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Vi answered before Reaper could. “We’re standing here, aren’t we? We might have gotten into a jam but that jam may pay off. The Chens and Russos now see each other as threats.”

“So, now what?”

Reaper took over again to answer Zeke. “We wait and see what pops off between the two organizations.”

“And if nothin’ does?” Chill asked.

“Then, we’ll have to find another approach.”

“While the Souls keep runnin’ fent through our goddamn territory,” Zeke said with a shake of his head.

“At least they’re not wreaking havoc as they do so,” Chill reminded his older brother.

“That happens, fuck the Russos, the Souls will be obliterated,” Rage warned.

“The goal was to prevent our club from getting involved in a war,” Reaper reminded them. “We’re doing what we can to prevent that.”

A muscle jumped in Rage’s cheek. “Still need to know what the fuck’s goin’ on in case this shit comes back to bite us in the goddamn ass. We need to stay on top of that fuckin‘ shit.”

“Agreed,” said Zeke.

“Understood. We’ll do better about keeping you informed,” Reaper assured the club’s enforcer.

Vi elbowed him in the ribs. Not a poke, but a sharp jab. That did not go unmissed by the men surrounding the table.

Fuck. He might have just stepped in shit with his boss.

And lover.

“Want regular updates, Vi,” Zeke told her. “Especially since everyone on your team except for you and your sisters are patched into this club. They can give us the info if you don’t have time to do it yourself.”

“We’ll do what we can,” she assured him.

Reaper wondered if she was lying simply to appease the club’s officers. Either way⁠—

Without warning, the door flung open with a bang and little feet slapping on the concrete floor could be heard. Before Reaper could turn, Zeke’s three-year-old shot past him to the opposite side of the table yelling, “Daddy!”

Ledger climbed into his father’s lap and gave his father an awkward hug by strangling the man’s neck. Zeke peeled his son’s arms free and settled him in his lap. He said softly, “Ain’t supposed to be in here.”

Ledger only giggled in response as Zeke hooked an arm around his son’s middle, keeping him there instead of pushing him away and telling him to leave.

Of course, what kid wouldn’t be tempted to grab the “hammer” and start pounding the gavel on the table? The only one that didn’t wince was Zeke.

Living with and raising an active toddler probably made him immune.

“Try doin’ that on your father’s head, instead,” Chaos suggested. “It’s harder than the table and might knock some sense into him at the same damn time.”

“Doubt it,” Wheels said. “That’s gonna take a fuckin’ miracle.”

“Small ears,” Vi hissed at him.

Wheels slapped his hands on his own ears. “I don’t got small ears!”

“Not you, idiot.” She jerked her head toward the toddler. She then asked Zeke, “Why is he here?”

“Kyra’s workin’ a shift and I gotta drop him off at the retirement village right after this. Doin’ a date night tonight.”

“Where you takin’ her?” Chill asked his older brother.