my connections to give her a new identity and new life.
“Mags is a liar, a cheater, and a virus of the worse kind. Trouble follows her and Jemma is always there to get her out. I was never married for love. I was married to help her get a green card and to have a safe place to stay.
“I didn’t value love and a relationship like I do now. You feel me?” He finishes as he looks right through my soul.
“I feel you,” I whisper right before he seals his lips to mine.
We remain in a heated kiss before he breaks it and looks me in the eyes again. His expression is impassive. I can’t get a read on him.
“One more thing, darlin’,” he says firmly. “Just like when we’re fucking, when it’s just you and me, I’m Owen to you. Brick is who I am to my brothers, not my woman.”
“Okay, Owen.” I smirk.
“Now turn around, I want to know everything I don’t know about you and you can ask me anything you like,” he commands.
I turn and settle between his legs. “Well, where do you want me to start?” I look over my shoulder to say.
I reach for his legs and run my hands over his powerful thighs that are beside me. “I’ll be needing to feed you soon, so how about you start with what you like to eat? You still make those pancakes?”
I freeze in his arms and blink up at him. I know I must be looking at him with a stunned expression on my face. I search his eyes, not comprehending how he remembers such a thing.
“You remember that?” I say in awe.
I can’t believe he does. One summer, when Brick was home from college, he and King had stayed out late partying. The next morning—because I knew it was the only way I could hang out with them—I made them breakfast.
He snorts. “Best damn pancakes I’ve ever had in my life. How could I forget?”
I made pancakes, eggs, and bacon. I recall they both devoured every last crumb. I was so proud of myself that day. I never in a million years would have thought he would remember that.
“I was like fourteen.” I wrinkle my nose at him.
“Yeah, so, do you still make ‘em, cause it’s been that long since I had good pancakes,” he says with a sparkle in his eyes.
I nod and give him a small smile back. “Yeah, I do. We may need to go to the store.”
“No problem.” He nods and starts to massage my shoulders. “Now, tell me what your plans are after graduation.”
Chapter 9
Forgotten Kings
Mix
Somewhere in the Georgia mountains…
“King thinks you’re in New York checking on things?” the old man in the wheelchair asks. His voice is raspy and strained, not at all what it used to be.
“Yeah, I have my boys in New York seeing to things until I get there,” I reply.
“He’s running a tight ship, I see,” he says with a firm nod and pursed lips.
“Yeah, the kid is doing well. I’m proud of him,” I say and nod my head. I am proud of King even if I have a suspicion he’s keeping something from me. I guess we’re about even there.
In the end, it will all be a matter of who’s willing to forgive who. I’d say I’ve had more time to deal with what I have been suspecting. King is going to be blindsided with this completely.
“Does he know trouble is headed his way yet?”
“No.” I shake my head with a grim frown on my face. “I’ve kept a lid on things. I think his iron fist has held things off for this long. No one can find a way in. Too many are scared to come after the Lost Souls. They know about the Squad and are scared shitless of them.”
The old man grins as much as his scared face will allow. “I would fear them if I didn’t know the face of death for myself,” he says. His grin falls as quickly as it appears. I know the conversation is about to take another turn. The same turn it takes every time I’m here. “Any change?”
“No brother, not yet.” I don’t have the heart to say there never will be. I know hope of there someday being a change is the only thing holding this brother up.
He swallows hard as he looks off into the distance. “How does an old son of a bitch like me get so lucky…”