by Samantha Bee
Scar stares still concerned. "She's just tired and overwhelmed," I whisper in her ear before gently kissing her forehead. "We can finish after a nap." She nods and gives me a small smile before leaning down to kiss Roe.
"Sleep tight, Roe baby."
"Okay, Momma." She sighs as her eyes drift shut. One thing to be said about this child, she never fights against bedtime. She's always ready to shut her eyes and lose herself in her dreams. Charlene always says how rare it is for kids to go down so easily. Apparently, it's always a fight with the boys.
"I wanna nap too," Kai's little voice calls up to me as he tugs on my pants. I smile, that is of course, unless it's a nap with Roe. Then all three little boys are more eager to go down as well.
I laugh. "Come on, boys. I'll put you all down." I lead the little herd into Roe's bedroom and get all four of them settled into her bed. The boys instantly surround Roe, putting her in the middle as she hugs her elephant to her chest. Kai lays on one side as he grabs her hand with a small smile. Cal lays on her other side with Trev on his far side. I know from experience that Roe will most likely end up laying across all three of them as they shift in their sleep into a little puppy pile. I read them a quick story before tucking them in.
"Alright, you four. No mischief or we have to separate into different rooms. Take your naps," I warn. Three little heads nod vigorously but Roe's soft snores already sound through the room. One leg is already thrown over Kai while the other one is sandwiched in between Cal's legs. I'll never understand how it's possible for such a small being to take up so much damn space.
I chuckle as I close the door behind me, knowing the boys will be on their best behavior to ensure they don't wake her up. Watching them grow up sure is going to be interesting.
I head back towards the living room where Scar is chatting with Charlene and Jade as they begin to clean up the messes the kids have left behind. Ian and Holden nod their thanks to me before turning their attention back to the women. I watch curiously as Ian smiles softly when Jade laughs at something Scar says. Holden looks back and forth between his friend and her before also smiling but I don't miss the way his eyes continuously dart back to Jade.
"Bet that's going to be an interesting dynamic," Ty drawls next to me. I look over at him and smirk. It's cool how involved he is with the kids even though he doesn't have any of his own. He tends to be more serious than the other two, but it doesn't stop him from having a good time.
"You think?" I ask as I continue to watch the three of them. Jade seems completely oblivious to the attention from either one of them. He tilts his head as he watches the three of them.
"I'm pretty sure they have shared women before." I raise my brows in surprise, not only at his words but also that Ty is standing here gossiping with me. I don't know how many real conversations we've had with just the two of us.
I can't help but chuckle before adding, "Well, you know, Mikey and Ronan..."
"What about Mikey and Ronan?" Mikey rumbles behind me. I turn around and give him a sheepish smile.
"That you guys are both dating Britt," I answer with a shrug.
The skeptical look on his face turns into a big dopey grin, reminiscent of Kade's signature smile. I swear the big guy might be blushing a bit.
"Oh yeah?" Tyler asks, "Where is she today? It's been a while since we've seen her."
I meet Luca's eyes across the room and leave the two of them to talk as we walk into the kitchen. Charlene is in there finishing up decorating the cake. I give her a kiss on the cheek as I walk by and she smacks me with the towel as she laughs. I'm always amazed at how well all of these people that came with Scar, slid into my life so easily. Like they were always meant to be a part of it.
We keep walking until we make it back outside. Luca lights up and offers me one, but smoking has really just never been my thing. Instead, I reach into my pocket and pull out a flash drive before handing it over to him.
"Christian Ortega. Twenty-seven, male, has worked under Romano for the last decade. He's risen up to be basically William's assistant. Does all of his dirty work pretty much," I start giving him the highlights about what I could dig up on this guy. "He's been depositing ten thousand dollars into his bank account on the first and fifteenth of every month for the last seven months, since Roe's arrival." I give him a pointed look, but he just smirks and says nothing.
I huff. "Anyways, I can't trace the money back to anyone, so I don't know who hired him or what for, but it's clear it wasn't coming from Romano or William."
He nods along. I already know he will look over everything himself in more detail before making any type of moves. Maybe he will have better luck with knowing where to look next and find where the money is coming from. It's clear someone is paying him, and my guess is that it's to spy on what Romano is doing. The only question is who else cares about him and has enough influence to sway someone who has been a loyal follower for years?
"Thanks, Noah. That's more than enough to get Romano off our trail for a while until we can regroup." I nod in thanks, silently wondering where we go from here. We hadn't really talked about what we would do after we got Scar back.
As if he can read my mind, Luca takes a long drag on his cigarette as he assesses me. When he finally exhales, he quirks a brow, looking far too amused. "So, when you gonna come clean to Scar about what you know and your less than expected skill set?"
I give him a half laugh and a glare. "When is she going to tell me?"
He throws his head back and laughs before inhaling once more. "Knowing Scar, she's probably going to start worrying about losing you again if you find out."
Huh. "Well. Fuck." I sigh, I swear it's always something with this girl. A small smile breaks through. "Guess that'll be an interesting web to untangle."
"We have made quite a fucking mess of things, haven't we?"
