by Chelle Bliss
“Right.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close against me. “Don’t let the person get too close. You don’t want them to get control of the gun.”
“Okay,” she sighed before squeezing me tightly. “Want to go to lunch?” She batted her eyelashes at me, knowing full well it was hard for me to say no.
“I can’t. I’m going to be late for work. Want to come with me, and maybe after my first client, we can sneak away? I’m sure everyone would love to see you.”
“You sure Ma will be okay watching them a little longer?” She looped her hand behind my back as we walked out of the shooting range.
I threw my arm over her shoulder and tucked her under me. “I’m sure Ma is happy as a pig in shit right now. She’ll be fine.”
My mother would be in her glory surrounded by her grandkids. Her house had almost become like a day care. Kids were shuffled in and out every day. Slowly, she had amassed an army of Gallos and still wanted more.
I climbed onto the bike, straddling it between my legs and waiting for Suzy to jump on back. Every time she rode on the back of my bike, I thought about our first night together. She had been so afraid of riding with me. Now, when shit got crazy, she asked me to take her for a ride so she could feel the wind blowing through her hair. Times had changed.
* * *
“Suzy!” Izzy screeched when we walked through the front door of Inked. She blew past me, nudging my shoulder in the process, and headed straight for my wife.
“Good morning to you too,” I mumbled before walking to the back and leaving the girls alone.
“Yo,” Mike said like he always did every morning when he saw me.
I grumbled instead of replying. He was a little too happy for me this morning.
“Brought Suzy with you today?” He glanced toward the waiting room before looking at me again.
“Yeah. We were at the range.”
“Golf?” His head jerked backward and his forehead wrinkled.
“No, dumbass. The shooting range.” I started to ready my station—laying out plastic wrap over everything to make the area sterile and avoid a ton of cleanup later.
“Ah. How did that go?”
“Better than I thought, actually.”
“What went better?” Anthony asked when he walked out of the back room.
“Joe took Little Miss Suzy to the shooting range.”
Anthony’s eyes grew wide. “Holy fuck!”
“Don’t start.”
“The thought of Suzy with a gun scares the fuck out of me. And it’s eerily sexy too.”
“Don’t let her hear you. She’d probably shoot you in the balls,” I told him, even though we both knew it wasn’t true.
“That cream puff?” he laughed. “The person who should never own a gun is our little sister.”
“Too late,” Izzy said when she walked into the back with Suzy close behind her. “I own more guns than all of you put together.” She smirked and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve got great aim too.”
“You’re not allowed to count James’s guns into your total.”
“We’re married. What’s his is mine and what’s mine is mine.”
Mike gave Izzy a weird look. “You can’t have everything, Iz.”
“Watch me,” she said, tossing her hair behind her shoulder and walking toward the storage room.
“Clearly you still aren’t well-versed in the way of the woman, Mikey,” Suzy said with a giggle as she took the open chair to my left.
“Mia loves me.” He shrugged.
“You better hold on to that one, brother.”
“Fuck you,” he said, flipping me the middle finger.
“Want to get anything pierced while you’re here, Suzy Q?” Mike asked, glancing at me briefly with a wicked grin before turning his attention to the appointment book.
“I heard clit piercings are amazing.”
I choked. “Absolutely not!”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Mike teased as he turned the page. “I have some time to fit you in.”
“She doesn’t need your services.”
“Joseph,” she said with a voice so smooth and calm that I knew I was about to get yelled at, but she could say anything she wanted… Mike was not going to be looking at her naked. He’d seen enough when he pierced her nipples years ago.
“I think I’ll get my balls pierced, then.” I didn’t bother to look at her while I placed the inkwells on the table.
“Don’t you dare! I love your balls.”
Mike started to gag. “I don’t want to think about your junk.”
“I love your pussy, sugar. No one touches it but me.”
“All right, all right.” She put her hands in the air. “I don’t need anything pierced today, Mike, but thanks. I don’t wear my piercings anymore. Not since Gigi was born.”
“Seriously?” He glanced at me before shrugging. “Just trying to be a helper.”
“If you really want to help, why don’t you go organize the back room? It’s a bigger mess than usual.” Izzy walked out, carrying some new bottles of ink we received yesterday to restock the stations.
“We’ve been so busy with all the other shit that I haven’t had time.” He dragged his hand through his hair, looking much like myself lately—stressed. “Mia freaked out when I told her last night.”
“Why didn’t you assholes tell us sooner?” Izzy asked, glaring back and forth between them.
“We didn’t want to say anything until we knew for sure.”
“I don’t know how James expects me to live in a bubble. I have shit to do, people to see, and places to go. I can’t have a bodyguard looking over my shoulder and following me around like a puppy dog.”
“A bodyguard?” Suzy asked, leaning forward in her seat and putting her face in her hands.
“James said he’s going to assign a guy from ALFA to each of us until it’s over.” Izzy rolled her eyes.
“What?” Suzy shot up from the chair and fisted her hands at her sides.
“He called me this morning with that brilliant idea. Idiot.”
