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“We’re okay.” Sukie studies Laredo for a minute, watching as he reaches for a bottle of whiskey.
“Go sit with your mom, baby.”
Sukie pulls her attention off Laredo and peers up at me. I can tell she has questions, but she doesn’t ask them. I lean down and kiss her, then watch her join her mother. I look back at Laredo, who is nursing a glass of whiskey, and approach him.
“How you holdin’ up?” I stop beside him, my gut clenching when he winces from pain at the slightest movement.
“I’ve been through worse, brother.” He shoots back a shot. “Juneau worked his magic. He stitched me up good.”
Salem joins us. “Mystic and Juneau are heading back. I put a call into Jackson. He’s heading to the crash site to get Sukie’s car and tow it back to his shop. Once he’s had a look at it, he’ll give me a call.”
My control is holding on by a thread.
“Breathe, brother.” Laredo slides a shot of whiskey toward me.
I stare at the amber fluid momentarily, my jaw ticking. I lift the glass, then down the shot.
The familiar rumble of Harley engines grows louder, signaling the arrival of my brothers, Mystic and Juneau. A few moments later, they walk through the clubhouse door, leading a woman.
I lock eyes with Bianca.
“Found her sitting in a car at the edge of the property by the main road.” Mystic releases her.
Juneau continues going across the room, hauling Sukie’s and Alice’s bags and dumping them on a pool table.
Bianca’s eyes land on me, ignoring everyone else in the room. Her gaze travels over me. “Luca, sweetheart.” Her smile does nothing to hide who she really is. She fakes disappointment at my lack of acknowledgment of her presence.
My eyes dart to Sukie, sitting with her mother on a sofa a few feet from where Bianca is standing. Bianca follows my line of sight, turning her attention to Sukie, giving her a look of disdain.
“How could you be with that, Luca baby?”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I thought about you,” Sukie fires back, standing up for herself.
That’s my girl.
Bianca’s lip curls in disgust. “You will never be woman enough for a man like Luca, sweetheart.”
“Speak to her again; I’ll put your body in an unmarked grave.” I deliver a stern warning.
Bianca’s face contorts with anger as she faces me again.
“You got a death wish comin’ here.”
“Your father felt I should be the one to deliver his message.” Bianca smirks.
I bet he did. His arrogance knows no bounds.
In the background, I hear Ophelia quietly telling Sage they need to take the children out of the room and listen to her speak to Lorelai in a soft voice, asking her to come with her to the kitchen for some cake and ice cream.
“Your father’s plane leaves for New York in forty-eight hours. If you are not on it, he will hand over all the evidence he has on your sweet Sukie here.”
“What evidence?”
“Evidence proving she murdered the man her mother was imprisoned for.” She gives Sukie a smug smile.
Alice jumps off the sofa. “How dare you!” She moves towards Bianca, and Sukie goes after her, placing herself between the two women.
“She’s not worth it, Mom.” Sukie holds her mom back, but Alice tries to push past her daughter. Sukie doesn’t let her. “Mom, it’s okay.”
