always good for a few laughs.”
“You sure?” I nodded even though I wasn’t sure of anything, other than the fact that the woman I loved was avoiding me. Maybe, permanently.
Forty-five minutes later, Terry, Jasper and Virgil walked out with their suits while Charlie and I had to come back next week for final fittings.
“Is all that really necessary for a tuxedo?” Charlie shook his head in disbelief as we all piled into the stretch limo that took us back to Midnight Mass.
“Fuck no,” Virgil growled, “but if Maisie wants us to look like fucking James Bond, then we look like James Bond.” The look of love shining in his eyes was undeniable, and I envied that look. It wasn’t just the look, it was the way he freely talked about his love for her, making sure she knew she was loved. Hell, we all knew how loved she was.
“And if she wants babies?” Jasper sent an amused look at Virgil from the other side of the limo.
Virgil shrugged. “Then we toss out the pills and fuck even more. It’s a win-win for me.”
Terry bumped Jasper with his shoulder, a mischievous grin on his face. “How come you didn’t ask me that?”
Jasper shoved him away playfully. “Because I don’t want to think about you raw dogging my baby sister.”
Charlie laughed and shook his head. “Well, Maisie is my cousin.”
“Then don’t ask Virgil about his sex life,” Jasper growled, proof that he was okay with the relationship but not hearing about it. “Now I need some booze to wash the images out of my mind.”
“Oh I’ll give you some images to think about,” Terry laughed and stepped out right behind Jasper. “This one time—”
“Don’t make me kill my best friend,” he growled and gave Terry a shrug.
“You can’t kill me, man, you need me. We’ve got business to take care of. And who’s gonna have your back?”
Jasper smiled and then his gaze turned serious and he and Terry bumped fists. “Not one goddamn person.”
We made our way to the back room of Midnight Mass, settling around a table set up with a shit ton of food and booze like a last minute bachelor party.
“What’s all this?” Virgil looked up at the waitress, Maureen, who flashed a wicked smile.
“Maisie called ahead and said getting measured for penguin suits would have you boys fit to be tied. Feed you lots of food to soak up the booze were her orders. Enjoy.”
Terry laughed. “Kat would’ve just sent burgers,” he said and shook his head. “At least one of our ladies will keep us fed.”
Everyone dug in, piling food high on plates like it might get snatched away at any moment. We ate mostly in silence for ten solid minutes before our paces slowed.
“I don’t want to break up the good mood,” Charlie began with a sigh, “but I’ve got some news.”
And just like that, Jasper was all business again. “What is it?”
“Just what Sadie feared. Some kind of partnership between Brendan Rhymer and the Black Jacks.”
“Fuck!” Jasper nodded for Charlie to continue.
“One of our bitches overheard a few of the Jacks talking about ‘that burned-face fucker’ and how all he did was bitch about his sister. Thinks she tried to take what’s rightfully his. Apparently, they’re sick of keeping her around.”
“Hold up.” Jasper dropped his fork and stood, knocked his chair back until it almost toppled over. “Brendan has Savannah?”
Charlie gave a short nod. “Sounds like. Probably whoring her out in one of their dungeons.”
“Why doesn’t he just kill her?” I wondered out loud. “And why are they putting up with him if they hate him so much?”
“Brendan has money, lots of it,” Jasper growled.
“And the Jacks need money if they even stand a chance in fucking hell of taking our territory from him,” Charlie added angrily. “Which they won’t.” Despite his baby-faced appearance, I spotted a warrior in Charlie.
Terry shook his head. “If he’s pimping out his own sister, then that fucker means business.” His gaze went straight to Jasper. “He needs to die.”
“Too fucking right,” Jasper growled. Based solely on the look in his eye, I knew Brendan Rhymer was as good as dead.
Just like my relationship with Vanessa. Her vanishing act was on me, and if something happened to her while she was hiding from me, I would never forgive myself. I shouldn’t have told her that I loved her, even though I did and with my whole fucking heart. It was too soon for her, but over the course of another