank you.”
Feeling someone watching me, I turned to see Tanner’s gaze fixed on me. He wore a strange expression on his face. My stomach squeezed when I realized it was him looking at me with a baby. My heart skipped a beat when I imagined us this way, being welcomed back by friends after bringing our baby into the world. Our baby. The living proof that we had done it. That we had defied the odds and escaped our old lives. Married, with a family.
My heart grew so full I could barely contain it. But then that feeling of dread quickly washed the dream from my head. I was getting ahead of myself. I was dreaming of too much too soon.
But it was such a lovely dream to aspire to.
Beauty’s arm threaded through mine and we made our way out of the bar, following Maddie and Mae down the hallway. Maddie walked so close to Mae that I knew they must have been related. They had matching long black hair. And Maddie had clearly met Charon before now. She held his little hand all the way to the room the other ladies were in.