by Bijou Hunter
“We’re not sure about this relationship, Nev,” Mom says. “It’s moving too fast.”
Dad nods. “He just got out of prison, and his wife died.”
“They weren’t married,” I mumble, unsure if their complaints are real. “Sam and Teigh were a ‘baby mama turned friendship’ situation.”
“Uh-huh,” Mom says, frowning now. “But she died, and his kids want a mom.”
“Wait, are you only saying this because I freaked out about your lack of a freak-out?” I ask and start plotting to climb over the table and run. “Don’t you dare pity freak out on me. I’m not even kidding. Just admit you don’t view my love as important as the twins’ or Mav’s or, God forbid, if a man ever lowers himself to loving Sylvie.”
Dad instantly says, “Your baby sister is very beautiful and charming.”
“I’ll allow that she’s one of those things.”
“I like her,” Mom mutters defensively.
“Do you like me?”
“Of course,” Mom says, hugging me again. “You’re my second-favorite daughter. That’s out of four, too.”
“I feel like you tell that to every single one of us.”
“Look,” Mom says, sighing, “Sylvie has to be my favorite because she’s the baby and sits on my lap and loves me more than the rest of you. But second place is always up for grabs. You’re currently locked into that position.”
“I’m telling the twins.”
“And just like that, you’re in last place,” Mom says, shaking her head. “Nev, you never learned how to kiss ass right. It’s my one failure as a parent.”
Realizing they’ve distracted me—as usual—with their tag-teaming babble, I cross my arms tightly. “I wanted you to care about my stuff, but you don’t.”
“We do,” Dad says, patting my shoulder. “We’re genuinely unhappy with your choice of a soulmate.”
“Gross. I don’t like that term.”
“Long-term lover?” he offers.
“Better.”
“Sam recently got out of prison,” Mom says as if she just caught up with what’s happening.
“I know.”
“And he’s much older.”
“I’m mature.”
“Yes, and that’s one reason we assumed you weren’t serious about him. You’ve made your feelings toward children very clear since you were a teenager.”
“I hate them so very much.”
“We know, pumpkin,” Dad says, patting my shoulder again and likely using a Jedi mind trick on me since I’m calming down.
“But I’m learning to love his kids. Sam’s my one and only.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted him instantly, and I never feel right when he isn’t around.”
“But didn’t you feel that way for Yulia and Alyn?” Mom says, frowning harder now.
“Not like with Sam. And I refused to change for either of them. For anyone, really.”
“It’s true you’re an immovable rock.”
“You’re our second-toughest kid,” Dad says and then shrugs when I flash him a scowl. “Maverick’s robot vibe is too badass. But you beat River. That’s something.”
“Whatever,” I say, thinking of how proud I was when I sent those pictures to my parents. I assumed they wouldn’t believe I had it in me to be a mom-parallel figure. I wasn’t sure I did, either. But that trip was a huge deal.
And no one in my family noticed! If I were the emotional sort, I would cry right now.
“We’ve made a decision,” Mom announces, and I frown at her. “We’ll stay overnight at your house. You can have Sam and his kids over for dinner, so we can meet them and disapprove up close.”
“No, you’re just putting on a show.”
“Baby, we care,” Mom says softly. “We just missed what was happening.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re so anti-drama,” Dad explains. “It can be difficult to know when you’re feeling something real and when it’s just snark or a façade.”
“Exactly,” Mom agrees as they tag-team me into submission. “Like when you said you were moving to Pema, and we thought you were kidding. Then, you said you killed a pervert to buy his house. Your father told Judd about it, thinking you were joking. But then, you actually bought the asshole’s house. We just miss your signals.”
Dad nods again. “We blame your overly dramatic sisters.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, relenting under their charms. “I guess Sylvie and the twins do steal all the drama oxygen.”
Retrieving her phone, Mom pulls up the pictures I sent her. “Let’s look at them together with the new understanding of how they represent a special weekend with your older lover. Rather than casual fun, these photos are proof you’re moving too fast, and we’re concerned.”