Before I can respond, I hear the door opening behind me. I grin as Scar comes out, wrapping her sweater more tightly around herself. "What are you two talking about out here?"
I pull her into my arms, relaxing as I feel her settle against me. I don't think I'll ever get used to this feeling of bliss. I let my amusement show on my face since she can't see it as I answer her. "Oh, we were just talking about the logistics of everyone moving back into Luca's place."
I catch the way he rolls his eyes at me even as she pulls out of my arms to flick her eyes between the two of us. "We are what now?"
"Luca felt it made the most sense," I answer. He's flipping me off behind her, but it's almost as if she can sense it because she narrows her eyes at me.
"And since when do you talk for Luca?"
I shrug and just pull her back to me, letting Luca deal with the fallout. She turns her gaze on him and waits. I know he wants to call me out, but I also know that he won't. He doesn't want to admit how much he's told me and risk her wrath. Especially so soon after settling things with her. I don't think any of us are going to be willing to rock the boat for a while, her included.
"It does make the most sense for all of us to be in one place," he relents, watching us out of the corner of his eye.
She doesn't say anything for a long moment before nonchalantly just agreeing. "Okay."
Luca turns sharply to look at her, shock etched in his features. Even I'm staring down at her a little taken aback by her easy agreement.
"Okay?" he asks, his skepticism clear.
"Yeah, okay. It worked before. Makes sense now."
"Oh, well okay then," he says, looking curiously at me. I'm just as stumped though. I expected her to not love having to give up her independence. She didn't even really bat an eyelash over it though. I guess that's that.
Luca puts out his cigarette and leads us back inside.
Roe and the boys wake up from their nap not too long after we make our way back in. She lets the boys help her finish opening her presents before Charlene brings out a massive cake. Roe’s eyes are almost as wide as the cake when Charlene places it in front of her an
d we all sing to her.
Scar swoops in and picks her up, plunking her right back down in her lap. She winds her arms around the little girl’s waist and nuzzles into her, making Roe smile and laugh. Scar teaches her how to blow out her candles after making a wish. Kai is sure to interject, “But you can’t tell anyone your wish! Or it won’t come true.” The other two boys nod their agreement, and she gets a very serious little look on her face as she nods her understanding.
Scar whispers in her ear, but it’s loud enough for all of us to hear. “Or you could tell me, and I’ll make your wish come true.”
"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work, Auntie Scar," Trevor drawls slowly with a perplexed look on his face. The two other boys wear the same expression, and I can't help but smile. Anyone who knows Scar knows, she's not ever remotely kidding.
She ruffles his hair before saying affectionately, "Ah, I guess you're right, kiddo."
There's something about watching the way she is with the kids that fills me with such a sense of contentment, I almost don't know what to do with it. She's this tough and hard to reach woman, but all of that melts away when she's around them.
I see a light in her that is almost never visible. Always lurking just beneath the surface, giving just hints of its tantalizing presence. Drawing all of us in deeper to her darkness, knowing that there's light to be found. But only for a very select few.
We get tastes of it, but it pours out for those kids. It's a truly amazing thing to watch.
The party begins to wind down after everyone eats their cake.
Chapter Seventeen
The adrenaline pumps through me in a way that I've missed, craved, since she had been gone. Training with the guys, just wasn't the same. I couldn't get the same satisfaction as when I work with Scar. She's more brutal, ruthless in the way she pushes me past my limits.
Her thirst for revenge bleeds through every one of her actions and instructions, making me feel like the chance to avenge Jen is so much closer than just some far away thought.
After Roe's birthday, Scar took one look around Luca's place and banned all of us from drinking for two weeks. She's been putting all of us through the paces since then, saying we all needed the detox. She's even taken to running with us instead of on her own like she had been doing prior to her leaving.
The shift in dynamics is palpable in almost every aspect of our lives now that she's back. Noah has become an almost permanent fixture at Luca's house, not that he hadn't really been before. But now, he's unofficially moved in.
He's been quieter since she came back though. More reserved and analytical then he had been when it was just us. I think he's scared to let her know just how much he's figured out in her absence. I see the same heavy looks she throws his and Declan's way, as if she's trying to read inside their skulls and see if they will leave her when they find out the truth.
They will find out about it. It's far too big of a secret for her to keep silent about for much longer. The atmosphere at the gym is so much different than what it used to be when we first started training. Tense, focused, heavy with anticipation. There's a lot less joking and teasing going on.
Noah has already figured out even more than what we had shared with him, not that he's let Scar know that he isn't put off by the blood on her hands. Declan. Him, I don't know about. I can’t get a good read on him, except that he is fully committed to Scar. From the way he ripped into us at our first meeting to every other instance since then. He's done nothing but support her in any and every way possible. He's warmed up to Luca and Noah, but he still gives me skeptical looks that I can't figure out.
I had the least to do with the entire fight with Scar. I had no skin in the game, I was just left behind as collateral damage. Plus, I agreed with him too and haven't given Scar even an ounce of a hard time over it. So the frustrated looks he throws my way, make absolutely no sense to me.
His ire for Kade, however, makes perfect sense and hangs around like a thick fog. Well, their distaste for each other does, anyway. I swear they're going to come to blows sooner or later. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet. The only thing I can think of is that neither one of them want to risk Scar's wrath. She's made it clear that Declan is in.
