“You are absolutely ridiculous.”
“Not even close. I’m the best husband and dad in the state.”
“Oh, Lordy. Well, I can’t say I disagree,” I agreed with a smile. He was pretty amazing.
The door from the garage to the house opened, and my dad stuck his head out.
“Thought I heard the garage door. Need any help? The natives are getting restless out back.”
We both laughed, and I shook my head. “I think we got it, Dad. But thank you. I’ve got the bags; could you get the cake?” I motioned into the Jeep with my head.
“No problem.” Angel slid the seat forward to get the box from the back seat. “Holy shit. Could you get a bigger cake?”
I shrugged innocently. “I like cake.”
He laughed, and Dad held the door open for us to get inside.
Trace and his new friends were playing in the backyard with Voodoo and Kira’s dogs. After setting the bags on the counter, I paused and watched them run around laughing. Several of Angel’s brothers were out back manning the grill. Declan and Diesel had even come up from Arizona.
“Did you say something about Chains going back with them to help with their tattoo shop?” I questioned as I motioned to where Chains was drinking a beer in the shade.
“Yeah.” His tone was tight, and I looked over my shoulder at him in question.
“Surely they could’ve found someone down there?” Before the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. I tried not to question their club stuff.
Angel simply grunted but didn’t reply. I decided to keep a still tongue.
My dad had joined them outside, and Ghost handed him a cold beer. To see him getting along with the guys he’d been so worried about was a good feeling. I had yet to tell Angel about my dad and his mom. There hadn’t ever seemed a good time to bring it up. Maybe it actually would be best if I let Dad tell him—when he was ready.
Angel stepped up behind me, and his strong arms slipped around me to cradle my baby bump. His chin rested on my shoulder.
“Shouldn’t you be cooking the food?” I teased.
He snorted a laugh. “Yeah, right, try to get Phoenix away from the grill.”
“We have a pretty amazing family, don’t we?” I said quietly, and I squeezed his arms tighter to my waist. My heart was so full, it was on the verge of bursting.
“Hell, yeah, we do.”
“Declan, I appreciate you guys taking Chains with you,” Venom said as they stood off to the side while everyone was eating.
“Hey, no problem. He’s helping us out because we’re in a bit of a bind, so I appreciate it. Anything I should know, though?” Declan asked as he raised his bottle to take a drink.
“Let’s say he just needs some time away from here to get his head straight,” Venom said as he shot a side-eye toward where Chains was talking with Blade and Kicker.
My teeth were grinding.
Chains hadn’t admitted to anything with Jasmine, but I wasn’t a fucking fool. When Voodoo suggested we send him to Flagstaff, I readily agreed. Because quite frankly, I was on the verge of punching him in the eye if he sent one more broody look in her direction.
Jasmine was finally acting more herself, but she still had moments where she closed herself off and wouldn’t interact. I’d walked in on a whispered argument between them a few weeks ago and confronted him, but he clammed up and wouldn’t tell me what was going on. Tensions had only increased since then.
Add to that, my father had started calling and stopping by, trying to get me or Jasmine to meet up with him. He looked like hell, but I couldn’t say it broke my heart. Neither of us had anything to say to him, but he wasn’t taking a hint.
“Well, he can stay as long as he needs to,” Declan replied. They started to discuss some shit that they had coming up when they got back, and I stepped away because Korrie’s dad was motioning me over.
He’d stepped to the corner of the yard to take a call but was now off the phone and rubbing his palm over his mouth nervously.
“What’s up?” I asked with a furrowed brow.
He shot a glance to where Korrie was laughing with the other ol’ ladies and they were doing the belly rub thing that girls always did. Okay, fine, I couldn’t keep my hands off her either. She was not only beautiful when she was pregnant, I was constantly in awe of the fact that she was carrying my child.
Again.
A shaking hand ran through his hair, causing it to stick up wildly. “Just got a call from an old friend. Eugenia was killed in prison last night.”
