Page 21 of Widow Mayker

My blood ran cold. “Are there other officers here?” I questioned. Aside from Von being related to Detective Gunner, I wasn’t cool with anyone else wearing a damn badge.

“A few,” he replied while handing me a shirt. “Put this on.”

“What does a few mean?” I asked as my eyes scanned the writing and picture on the shirt.

“Me, my brothers, my pops—”

“What?” My voice slightly escalated. “And this is your family reunion?” Sure, I knew he was related to Detective Gunner, but I hadn’t planned on ever seeing that man again. Plus, his whole damn family were cops!

Now what, genius? How you gon’ get out of this?

Von stood there with a grin on his handsome face.

“Don’t you dare smile at a time like this,” I fussed.

“You scared?”

His question triggered something inside of me. “I’m not afraid of anything.” Today wouldn’t be the day that I let anything get the upper hand in my life. Not even a fucking meeting with his family.

Smart thinking, May.

“Aight, then. Besides, my people are harmless,” he assured me.

“Says the six-foot-five linebacker with a damn grill in his mouth.”

Von threw his head back and laughed. I hated that my lips twitched to join him.

“It’s nice that you put me on a field. By the way, I’m built more like a quarterback, baby,” he stated.

I growled lowly, causing him to laugh harder.

“Put ya shirt on,” he softly ordered.

Sighing, I stood behind the truck’s passenger door and changed into the white T-shirt with the Gunner name plastered across it. Pleased, he grinned, grabbed my hand, and led me to the slaughter.

The closer we got to the crowd of people huddled under the canopies where tables and chairs were set up, cold feet set in. Shit! I was always cool under pressure. What the fuck is wrong with me?

I pulled my hat a little lower over my eyes to conceal them as much as I could. Von came close to me and lifted my chin until his eyes were where he always wanted them.

“Let’s make another deal,” he proposed.

Reluctantly, I asked, “What is it?”

“If I get you to feel comfortable around my people, you gotta give me a second date.”

“We haven’t even made it through the first one. Mind you, I’m here for the whole damn weekend. Mind you, you didn’t give me a choice not to come,” I said.

He chuckled. “This is one date, Maja. And I’m confident we will have a second one. Say yes.”

He was so persuasive, I found myself muttering, “Sure. But… If I don’t feel comfortable, you have to agree to walk away and pretend like we never met.”

“I’ll agree to walk away. I won’t pretend like we never met.”

Unfortunately, I knew all too well what Von meant. Bumping into him was becoming my undoing, and I barely knew him. I was already agreeing to do something I would never do outside of him.

Seconds later, I swallowed my tongue. Detective Gunner approached us, wearing a bright but curious smile. The second recognition crossed his handsome face, I nervously smiled.

“Hey, son,” he said to Von, “you’re just in time for the opening prayer.”