Kade is all around still sulking though. I look around and spot him in the far corner of the gym, going through his drills with only Ian by his side. Ian has really stepped up to keep Kade in some sense of control since he won't let the rest of us near him. He's always around but never really interacts with any of us if Scar is around.
I only talk to him now when she is busy with Luca, Noah, or Declan. I understand he was hurt by her leaving, but I don't know how much longer this can really go on without causing permanent damage. Scar continues to put herself out there for him, only to be rejected. Repeatedly. I can see the way it takes its toll on her but she continues to prove every day that she's learned from her mistakes. I hope Kade pulls his head out of his ass quickly. Scar is bound to snap soon if he doesn't. Or Declan will. Even Luca and Noah are getting frustrated with his continuous tantrum. He just won't even talk about any of it with us. Just silently sulks around corners.
Scar lands a hit to my gut and I gasp and splutter as I take a step away from her. "What the fuck, woman?" I stutter. "We weren't even sparring!"
She just looks at me with a little grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You were distracted. You should have been able to block that." She says it so nonchalant like she didn't just half knock the wind out of me like a complete psycho.
I narrow my eyes at her, wanting to knock her off her feet and pin her to the mat. I tense, ready to strike but she's light on her feet, bouncing on the balls of her feet, taunting me with her little grin. "Go ahead, I dare you."
I force myself to relax and start moving around the ring in a circle, she matches my pace, never stopping, never taking her eyes off of me, never not analyzing all possible moves I could make. I know Scar studies her opponents, plans for their most likely method of attack. What is my go to move?
I would normally go for the head on approach, use my size and speed to my advantage, land a few hits before withdrawing. She will see that coming from a mile away though. I also know she won't make the first move, she prefers to lay like a tiger in the grass. Unassuming until it's too late and she already has her claws in you.
I run through a ton of different combinations she's taught me that could potentially knock the grin off her face. I scoff at myself, who am I kidding? I could straight up punch the woman in the face, and she would laugh, not letting her smile slip for even a moment. She gets off on this shit.
Hmm, the problem with fighting against your trainer is that she's taught me everything. She knows my strengths and weaknesses, what I'm most likely to do, even how I think. I go back to the first idea I had.
I take a step back, staying on my toes and leaning slightly to the right, my more dominant side. I watch as she mirrors my movement, preparing to block my attack. Her movements so subtle and minor that unless you knew what to look for, you wouldn't notice them at all. I start to lean forward and watch as she once again adjusts in response. I continue to move before throwing myself low and to the left, swinging my leg out to knock her off her feet.
She laughs as she goes down and I pounce on top of her, straddling her waist. She grins up at me before punching me in the gut once, throwing a hook into my shoulder, throwing me off balance, before she manages to flip us. She moves so damn fast, I'm not even sure how she managed it but next thing I know, she's the one straddling me. Leaning over me with my hands locked in hers above my head.
Fuck.
I didn't count on this. She's in nothing but a sports bra, partially zipped up jacket and some athletic shorts that should be illegal, highlighting all of her toned, colorful skin. Our position puts her cleavage right into my line of sight and her ass right over my rapidly hardening dick.
"What now, Ry?" she whispers. So close to my own face, I can taste the mint of
her gum. I'm of a one track mind now and it has absolutely nothing to do with fighting anymore, but everything to do with dominating this woman.
Fuck me. If she even shifts just a little bit, she will be able to feel exactly what she does to me. It takes conscious effort to not roll my hips and push up into her. I take a deep breath and she smirks down at me.
I roll my eyes, not even bothering to try and fight her off now. I'm too busy trying to distract myself from the memory of the soundtrack of her pleasure I used to hear on a nightly basis. I need to think about anything else, if I have any hope of holding on to any of my dignity when she gets off me.
"Scar," Luca snaps, "stop torturing Ryder. I have something for you." I could kiss him for getting me out of this situation.
"Ooo, what?" she pops up, releasing my arms. Her ass just barely grazes my dick as she hops up, sending a shot of lust through my veins. She doesn't even notice as she makes her way over to Luca, ponytail, and ass swaying with every step. Never mind. Fuck Luca.
I rub my hand down my face as I roll over to lay on my stomach and stare anywhere but her ass as I try to get my dick under control.
Holden starts laughing next to me and I throw him a dirty look. "Got a situation there, Ryder?" he taunts.
"Oh, fuck off. Like anyone can blame me."
He shrugs, "I mean, Scar has pinned me plenty of times in training. I've never gotten a boner for my boss."
I groan, "Go away."
He just laughs as he continues to taunt me. Fucking bastard. It's not like I can help my body's reaction. Scar is still just my trainer. She can't be anything more than that, doesn't want to be anything more than that, so I don't even have the time to entertain those types of thoughts. Just need to get my dick on the same page as the rest of me and we should be good.
I tune Holden out because otherwise, I really might end up decking the guy. My eyes are drawn back to where Luca is talking to Scar. He has his phone in his hand and is radiating his smugness, even I can feel it from here.