I look at my dad and then my mom. Thinking they didn’t care cut deep. I never want to scream or cry my way into getting attention. Why can’t people just notice my subtle signals? Sam picks up on them.
Now, my parents are trying, and I especially like when they ask questions about the kids. As I tell a story of how protective Caesar is of Raimi, I feel pride in him. Those two very special crotch goblins have dug their way into my cold heart. Now, I want to show them off to my parents.
Tonight, I’ll get a chance.
Of course, I’ve also set my parents on a freak-out collision course with Sam. However, if anyone can handle drama, it’s my man.
THE CHARMER
After the Reapers’ meeting, I ride with Brick for an hour. We zigzag around Idyllwild before stopping at my house to get drinks. Pricilla doesn’t notice me for the longest time despite her sitting in the kitchen.
I can’t deny my parents lost more than a few steps while I was gone. I’ve picked up the slack by handling the bills, yard, and running errands. But I’m unsure how they’ll manage this house long term.
Caesar says they forget to feed the birds, often thinking they already did. My boy offered to keep caring for them. He’s also been helping me in the yard. Raimi is in charge of checking the oven and getting the mail. I don’t know how my kids turned out so well, but I can’t take much of the credit.
After kissing the top of Pricilla’s head, I grab a few drinks and get back out to Brick.
“Nev finished fixing up the spare rooms at her place real nice for the kids,” I tell him. “She doesn’t half-ass anything.”
“Are you moving in?”
“Just going back and forth for now. Letting Caesar and Raimi get the feel of staying over on the weekends. If that goes fine, we’ll make it permanent.”
Brick runs a hand through his dark hair and chuckles. “The Majors women grab hold of you and just never let go. It’s a fantastic feeling.”
Smiling, I give him a nod and admit, “The absolute last thing I wanted after my release was to jump into a relationship. Figured I’d spend the rest of my days enjoying sexy gals at the clubhouse. Welp, until my dick got too old or girls started laughing at my pickup lines. Never imagined I’d get one look at a gorgeous gal and lose all interest in wanting anyone else.”
“I’m happy for you, Handsome Sam. You deserve a great woman.”
“Don’t know if I deserve her,” I say, thinking over my good luck. “But Nev is something special. You should see how she’s warmed up to the kids. Wasn’t easy for her, either. Some people just don’t click with children. That’s Nev to a T. I catch her getting squirrely when they say or do something she isn’t prepared for, but she’s learning to trust herself with them.”
“I honestly didn’t think Nev had it in her, but you two jumped in with both feet.”
“Moving fast might seem like a mistake, but I can’t slow down and miss anything,” I say, smiling at how quickly I knew Nev belonged with me. “Raimi’s been squirrely since I got released, talking about moving out. I think she wanted to go back to our old rental in Pema. I asked if it was the school, but that’s not it. I get the feeling she saw this house,” I say, ges
turing at my parents’ place, “as a temporary home. She never let herself get too comfortable. The house was a way station between losing Teigh and me getting out. In her head, staying here is a bad thing.”
“She never gave me that impression.”
“No, my kids hide a lot. You got to dig around, come from different angles, just be persistent. Otherwise, they smile and say what they think you want to hear. They’re agreeable like my parents.”
“And their dad,” Brick says, smirking. “You never complained once in prison.”
“Sure, but complaining wouldn’t have helped me. If my kids knew how to speak up, maybe they wouldn’t have suffered so much in here,” I say, tapping my head. “But we’re on the right path now. Raimi is jazzed about Nev’s house, of course. All those animals and the big yard and the pool. But also, she glues herself to Nev. They cook together and roller-skate. Nev spoils her, too. Will let Raimi take her new doll with us everywhere. But I don’t mind being the rules guy.”
Brick chuckles. “You’re the bad guy?”
