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“Ain’t hurting my feelings,” Teller fires back.
“Can I finish?” I ask before those two start bickering. Again, I glance down the table toward Ravage, Stash, and some of our downstate brothers. “If I hear one ‘jailbait’ joke or any of you make Libby uncomfortable, or look at her inappropriately, I will personally fucking rip out your spine and whip you with it.”
“If I don’t do it first,” Grinder adds.
Rav holds his hands in the air. “Come on, brother. She’s a fucking kid. And she’s your ol’ lady’s sister. We all know better.”
Do you though? I keep the sarcastic comment to myself. I put everyone on notice. No need to be a dick about it.
“We’ll all keep an eye on her,” Z promises.
“She can always stay at our place,” Murphy volunteers. “Heidi loves her. Not sure how Libby will feel about getting woken up by Bit-bit, though.”
“Thanks, brother. I’ll talk to Emily and see what she wants to do.”
“Our place is always open too,” Wrath says.
I turn my head to look at Wrath. “Thanks, brother.” He doesn’t invite us over to his castle often, so I appreciate the offer.
“Sounds good,” Rock says. “There won’t be any issues.” He sends a warning glare around the table to let everyone know it’s an order, not a suggestion.
“I can have Carter come up. Maybe bring June with him?” Teller frowns. “Maybe not.”
“Fuck, we’re all old, Prez,” Bricks jokes. Then more seriously, he adds, “My kids are probably too young for her to wanna hang around with.”
“Get our support club up here,” Wrath says. “That’s why we have them, no? Doesn’t Remy’s sister go to school with Libby?”
“She did, I think.” I shrug and glance at Murphy.
“I don’t fucking know.” He holds his palms up to the ceiling. “I can barely keep track of my own kids.”
Teller snorts and presses his chin to his chest. “And yet you want more,” he mutters.
Murphy shoves him sideways. “You know what I mean.”
“I think you’re all forgetting we have two celebrities in the family.” Jigsaw points at Rooster, then Grinder. “Rooster’s tiny songbird and Ms. Tranquil Sparkles will both be happy to hang with Libby, I’m sure.”
Grinder chuckles at Jiggy’s use of the name Serena uses for her YouTube channel. “Surprised you remembered that.”
Jiggy points to Rooster again. “How could I forget? He’s got me watching Serena’s socials and deleting all the creepy comments. It’s a full-time fucking job.”
Rooster grins. “I let him weed out the dick pics, so Serena doesn’t have to deal with them.”
Grinder growls a low, threatening sound.
“It’s okay, bro. I’m putting together a kill list for you,” Jigsaw assures him.
Grinder chuckles then nudges me with his elbow. “Serena’s gonna be up there to help Libby get ready for her prom.”
My lips curve into a smile. “I heard.” Libby couldn’t stop talking about having Serena do her makeup.
“Wait, you’re lecturing us about not talking to the kid, but you’re letting her go to her prom?” Hoot asks. “You know what kids do on prom night, right?”
Deep breath. Do not kill him.
Murphy flicks his gaze at me, then tilts his head so he can see Hoot at the far end of the table. “Bro, if you want us to make a book shelf out of your bone cartilage, just say so.”
Jigsaw laughs so hard he bounces around in his seat and leans over to slap Murphy’s hand. “Good one.”
Rooster side-eyes Hoot, then Jigsaw, and shakes his head. “Anywaaaay.” He glances at me. “Shelby’s planning to tag along with Serena. She’s looking forward to seeing Libby again.”
“Thanks, brother.” Warmth fills my chest.
This right here is what I was trying to explain to Libby about chosen family.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Emily
I wish our mother was here to see Libby getting ready for her first prom.
Mom loved all the girly-girl dressing-up events. She made a huge deal when I’d been invited to prom as a freshman. I didn’t have the heart to tell her afterward that the guy I went with was a creep who got drunk and tried to rip off the dress I’d so carefully chosen. I wore a black dress to my own senior prom, deeply disappointing my mother who loved bright, cheerful colors.
She would’ve approved of Libby’s choice, I think.
“It looked beautiful on you,” I say with a slight wobble in my voice.
“Are you sure?” Libby eyes the long gown hanging from a hook in her bedroom.
“That shade of pale lavender compliments your complexion,” Serena says. “And it looks perfect with your red hair.”
“Purple’s definitely your color, Libby,” Shelby adds.
Serena and Shelby had shown up to help Libby with her hair and makeup. Libby might’ve cancelled prom to hang out with Shelby all night, if Shelby hadn’t explained she had to leave about an hour before Libby’s friends would arrive for pictures.
“I’m so sorry I won’t be here to see you and your date,” Shelby drawls. “Make sure ya send me lotsa pictures, though, okay?”
