known you’d dig a single mom, given your past and all. Kids are your soft spot.” I feel like he’s tryin’ to poke fun at me a bit.
“Like Sydney isn’t yours, and now Neo? Fuck off, bro. You’d do anything for those two, and just wait until Syd starts datin’.” I chuckle, losin’ it around the end ‘cause I know Zane will slaughter anyone who touches her. He might not be her biological father, but that doesn’t mean jack shit.
Zane starts growlin’, clenchin’ his jaw in the process. “Lord help any fucker who tries.” Just as I said, he’ll kill ‘em.
A knock comes to the front of the club and Zorro goes over to open it. I spot Natalie with a basket filled with bags in her arms. What the hell does she have? Zorro takes the basket from her and I hear them sayin’ something but can’t make it out from this far away.
Immediately I go over, “Hey ladies.”
Sorcha comes runnin’ up to me with her doll, “Look! Guess what I named her?”
I kneel on the ground, “No idea. What lovely name did you give her?”
“Grim. She’s a boy, silly!” Well . . . if that statement didn’t just contradict itself, I don’t know what to say.
“Grim, what a sick name.”
“Sick? Like a fever?” Sorcha furrows her brows, tryin’ to understand.
“No, like cool. It’s another word for cool, back from my time. I’m really old you know.”
Sorcha nods and starts to giggle. “Yeah, you’re old like Mummy!”
Natalie busts out into laughter, almost to the point where she’s crying. “I never thought my own children would be so rude to me.”
“I’m not the rude one,” Aggie points out, comin’ from behind her mom.
“You are too!” Davina grumbles in her sister’s direction. Sorcha on the other hand runs off to where the sectional is and starts shouting her doll’s name. I don’t even wanna know the way my brothers are lookin’ at me right now.
“I’m gonna go over to the kitchen and get started. Aggie and Davina said they might even help me a bit. Isn’t that so nice of them?” Natalie asks.
“As long as we can sample, then yes.” Aggie pipes up.
“Shoot, I’d help too if I can sample some.”
Natalie giggles, giving me a knowing look. “I have a feeling that if I let you taste test for me, there won’t be any food left for the rest of your club.”
“You’re damn right about that!” Axel hollers from the couch.
“Damn right!” Sorcha repeats, causin’ Natalie’s face to flush red. She rushes over to Sorcha and I’m certain she’s tellin’ her not to cuss or repeat what these heathens say here.
Zorro exits the kitchen with his hands now empty, and I didn’t even notice him goin’ in there in the first place. “Zorro, Axel . . . can I have a chat with you?”
Both of them seem curious and surprisingly they agree. I head over to the TV room and head in first, makin’ sure we don’t have any others in here who will eavesdrop on our conversation. Once it’s clear, I turn around and stand in the middle of the room. Zorro takes a seat in the corner of the sectional while Axel has his arms crossed and leans against the wall.
“I gotta tell you both some shit and it won’t be easy to hear.” I make sure I’m lookin’ them both in the eyes, ‘cause they need to know how serious I am about this.
“Well, spit it out. We don’t need a dramatic pause.” Axel quips.
Zorro sits on the couch, narrowing his eyes bit by bit.
“To say I was shocked to see Ruby here was an understatement. While the two of you might’ve thought she just came here for a visit, you’re wrong. She was attacked on campus.”
Zorro lunges off the couch, comin’ straight up to me. “What the fuck are you talkin’ about?”
“She told me on Halloween she went to a party and cut through the park to get back to her dorm. Some fuckers jumped her, beat on her . . . raped her.”
Zorro becomes uncaged, throwin’ me up against the wall and wraps his hands around my neck. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re getting at here, but this isn’t funny, Grim. What kinda joke is this?!” He snarls, tightening his grip around my throat.
“He’s not joking. Ruby finally told me last night.” Axel speaks up.
Zorro pulls his hands away and I inhale deeply, trying to catch my breath.
“She . . . this doesn’t make