“Sure. I just do it with more finesse. I bossed you around plenty back when the Silver Swords were a thing. You liked my way better than Garbage’s, but I was plenty pushy.”
“Yeah, I guess you were,” he says, grinning like he did back when he was just a boy. “But I never felt bad when you laid down the law.”
“That’s the trick,” I say, and we chuckle. “I’m feeling real good about the way things are playing out. I had some worry about what my current place was in the Reapers, but Heidi sorted that out for me today.”
“Vaughn and Raven are in Pema,” Brick says after checking his phone. “You’ll meet the parents today, I assume.”
“Not particularly worried if they’ll like me. I can’t imagine Nev will end things. She’s a gal who knows her heart. Not that she doesn’t doubt herself, but she’s a tough cookie.”
Brick watches me for a while, maybe too long to just be thinking. I’ve known this man since he was a kid. He gets too wound up over things he ought to leave alone.
We talk a bit more about kids and the upcoming roller derby bout. After a good chuckle over the team’s name—Cuntthroats—we part ways with him heading to a construction site and me hoping to have lunch with my lady.
As soon as I walk into Whiskey Kirk’s and meet Nev’s gaze, I know something’s gone squirrely with her. She wears the most beautiful tight-lipped pouty face when life isn’t going as planned.
“What’s happening up here?” I ask, stroking her forehead.
Nev’s green eyes study me, looking for the answers. “I thought my parents didn’t care about me, so I pitched a fit.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Allowing a half-smirk, she explains, “They freaked out when my siblings hooked up with their loves. I expected the same for us. Instead, they were super blasé. I accused them of caring more about my siblings. Now, to prove me wrong, they’ll hassle you,” she says and wraps her arms around my waist. “I didn’t plan out my hissy fit to its natural conclusion. Sorry.”
Over the sound system, a favorite song from when from my childhood starts playing. I don’t waste time worrying about Vaughn and Raven Majors. Instead, I loop an arm around Nev’s back and get her to dance to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
At first, she acts put out to have to move to the beat. I don’t think Nev likes people seeing her too relaxed. However, I’ve never let an audience keep me from dancing when the mood strikes.
Nev might not be a fan of The Beatles, and she seems self-conscious about people watching. But once we get going, her smile is my reward. There’s always a moment when Nev’s guard comes down, and she only sees me. I feel such power in her revealing gaze. Few people get to witness Nev this way or enjoy the tenderhearted woman under her tough-chick exterior.
“We should play The Beatles more,” she says, which is code for “I make her weak.”
“You spend all day listening to music you dislike.”
“I don’t hate it. Classic rock reminds me of my dad,” she says, and her eyes warm. “And now you.”
I kiss her softly before spinning us around. She looks at me like no one else exists.
“Are your parents dealbreakers?” I whisper in her ear.
“With you, nothing is.”
“Oh, I’m sure there must be something.”
Holding my gaze, she says with complete sincerity, “Anything awful enough to turn me off is something you’d never do.”
Nev’s trust makes me smile. She isn’t worried about me straying. I’m not concerned about her getting bored and moving on. I’ve felt from the beginning how we were in this together.
Back in the day, I partied plenty, figuring I’d never enjoy what my parents shared. Some people just don’t find such love. But now I have, and my heart is blind to every other gal.
“My parents are the opposite of yours,” she says as the song ends and I hold her. “If Fred and Pricilla thought I sucked, they’d hide their dislike of me. It’s their nature to put on a friendly face. My parents, though, will act put out, if even mildly inconvenienced by their kids’ partners.”
“Why do you think that is?” I ask, glancing at her parents, who do little to hide how they’re plotting.
“Honestly?” she asks and steps back. “They’re bored. Ellsberg is a tamed town. Mom’s only got the youngest kids around, and they don’t need babying.”
“So, fussing is their hobby?” I ask, and she smiles.
“Exactly. Nothing personal.”
“But you got upset,” I point out, recalling her expression when I entered.
