I grin, probably a little too wide. “I’m a Cancer.”

He nods, but doesn’t comment again, instead switching gears, as I should have expected.

“If you’re bored, you need to find something to fill your time.”

When I look to him, he shifts only his eyes my way.

“You can’t go off like that. Not here. Not when we have shit in the air.”

“Is there ever something not happening?”

“No.” His expression is firm and after a second, he tears his eyes away.

“Micah had said some of the guys from the home are on a job, like they were sent somewhere for a few days, but they’ll be back.” My stomach tightens. “Is that normal?”

Suspicion sharpens his gaze. “Sometimes. Why?”

“There’s still a lot of people for me to meet.” Not a lie.

I busy myself with another bite.

“You don’t need to meet anyone,” he comes back. “If or when that changes, you will.”

“Then it will because I want to.”

He eyes me a long moment and then hops to his feet.

Royce climbs back out into the daylight, spins and leans down. He plants his forearms on the frame and pokes his head inside. “We have shit happening tonight. Be out the door at ten.”

I pinch my lips together with a grin. “Ten?”

The cocky playboy cocks his head. “Thought it was fitting.”

I scoff a laugh. “Where we going?”

His chin lifts as he licks his lips and backs away. “To ‘meet’ people, Tink.”

“Tink.” I lean my forearms on the windowsill. “That’s not even original.”

The corner of his lips lift. “You sure?”

I open my mouth, but the gleam in his eyes has me closing them.

I like him like this.

As he walks away, I realize that’s not true.

I think I like all the shades of him.

Oops.

Chapter 13

Royce

Pre-summer heat has crept in on us here and it looks like little Bishop’s ready for it.

She’s wearing a pair of black shorts with rips in the front, her slightly suntanned skin peeking through the shreds. Her white top is tucked deep into the waistband and stretching all the way up her neck, the collar wrapping all the way around, soft but secure, like skilled hands would be in bed.

Like mine would be.

When she turns to close the door, we’re given a back view, a full fucking back view.

Her shirt lays wide open from her shoulder blades to the top of her hips.

I groan. “I should have been more specific on what Micah was allowed to bring of hers.”

My brothers laugh and I turn to Raven when her head swivels this way.

“There isn’t a pair of pants, shorts, or even a Maybell style muumuu that could hide dat ass.” Raven laughs.

“You ain’t lyin’, RaeRae.”

Wish you were.

Brielle starts walking toward us but right as I’m about to push open the back door, she passes, and all our eyes follow as she skips over to Micah, who’s just hopping off the side porch of the boys home.

He grins, holding his arms out and she laughs, tucking her miniature body beneath one.

All heads snap my way, but I don’t look to them.

“Stop,” I demand. “I already said it once, it ain’t like that.”

“K. It ain’t like that, but you pulled her ass out of the cafeteria today... and you’re squeezin’ on the door handle,” Raven says, evidence of her grin sneaking into her words.

“But it ain’t like that, Raven,” Victoria teases.

I shove the fucking thing open and step out, my asshole family laughing behind me.

Brielle

“You ready for this?” Micah asks, grinning down at me.

“Oh, yeah.” I laugh, pretty much bouncing in anticipation. “I always wondered what it was like out there.”

Mac called us a little bit ago to tell us we were headed to the warehouses tonight, which is the place my brother has run for the last few years. I tried to find some info about it over the years, but they do a good job of keeping it off of social media.

Micah smiles and then his head lifts. “What’s up, man?”

I turn to find Royce rounding the hood of the black SUV.

He pulls off a simple pair of black jeans, and a black sleeveless shirt, like the best of them, his tattoos the perfect accessories.

As always, a hint of silver peeks from beneath the black, a chain he never pulls front and center but forever seems to wear.

Royce is in full-on alpha mode tonight—dark eyes, hair, and clothes.

Dark disposition.

I’m starting to think that’s just him and the force he puts into the universe purely by breathing.

“Time to go.” His command is simply stated, his gaze moving from me to Micah.

“Ready, my man.” Micah nods, making his way to the driver's seat of his car.

I follow, but Royce slips in front of me with a blank expression and I ease back.

“What are you doing?” His tone is firm.

“Getting ready to leave?”

His eyes tighten slightly, and I study him.

“We talked about this.” I shake my head. “Bark orders, be transparent, and all that.”

His frown deepens. “I told you to be ready at ten. What part of that made you think you weren’t riding with me?”

“The fact that you and your brothers ride together,” I answer instantly. “Add in how they don’t know me, and how there’s been zero trust established between any of us, it seemed exactly like what you’d want me to do.”

His lips press into a firm line, his jaw clenching slightly.

“Is that not the right way of thinking?” I ask, suddenly unsure.

I thought I was approaching this as I was supposed to, with their customs in mind.

Family runs deeper than blood, trust must be earned, not given, and all the jazz that comes along with that, but maybe I’m wrong?

Micah pulls up beside us then, and with his lips pinched tight, Royce opens the passenger door with a hard jerk.

When I don’t move, an exasperated sigh leaves him. “Get in the fuckin’ car, Bishop.”

I smile and do as he says, but before he closes it, he pops his head inside. “You don’t step out until I tell you to.” He looks to Micah, his expression now flat. “Follow us through the gate, but don’t block us inside.”

“You got it, boss.” Micah nods.

“Yeah, boss, see you there.”

Royce’s eyes snap toward me, and while they narrow, the corner of his mouth twitches. “Ten minute drive, don’t fuckin’ lose us.”

He slams the door, slips into the SUV and then we’re both rolling forward.

All I can think as we pull off the property is finally.

After nearly four long years, it’s happening. I’m going to walk into the place my brother lives for.

My nerves, they aren’t the dangerous kind tonight. They don’t raise my pulse, but swim in my stomach, flickering like the stars above us, driven by excitement that grows wilder and wilder as the minutes tick by. Before I know it, we’re creeping down a deserted street, rolling into a dirt parking lot, and bypassing a few rows of random cars until we’re lined up with a slightly hidden, and very large section of iron walls.