Keeping my expression blank, I stared at him. “Is that right?”
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” he asked me.
My brows rose in what I hoped was a proper show of surprise. “Now how would I know what’s going on with her? Korrie wrote her off.”
He held my gaze, then gave a partial shake of his head. “It might be a good idea if we don’t mention it to her right away. It’s my grandson’s birthday.”
“And she’s pregnant,” I solemnly added.
He raised a single brow and blinked. Innocently, I shrugged and took a drink of my beer.
“Sounds reasonable,” he finally agreed in a mild tone. “Except they’ll probably call to notify her today or tomorrow.”
“No they won’t. I got her a new phone and number last month.” I grinned.
We stood there quietly watching the woman we both loved as she laughed with her new extended family.
“By the way,” he started, “as the club’s new attorney, I thought I’d mention that the claims against the farm have been dropped. The plaintiff was accepting bribes to file false reports, it seems.”
“That’s good news. Some people are such assholes. I’m assuming you’ve already told Venom?” We knew the former senator had been behind the bogus complaints of animal cruelty. Amazingly, he’d gotten off with a massive fine after he made a ridiculous plea bargain.
“Yep.”
“Good deal. And the rest?”
“Nothing much to tell. Restraining order was filed against your father like you requested.” After everything my father had put me through, I should want to kill him with my bare hands. Misplaced compassion was the only thing that stopped me. I wished I could look at him as a job, but I hadn’t been able to, nor had I been able to pull the trigger on having one of the other guys do it for me.
Using me, his own fucking child, as payment for his debts made him just as vile of a person as Korrie’s mother. The things I’d done to keep his debts from touching my sister turned my stomach, and I prayed they never came to light.
Closing my eyes, I pushed the memories from my mind and forced my breathing to even out. “Good.”
“Oh, and the thumb drive you boys got from your Louisville chapter, Venom said it was corrupted. Nothing on it.”
“Hmm, that’s a shame.” The morning before her arrest, Coy and his boys had broken into Korrie’s mother’s home and made it look like a home invasion. They removed any and all electronic devices and files from her safe. Facet had taken care of everything she thought she had against us. Funny thing was, it wasn’t really much, and all her shit disappearing only made her look more guilty.
Especially after Facet stashed it all in a storage facility he’d set up in her name, then dropped an “anonymous tip” to the feds.
“Yep.”
We both chuckled before he tossed an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go have some cake.”
“Excellent idea. I love cake.” I grinned, thinking of Korrie’s face as she’d batted those big eyes at me and said that.
“Me too,” he said, and we headed over to where everyone was gathering to sing “Happy Birthday” to Trace.
“Happy birthday, son,” I told him as I stopped behind him. His shining eyes twinkled up at me, and his cheeks were flushed from playing.
“Thanks, Dad. This is the best birthday ever.”
It was his first
that we were spending together, so I tended to agree. “I’m glad,” I replied with a crooked grin before slipping my arm around my wife.
“And every day from now on will only get better,” I murmured in her ear.
“I love you more than is wise,” she whispered to me with a coy tip of her beautiful lips.
“And I love you more than is safe,” I whispered back before I kissed her.
“Enough of that, you two. Time to sing and eat cake,” my sister said as she hugged me from the other side.
“Excellent idea!” Trace said, and everyone laughed.
The End
I usually tend to go on and on at this part, but this time, I want to thank you all. Everyone who has gotten to this point in the book and devoured my words, you rock. I appreciate you more than you know.
Thank you to Sean Moriarty, Izzy Sweet, Crimson Syn, M. Merin, Nikki Landis, and all of the authors that are part of the RBMC family. For the use of your characters, your unending support, and the laughs, I thank you.
Thank you to Darlene Tallman and Xana Jordan for your help ironing out my blurbs—the bane of my existence! Love you sisters!