James had the right idea. We could defend ourselves, but our women needed extra protection, especially with the little ones running around.
“When?” I asked and felt a weight lifted off my shoulder.
“Starting tomorrow. He said they’re going to close any open cases and be assigned to the Gallo girls first thing in the morning.”
“Oh, dear God.” Suzy straightened, stiff as a board. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Hey, if you’re lucky, you’ll get one of the cute ones.” Izzy’s statement made me listen a little closer to their conversation. “Maybe Bear will protect you. He’s a handsome devil.”
Suzy blanched. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Thank Christ.
“Frisco?”
“Again, like a brother.”
“Sam?” Izzy grimaced saying his name.
“Even Sam has become like a long-lost cousin.”
“You realize I’m sitting right here, yeah?” I growled.
“Hush it,” Izzy said, pointing at me. “You’re hopeless. Babysitter it is.”
“Damn it,” Suzy said and collapsed back into the chair. “Do you really think this is necessary, Joe?”
I sighed, and even though my brother and James didn’t always have the best ideas, this one was spot-on. “Afraid so, sweetheart.”
“It’s such bullshit,” Suzy grumbled.
Everyone looked at each other in shock at her words, and I knew shit was probably going to be hitting the fan very soon.
Caged Animal
Suzy
At exactly nine in the morning, Frisco knocked. “Hey, doll,” he said when I opened the door.
“Hey, Frisco. Come on in,” I told him and stepped to the side for him to walk inside.
“Hey, buddy.” Joe greeted him in the foyer with a giant smile. “Glad you’re here.”
I rolled m
y eyes because I wasn’t happy about his presence in my home. I loved Frisco, we’d been friends for years, but that didn’t mean I wanted him watching over me the entire day, every day, until the threat was neutralized.
“Just know I’m here until you get home, and I’ll keep them safe.” Frisco smiled and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “I know Sunshine isn’t happy about this, but I promise to stay in the background and out of her way.”
Without saying a word, I walked out of the room and headed toward the kitchen. Ro and Lu would be hungry soon, and I was warming up two bottles and mixing some rice cereal for their bellies. The two girls ate way more than I ever remembered Gigi eating at the same age. They were growing like weeds.
They both were rolling over constantly and ready to start crawling. I dreaded that day. Right now, I could keep an eye on them because they stayed wherever I set them down, but as soon as they crawled, it would be a constant game of cat and mouse.
I looked around the living room, where I spent the most time, when Joe and Frisco walked into the room. “Babe, can you grab some baby gates today on your way home from work?” There were easily five ways for the twins to escape from this room.
Joe grabbed his keys off the counter and shoved his wallet into his back pocket. “What happened to the ones we had?”
“I gave them to Max to use. I want new ones anyway. Get at least five. Five,” I repeated and pointed at each entryway. “I don’t want to be chasing them around the house all day.”
He wrapped his muscular arms around me, cocooning me in his warm embrace. “Gotcha. I’ll grab at least five and more if they have them. That way we don’t have to move them around the house.”
“Thanks, baby.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his soft lips.
“I won’t be gone too late tonight.”
“I’ll be okay,” I reassured him and peered over his shoulder at Frisco. “I’m sure Georgia will be happy if Frisco makes it home at a reasonable time.” The statement earned me a wink from Frisco.
“No going anywhere without him. Got me, sugar?” Joe stared down at me with his stern look I loved so much.
“Whatever you say, Joe.”
When I smiled, his eyes grew more serious, his stare turning more severe. “I’m serious. Do not go anywhere without Frisco.”
“Yes, sir.” I saluted him.
He smacked me on the ass before pulling me closer against him. “Don’t make me punish you later.”
Rubbing my nose against his, I laughed. “It’s not really punishment when I like it.”
Joe shook his head and sighed. “Be a good girl.”
I tucked my hand under Joe’s T-shirt and dragged my fingertips over the dimples above his ass. “Just go to work. I promise not to put my life in danger—or our girls. Stop being so overprotective and scoot. You’re wasting Frisco’s time, Joe.”
“I’m out. Thanks for being here.”
“Just go,” I repeated myself, letting my hand wander down to his ass and giving him a small pinch. He barely flinched. He said good-bye and walked out.
I turned to face Frisco. “Sucks having to babysit me, huh?”
“I’m not babysitting you, Sunshine.” His arms were crossed in front of his chest, muscles bulging under his solid black T-shirt.
“What would you call it?”
He laughed and tipped his head back. “Protecting you and the girls.”
“Coffee?” I changed the subject, because what he called protecting, I called watching. “We have a few minutes peace left until Ro and Lu are up to eat again.”
“Sure,” Frisco said, unfolding his arms before walking toward the island counter.
He looked good. Better than I’d ever seen him. Being with Georgia, his wife and my good friend, agreed with him. Pushing them together was difficult. The two of them were so quick to find reasons not to be together, even though they were perfect for each other. They almost reminded me of Joe and me when we first hooked up.
“How’s Georgia?” I asked, pouring him a cup of coffee.
