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I shake my head. “Any idea how these things work?”
He takes it, turns it one way, then another. “Where did you get it?”
“Chaka.”
He laughs. “Of course you did.” A few more turns and frowns. “I’d call him.”
“I can’t call him.” I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. “Something’s wrong with it.”
“I’ll call him.” Nolan dials and hands me his phone, and I accept, putting it to my ear and getting back to walking up and down.
“It’s Danny.”
“Black,” Chaka rumbles. “Don’t tell me you need more guns.”
I huff. Definitely not. The bunker is full to the rafters and we have no one to sell to right now, since we pissed off the Mexicans and they’d likely want to use their new purchases on us. And Sandy—fuck that rapist cunt—has disappeared after I chased the fucker down and got shot a few times for my trouble. So, yeah, we’re what you could call well-armed right now. “No guns,” I say, just as Maggie yells. I quickly refocus on bouncing her in my arm, walking up and down again. “I need advice, Chaka.”
He laughs, making the phone vibrate in my hand. “Babies? I have fifteen children, Black, and I still wouldn’t recommend asking me for advice on babies.”
“Fifteen?” My mind bends. Jesus Christ. “This thing you had made for Maggie. How the fuck does it work?”
“Ah, let me put you on to the manufacturer.”
I frown. “There’s a manufacturer for bulletproof baby carriers?”
“Yes, my wife.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “You mean, even with fifteen kids, she still has time for other shit?”
“Didn’t you know, Black? Women are wonders.”
“Yeah, I know.” I look down at Maggie. See Rose in my mind’s eye. Smile. “Can I speak to your wonder woman?”
“Make it quick, Black. She’s busy.” A woman comes on the line, laughing loudly, and in just two sentences, she tells me exactly what I need to do before she hangs up. I look down at the phone, handing it to Nolan.
“Well?” he asks, the carrier dangling from his grasp.
I take it, slip one arm through, shift Maggie into my other arm, slip my right arm through, and turn. “Do me up. The straps need to cross over. Make it tight. But not too tight.” I lift Maggie and lower her legs through the holes, pulling the two straps as per Chaka’s wife’s instruction. “Snug as a bug,” I muse, tapping the back pad. Or back shield. It clangs. “And as safe as houses.”
“Looks the same as any other,” Nolan says, impressed, giving the back of the carrier a small knock too. “Nifty.”
I grab the baby bag, sling it over my shoulder, and cross the road. “Go inside and turn off the music.”
“But Brad’s doing auditions.”
I stop and look at Nolan. I don’t need to say a word. Off he goes, while I check my phone again, holding it up to the sky to find some service. Nothing. “Fuck’s sake.” I hear the track playing in the club cut abruptly so I make my way inside.
“Are you fucking joking?” Brad asks, standing from a chair that’s in front of the stage. “Seriously, Danny, it’s bad enough I live in a house full of women and kids, now you’re bringing them to work?”
“Shut up, you miserable fuck.” I sling the bag down and nod to Mason, Des, and Drake at the bar. “And there’re only two kids in the house. Three if you include Anya. Four if you include Pearl.” I raise a brow, and Brad snarls. God, he’s being a dick lately. “What’s up with you?”
“Nothing.”
“This got anything to do with Pearl?” I ask, watching for his reaction. I’m still not convinced that matter is dead in the water.
“Fuck off, Danny.”
“Where is she anyway?”