“If they’ll waste time worrying over Avery’s romantic choices, they sure-as-fuck better get their backs up over mine. Shit, she has Savannah to save her from any mistakes.”
“Yes, but you have Alyn.”
Nev laughs at my teasing over her clingy friend. “So, do you want to meet them?”
“I met your dad years ago.”
“After he killed your president and took over your club.”
Hearing her concerned tone, I explain, “Brick told me how things went down. I wasn’t happy my friend was dead, but I knew what a stubborn mule he could be. No ill will toward your dad.”
“You can just say hello, and then we’ll have lunch alone. My parents invited themselves to stay at my house while they’re in Pema. When I suggested The Solar, they pretended to take offense. They really want to prove they aren’t playing favorites.”
“I’ll remember to wear pants around your place until they’re gone.”
Nev gives me a once-over I feel straight in my balls. This woman gets me going with so little effort. Based on her little grin, she must realize what she does to me.
Taking my hand, she walks toward her parents. They’re shoved together in the wide circular booth I usually eat in. Vaughn wraps an arm around Raven as if to prove they’re a united front. Their dramatic display makes me grin.
“Sam, these are my parents, Raven and Vaughn.”
“We’ve met,” Vaughn says immediately. “Back when I killed his friend.”
“No, I was locked up right then. You and I met after I got out.”
“Always locked up,” Raven says, shaking her head.
“He did time so Gunnar and Kiefer wouldn’t have to,” Nev says and narrows her eyes.
“They’re big boys,” her mom replies immediately. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”
Nev refuses to back down. “I’m telling Tawny and Judd what you said about their only son.”
“Why are you always snitching?” Raven cries and looks at Vaughn. “I didn’t raise our kids to rat out people.”
“You used to pay Maverick to spy on us,” Nev says, just diving headfirst into the drama.
“Well, yeah, that was for your safety. We’re protective parents.”
Vaughn nods at her statement while Nev glares at them.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and whisper, “Is this all
for my benefit or a performance for them?”
“All them,” she says, turning to kiss me. “My parents adore drama. It’s their crack.”
“We’re actually very laid-back and not at all dramatic,” Vaughn lies with ease. “Except when necessary.”
“Like right now,” Raven says, grinning at him.
“You heard your mother,” Vaughn tells Nev. “This is necessary.”
“I’m not planning to get locked up again,” I say as Nev’s hand slides into my back pocket and makes thinking—and my dick—harder. “I’ve got kids to raise and a woman to love.”
Nev stops shooting skunk energy at her parents and smiles at me. “I love you, too.”
Vaughn and Raven shake their heads. Sighing, her mother asks, “How are we supposed to meddle when you act all sweet and shit? Vaughn, talk to your daughter.”
“Nev, we’ll need you to be sneakier about your feelings.”
“Aren’t you spending the night at the house?” I ask before Nev can take the bait.
“Why, yes, we are,” Raven says and narrows her green eyes like Nev did earlier. “Is that a problem?”
“No way can Nev hide her love for that long. My gal wears her heart on her sleeve.”
Nev literally blushes, followed by an eye roll when her parents snicker. “With Sam, I’m an open book. With everyone else, I just can’t even.”
“You’re plenty loving with Raimi and Caesar,” I clarify. “You’re also sweet on my parents. Oh, and your pets. Alyn gets some love on occasion. And your family when they’re not looking.”
“Well, hell, I’m going soft,” Nev says, frowning in response to her tenderhearted ways. “I still hate most people, though.”
“That’s my girl,” Vaughn says.
He grins at Nev before frowning when Raven glares at him. Then, both parents start smiling while Nev seems confused. I figure everyone’s forgotten why they were upset in the first place.
“I’m hungry as a bear,” I say, breaking through their funky energy. “Can you ditch work and eat?”
Nev isn’t a weak woman, and she doesn’t want to be pushed around. But I notice she often expects me to take charge. My suggestion inspires a smile from my gal.