“Working like crazy these days. There’s some book fair at the school, so she’s been staying late.”
I always loved the book fair and missed being surrounded by so many new novels. “I miss the fair. Maybe we can stop in there this week.”
“She’d like that.” He nodded and took a seat as I pushed the mug in front of him. “Thanks, Sunshine.”
After refreshing my cup, I leaned over the counter and stared at him over the rim while I took a sip. His hair was a little shorter than usual, probably Georgia’s doing. His face had barely aged a day since I’d met him. That’s what happened when you didn’t have three little ones to wear your ass out. I felt like I’d aged twenty years in under seven. There were barely any wrinkles near the outer edges of his almond-shaped eyes. “Any plans for babies?”
He started to choke on his coffee. “Not yet. G’s too young still.” Using the back of his hand, he wiped his lips.
“That’s the best time to start. You’re not getting any younger.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
“How are your parents, anyway?”
He moved to Florida to escape them, but after his mother visited when he was dating Georgia, she decided to move closer to her son. She was a piece of work. She made Mrs. Gallo seem like a lightweight. “They’re good. They’re way too much in our business, but I know Ma’s heart is in the right place.”
“Does she like Georgia now?”
“It only took a year or so, but I think she finally accepts her.”
“She doesn’t think she’s a tramp anymore?”
That earned me a laugh. “No. She realized the error in her ways.”
“About damn time,” I said before finishing the last drop of coffee in my cup. Just as I was about to speak, Ro started to scream upstairs. Before I could move, Lu joined in. “I gotta get them.”
“Want help?” he asked, setting his coffee down and standing.
“I’m used to doing it myself.”
“I have two free hands, Suzy. I’m not going to follow you around all day. I’m going to head outside soon to survey the perimeter, but I can help you carry the babies downstairs.”
“I won’t turn down the help.” The girls were so heavy that, at times when carrying them both, I wondered how my back didn’t give out. Especially when carrying them down the stairs. I hadn’t thought ahead when we built the house. Why didn’t we build a ranch?
Frisco followed me up the stairway and into the girls’ room. “Shh, Ro,” I whispered before pulling her from her crib. She was already waiting, holding on to the side for dear life and making sure to scream toward the door so I would hear her.
“Man, they’re getting so big,” Frisco said when he lifted Lu up and cradled her in his arms. She instantly quieted and peered up at him with wide eyes.
“They grow like weeds, my friend.”
By the time we made it back to the kitchen, Lu was cooing at Frisco and touching his face. His eyes lit up when he stared at her.
“You look good with a baby in your arms.”
“Soon, Suzy. When Georgia’s ready, we’ll start our little army.”
I handed him a bowl of rice mush for Lu and grabbed one for Ro before sitting down at the counter with him. “Just feed her small bites. Like this,” I said, scooping some of the bland, colorless food onto the spoon.
“What about a high chair?” He stared down at her with a twinge of fear in his eyes.
“It’s easier since there’s two of us to just hold them. If you’re not comfortable, you can put her in the chair.”
“No. I can do this.” He swallowed hard before repeating my motions and filling the spoon with food. “Just shovel it in?”
“Put it near her mouth and she’ll open for you.” I placed the spoon near Ro’s mouth and she immediately opened. “See?” Lu’s eyes sparkled as she stared up at him.
Frisco tentatively placed the spoon in front of Lu’s face, but
she opened for him without hesitation. “There you go, baby girl. Eat the nummies.” Frisco had a paternal side. He just didn’t know it. No one calls it that unless they have the baby talk down pat.
“She likes you.” I smiled at them both.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, lingering just a little to take in the baby scent. “She’s a cute little thing.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that her cuteness would wear off soon. After she had her cereal and drained her bottle, she’d have her morning poop. Lu was great that way. Her body was like clockwork. I could almost set my clock to her morning bowel movement.
“So what are you going to be doing here all day?”
He gave her another spoonful, keeping his eyes on her as he spoke. “I’ll be outside a lot. I need to make sure no one enters the perimeter, and since you have a lot of land, there will be a lot to cover.”
“Don’t stay outside too much. It’s too hot to be out there long.”
“I’ve been through hotter when I was on the battlefield, babe. We didn’t get a break.”
“Well, this isn’t the military. Come in whenever you need something to drink or to just cool off.”
“I will,” he promised when he placed the last spoonful of cereal into Lu’s hungry mouth. “Now what?”
“Bottle time.” I nudged the waiting bottle toward him. “Want to go sit on the couch for it? It’s just easier.”
“Sure.” Frisco grabbed both bottles in one hand, holding them between his long thick fingers and carried Lu with him to the couch. I followed behind with a fussy Ro and took a seat next to him. “Here,” he said and handed me a bottle before adjusting Lu in his arms. When he stuck the bottle in Lu’s mouth, she instantly started to drain it. “Jesus,” he muttered as he stared at her with wide eyes.
“Yeah, they eat like they’re starving to death.”
“It’s cute.”
“Just wait.” I giggled because I knew in under five minutes he’d meet the not so cute side of Lu.
