Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Come on.” He slides his arm over my shoulders and steers me toward the table.
Shelby’s returning from the kitchen, and she lifts her arm high, throwing a big wave. “Jiggy there you are!” She hurries over, her cowgirl boots thudding against the terrazzo floor. “Come on.”
I’m introduced to several people along the way. It’s almost a relief to sit in my chair and fade into the background.
One of the biggest men I’ve ever seen cups his hand over his mouth and shouts, “Form an orderly line. Serve yourselves!”
“Wrath’s gotta direct traffic now?” Jigsaw says to Rooster.
Rooster’s lips tilt with amusement.
A burly man with a tidy beard and red hair leans forward. “He just loves bossing people around, everywhere.”
“Margot,” Jigsaw says. “You remember Murphy? He’s our VP upstate and he made the chili tonight.”
“Hi, Murphy.”
A tall woman with long, dark brown hair, carrying a wiggling baby, sits next to Murphy. “She’s feeling sassy tonight,” she says, kissing the top of her daughter’s head.
Murphy holds out his arms, taking his daughter and tilts his head toward the woman. “Margot, this is my wife, Heidi.” He settles the baby in his lap. “And this is Brittany.”
“Oh! I remember Brittany from the wedding. My goodness, she’s gotten so big.”
“Tell me about it,” Heidi laughs. “Hi, Margot. It’s so great you were able to come up tonight.” She waves her hand around the table. “Sorry things are a little more chaotic than usual.”
Murphy squints at her. “Are they though? Seems about normal to me.”
Dinner is a long, leisurely, but lively affair. The chili leaves a pleasant zip on my tongue, smoky and rich, with just the right amount of heat. Thick, creamy mac and cheese balances it out, each bite decadent and buttery. Golden cornbread crumbles easily between my fingers, slightly sweet, the perfect companion to soak up the spice.
The room hums with energy, conversations overlapping, laughter spilling freely. A few of the guys tease Murphy about using too many chilis.
I shake my head vigorously. “This is excellent, Murphy.” I dab a napkin over my lips. “The heat sneaks up on you but in a good way.”
“Thank you.” He nods.
“Stash is just mad because he thinks a sprinkle of black pepper is too spicy,” Dex says loud enough to be heard all the way down the table.
Laughter drowns out Stash’s response. Dex’s girlfriend pokes his side and smiles at him.
Jigsaw warned me the guys love to pick on each other, and he wasn’t wrong. Their banter is relentless, the insults sharp—but underneath it all, there’s an unmistakable bond. Even their rudest jokes land with the warmth of familiarity, not cruelty.
A shiver of envy works over me. I lost my mother young. Never had playful siblings who knew me well enough to develop cute inside jokes. But these bikers—the same men who delivered several bodies to my crematorium under the cover of night—laugh easily, share stories freely, and pull their wives and girlfriends into the fold like they belong. The affection they all have for one another is palpable.
Under the table, Jigsaw slides his hand over my leg, gently squeezing my thigh. “You all right?”
“I am, yes.” I clutch my stomach. “I’m trying not to stuff myself so I can save room for s’mores and cookies later.”
After finishing his dinner, one of Jigsaw’s brothers grabs a cup of coffee and returns to the table. Instead of sitting, he stands behind his chair and surveys the room.
Shelby elbows my side and discreetly points her finger. “That’s Ravage. Ten dollars says he’s conjuring up something obnoxious in that head of his.” She says it with more affection than annoyance, as if it’s regularly scheduled programming.
“So. Now that we’re all seated around the table.” Ravage claps his hands, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “And filled our bellies—thanks to the hard work of Trinity, Heidi, Murphy, and Shelby.”
Trinity lifts her head. “And Swan, Stitch, and Layla for helping us out in the kitchen.”
Murphy lifts his hand. “And Teller for donating the deer meat.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Rav rolls his eyes. “Everyone’s awesome. Blah, blah, blah.”
“Aw, he tried to be polite,” Shelby laughs. “Lasted about fifteen seconds. Good for Rav.”
Rooster chuckles and wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“Now, for the most important question on everyone’s mind.” Rav rubs his hands together, a playfully devilish gleam lighting up his eyes.
“Here it comes,” Jigsaw mutters.
“Tell us about our brother, Margot,” Rav says. “Is Jigsaw treating you right or do we need to kick his ass?”
I cough and choke, my mouth full of chili, and quickly reach for my glass of lemonade.
At the head of the table, Rock and his wife are busy helping their daughter, but Rock stops and frowns in Ravage’s direction.
“Can we eat in peace, instead of doing…whatever you’re doing?” Teller scolds.
Ravage flicks his hand in the air like he’s batting away the suggestion of inappropriateness. “I’m not talking about in the bedroom, we’ll get to that later.” He steeples his hands under his chin like he’s having difficulty maintaining his composure. “Is Jigsaw a good boyfriend? Does he know how to open doors? Bring you flowers? That’s all we want to know.”