Here, no one is more than the other.

Here, they’re equals or they’re out.

Raven steps beside me.

“So Bass Bishop’s little sister.” She tests the words on her tongue, her eyes moving to Brielle across the room.

She sits at the poker table, cards in one hand, beer in the other.

I nod. “Bass Bishop’s little sister.”

Raven does her best to read her. “She’s been looking around all night.”

“I know.” I turn my head toward Brielle with a nod. “Not sure why yet.”

We meet each other’s gazes only to look right back.

Brielle sets her beer on the tabletop, turning to laugh at something the star of the fucking night says from the seat to her left.

She responds, and Enoch leans over to whisper something near her ear.

Dumb fucker.

My eyes lift then, meeting Micah’s a space behind her, and he takes the cue, moving right in.

No hesitation. Good.

He leans forward, reaching from one side of the table to the next to say what’s up to someone, drawing attention to his right hand, making everyone laugh like the smooth son of a bitch he is, all while his left quickly skates across the longneck of a bottle—she had to go and trade out her cup.

Micah’s swift, slick, and backing away in seconds.

Raven knows this kind of shit too well and recognizes the play instantly, stepping closer.

I finish off my drink, my eyes sharp and on Brielle.

She faces forward again, smiling at the punk beside her, her hand blindly reaching for the beer she left out of reach and out of sight for no more than ten, fifteen seconds tops.

She wraps a hand around the bottle, and fuck me, my blood pumps heavy in expectation I have no business waiting for.

My eyes are glued to Brielle’s fingers as they tighten around the glass, my awareness heightening, pricking at my skin as she lifts it to her mouth.

For a split second, the cooled glass sits against her lips, but then Brielle’s eyes fall to the bottle, and she doesn’t hesitate to set it on the floor near her feet.

Raven looks to me as a low chuckle leaves me, and I meet her eyes.

I push to stand, lifting a beer from the ice bucket I had set behind the bar.

“Royce, what are you gonna do with her?” Raven’s questions got nothing to do with right now, and everything to do with the fact that Brielle is here at all.

So, I tell her.

“I’m gonna do the farthest thing from what big brother wanted,” I tell her. “I’m gonna throw her in the deep end.” I pop the top with my teeth, sliding the ridged cap along my palm, before tossing it to her.

She catches it with ease, gauging me. “Throw her in the deep end... and watch her sink.”

“Nah, RaeRae.” I spin, walking backward so I can keep our gazes locked, a small smirk pulling at my lips. “Imma teach her how to swim.”

I turn around, making my way to Brielle.

The girl knows I’m coming, but she doesn’t look up until my left hand is planted on the table beside her elbow, my body leaning over hers.

She grins when I set a fresh bottle of beer directly in front of her, but that grin turns into a small frown when I lift her retired beer bottle from the ground and bring it to my lips.

I knock it back, setting the empty glass beside her as I bend at the knees to bring us face-to-face.

She watches me closely, confusion whirling in her crazy cool eyes.

I pull my lips back, revealing the tiny pill capsule between my teeth, and whisper, “Good girl.”

Her eyes widen when I bite it open, the inside powder spilling on my tongue, a small splash of her new beer to wash it down.

Micah knows to watch the ballplayer, my brothers know to watch them all, so I stand with ease, make my way across the room for my own drink, and slip behind the satin curtained room on the right to join MacMoney and his honey.

She didn’t panic this morning when we ran her off the road, thought quick and found a weapon to defend herself.

She didn’t drink from the bottle she left unattended, aware anything could happen anywhere.

It’s to say little Bishop is off to a good little start.

Now it’s time to fuckin’ party.

Chapter 15

Royce

Maddoc comes to get me when the fights are set to start and in perfect fucking timing. My bodies starting to heat, so it’s either I turn the place into a strip club or find something else to focus on.

He glances over my shoulder. “The girl, she sittin’ with us?”

“No, no.” I tap at my chest, and my palm decides to flatten there. “It ain’t like that. This is business.”

“As in she’s going to handle your business?” Raven teases.

“No, RaeRae, she ain’t.”

“You sure?” Raven smirks. “‘Cause you’re full-on rubbing yourself right now.”

“And I’ll find someone to help me out with that later. Not her.”

“It’s a fuckin’ chair, brother.” Maddoc frowns. “Yes or no?”

“I said no, dick, and it ain’t just a chair and you pricks know it.”

He grins, pulling Raven into his chest and draping his arms over her shoulders.

After Raven got pregnant, Maddoc had concrete, above-crowd seats put in at the edge of the main circle, blocked and gated from the regular crowd who’s still allowed ringside, just not along the line of six chairs forever reserved for us.

That’s right.

Six.

As in four for my pussy-whipped brothers and their queens, and two left for me and whoever I want in the other one.

I don’t want anyone in it.

I’m a loner, a lost boy.

I’ve got my brothers and RaeRae, VicVee, too.

Little Zo and soon another little to play with.

Little.

Brielle’s fuckin’ little.

Tiny and Tink-like.

“Royce.”

“Huh?” I look to Maddoc when he snaps.

“Stop fucking rubbing your leg.”

I look down, my hands at my sides and sure as shit... rubbing.

I tear my hands away, running them through my hair, and a grin takes over.

“Fuck.” Maddoc shakes his head with a chuckle. “You’re fuckin rollin’. Want me to find Mac?”

“Nah, brother, where you think I came from? He’s watchin’, wherever he is now, and it was only half a pill, I didn’t want to fuck the girl up if she was dumb enough to drink it. I’m chill. Gonna drown it out with a couple quick shots anyway.”

“So no to the seats?”

I nod. “I’ll take Brielle up the wall or some shit.”

“Take me where?”

I whip around, Cap, Victoria, and Brielle now standing behind me.

My grin spreads when I have to look down to see Brielle.

I’m a fucking beast compared.

Hold up, she asked a question.

“Outside, Imma take you outside. Wait,” I pause. “You afraid of the dark? ‘Cause if you are, me and my brothers are good at distracting—”

“Shut up.” Raven chuckles.

I smile, and Brielle frowns between us.

“Nah, never mind. I know you’re not afraid of the dark.” I don’t realize I’ve slipped closer until the fabric of her shirt heats my fingertips. “You sleep in it, ain’t that right, little Bishop?”