Fox had a crazy-eyed stare as he went to the foot of the table. “You’re fuckin’ almost done. Goddamn. I fuckin’ put this food on the table and you start without me?”
“Edgar, the food was ready early and who knew if you were actually going to show.” Carly pointed toward Cash. “Dev’s brought a guest. Could you show some manners and respect? We left you a place.” She then pointed to the open place setting next to Shanna, close to where he stood.
Cash had to resist the urge to square his shoulders as not only Fox, but every eye in the room turned to him. If he picked up the swell of Dev’s chest, it didn’t speak of pride at his supposed boyfriend, more a show to suggest he wasn’t putting up with anything derogatory that might tumble from his father’s mouth.
“Cash, this is Edgar. Edgar, meet Cash.”
Cash nodded to Fox.
“I’m Fox,” Dev’s father said and poked a finger in his chest as if Cash might not get it. He took the seat next to Shanna but looked disgruntled as hell. “What’re you starin’ at?” Fox barked at Mae, grabbing a spoon from the cornbread dressing.
“You,” Mae answered with a little less happy in her tone. Fox’s gaze swept to Abi.
“You ain’t got nothin’ to say?”
Abi continued to stare at her plate, not making eye contact with her grandfather as she spoke. “He always says that to me. You’d think he’d figure it out.”
“I’d’ve beat your ass in front of everybody if you ever said anything like that to your grandparents,” Fox said to Shanna. The spoon clinked hard against the china plate. A lump of food plopped down.
“Since I’ve never met my grandparents, we really don’t know that,” Shanna started but Dev cut her off.
“If I ever find out you laid a hand on my kids, I’ll fuckin’ kill you that day, old man.” An underlying promise rang in the oath. Cash believed every word.
“Well, goddamn. I’m gettin' attacked by everyone at this fuckin’ table. Happy fuckin’ Thanksgiving. Give me some of that cold turkey I paid for.” His hand extended to the platter of cut turkey placed closer to his wife. “And where’s my fuckin’ beer?”
Dev’s mother let go of an impatient sigh, but got up from her seat, throwing the napkin in the chair. “I’ll be back.”
When she left, his father rose, picking up his plate. He went around the table and took Carly’s seat at the head, replacing his plate with hers. Cash half expected the plate to be slung across the room, but instead, Fox put the plate on top of Mae’s. “Get to your place at the end of the table.”
Instant tears sprang to her eyes as she scurried out of the seat.
“Goddammit,” Dev roared and took his freshly buttered yeast roll and threw it at his father like a pitcher at a baseball game. “Don’t talk to them that way. I’ve fuckin’ told you. It’s comin’ for you. Guaranteed.”
As Dev spoke, he rose, rounding the table, using all his strength to knock the back of his father’s chair forward. He met Mae who’d changed course to head to her dad. He gently scooped her up then went for Abi, taking her hand and carefully moving her out of her seat. The move was impressive with as angry as he was.
Cash’s gaze followed them. Three sets of eyes were focused on him. He guessed that was his cue. He lifted the napkin from his lap, setting it on the table.
“Grab your plate and mine. My old man’s a pig. Nobody wants to watch him eat anyway.”
Cash cast a quick glance at Shanna who shrugged and reached for her plate and Dev’s, getting up from her seat.
“Good. More fuckin’ food for me,” Fox growled, seemingly unimpressed by their show of disdain.
The silence lasted until Cash reached the kitchen then an all-out brawl began between Dev’s father and his mother in the dining room. Dev put Mae down on a barstool and grabbed new plates, handing one to each of his daughters.
“Remember, you’re the one who wanted to come.” Dev glanced pointedly at Cash.
“Momo and Fox fight a lot. More than Daddy and Momma. Momo doesn’t like Fox. Nobody really does except his brothers at the club and that one woman and her daughter.” Mae explained as Cash took his seat next to her. The entire experience became way more biker-oriented than he’d originally thought it was. Dev’s big hand came to Mae’s head, drawing both hers and Abi’s attention.
“Fightin’ isn’t normal. Your prince needs to not yell at you like that,” Dev explained in a “do as I say, not as I do” type of remark.
“Or you’ll beat him up?” Mae asked happily. Abi nodded as if it was a given.
“Oh, one hundred percentyes.” The certainty rang true. Cash didn’t doubt it in the least. Dev was sweet with his girls. All the while, ignoring the crash of broken glass coming from the other room.
~~~
“I need a fuckin’ bump,” Dev murmured, coming to stand at the edge of the back porch where Cash and Shanna quietly talked. He was edgy now, wanting to crawl out of his skin. His father’s bad attitude left a lasting mark on his mood.