Kristine’s Street Team! Here’s your shout out! Y’all mother-freaking rock! Especially my top promoters, Whynter Raven, Pam Schultz, Chasity Williams, and Stephanie Ellis. You ladies go above and beyond for my books and I cannot thank you enough. All the love to you!
To the incredible authors in my circle, you have been lifesavers. For all the moments I stole from you with my unending questions—I thank you. You are AMAZING! I’ve been so very blessed to have you all in my tribe.
Olivia, the bomb-diggity of editors, you are amazing. Even though you’ve ruined reading for me at times, I still love you to pieces! Thank you for calling me on my crap, questioning my words, and then taking those words and polishing them until they shine. My books wouldn’t be what they are by the time they hit the readers’ hands without you!
Penny. My beautiful forever friend. Thank you for always believing in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. <3 Every time I tell you how good things are going and you tell me you’re not surprised, I want to cry. Your faith in me is humbling. NOW GO KICK NURSING SCHOOL’S ASS!
Lisa and Brenda, y’all are the best and I cannot thank you enough for your support, advice, and friendship. And wine. To think it all started with a lunch born from the love of books. 2020 Book Signing events may have went to shit, but we’re still doing our thing! Always with wine.
Jean Woodfin, this image is AMAZING! I’m so glad we had the opportunity to work together. Here’s to many more of those times in the future. *clink the glass* With the help of Aidan Stewart’s fantastic image, I like to think we made magic. Aidan, thank you for blessing me with your beautiful image for this cover! I can’t tell you how perfect it was for this character. ☺
Stacey of Champagne Book Design, again, I continue to stand by my assessment—you are a goddess. You are the genius behind the scenes, making my books stunning once the reader cracks the pages. Every single time, you amaze me with your beautiful formatting. Thanks bunches, and one day we’re having champagne on the beach! It was supposed to be at Shameless this year? *sigh* Maybe next year!
Ladies of Kristine’s Krazy Fangirls, you guys are my personal little cheerleading team and I love you all! I thank you for your comments, your support, and your love of books. Come join us if you’re not part of the group www.facebook.com/groups/kristineskrazyfangirls
As I often do, I have found a way to spin the military into the storyline. I feel compelled to do this often because the military has had such a huge impact on my life. From being a military brat to a military spouse and then working as a nurse in the military system. With that being said, my last-but-never-least is a massive thank you to America’s servicemen and women who protect our freedom on a daily basis. They do their duty, leaving their families for weeks, months, and years at a time, without asking for praise or thanks. I would also like to remind the readers that not all combat injuries are visible, nor do they heal easily. These silent, wicked injuries wreak havoc on their minds and hearts while we go about our days completely oblivious. Thank you all for your service.
Demented Sons Series—Iowa
Colton’s Salvation
Mason’s Resolution
Erik’s Absolution
Kayde’s Temptation
Straight Wicked Series
Make Music With Me
Snare My Heart
No Treble Allowed
String Me Up
Demented Sons Series—Texas
Lock and Load
Styx and Stones
Smoke and Mirrors
Jax and Jokers
Royal Bastards MC
Voodoo: Royal Bastards Ankeny Chapter
A Very Venom Christmas
The Iced Series
Hooking
Kristine Allen lives in beautiful Central Texas with her adoring husband. They have four brilliant, wacky, and wonderful children. She is surrounded by twenty-six acres, where her five horses, four dogs, and five cats run the place. Kristine realized her dream of becoming a contemporary romance author after years of reading books like they were going out of style and having her own stories running rampant through her head. She works as a night shift nurse, but in stolen moments, taps out ideas and storylines until they culminate in characters and plots that pull her readers in and keep them entranced for hours.
If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review on the sales channel of your choice, www.goodreads.com, allauthor.com, bookbub.com, or your review platform of choice, to share your experience with other interested readers. Thank you! <3
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Angel: RBMC: Ankeny IA Page 21
