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“I second that,” Xeno adds.
Beast whistles. “Your set up is fucking fascinating to me, but I ain’t one to judge. You do you. I think you’d make fucking great parents, and just so you know, Iris could do with a playmate.”
“She already has a couple of playmates, so ignore Beast. No pressure here,” Grim adds.
“George and Sebastian are little toerags and not a good influence on Iris,” Beast retorts, referring to Asia’s younger brothers that she and her guys have parental responsibility for. “Plus they’re too old for her.”
“Oh, don’t be so mean,” Grim admonishes. “Those two boys are lively, sure, but they have good hearts just like their older sister. Besides, Ford is responsible for their care too and he’s my brother and there’s no way he’ll let them get away with any poor behaviour around Iris.”
“Hmm,” Beast mutters. “Well I’ve got my eye on them. One wrong move and I’ll–”
“You’ll do absolutely nothing. They’re kids. Iris loves them,” Grim points out.
“Exactly, and kids grow up into adults, Not sure you’ll be as relaxed with them hanging out with Iris when they’re all grown up.”
“They’re family,” Grim adds with a shake of her head.
“Not by blood,” Beast stutters.
Grim shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “Okay, so making babies aside, we’re happy for you to offer the job to Gray, and if he wants to keep it, then we’re cool with that too. Aren’t we Beast?”
“Yeah, we’re good,” he agrees, getting to his feet. Iris murmurs in her sleep and he lifts her in his arms and presses a kiss against her cheek. “Got to get sleeping beauty home for a good night’s rest before the hoards arrive.”
“Hoards?” Xeno asks.
“Asia, Ford and the gang are visiting so they can enjoy the fight at Tales this weekend. So is Christy and The Masks,” Grim explains.
Pen smiles. “So you’ve got a full house then?”
“Yep, this one won’t get a wink of sleep whilst those toerags–”
“Beast!” Grim warns.
“Whilst George and Sebastian are staying over. If you thought Iris was sassy with us, you ain’t seen nothing. She’sMiss Sassypants the Secondwhen they’re about.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting I’mMiss Sassypants the First,” Grim accuses.
Beast smirks. “If the shoe fits, darling.”
“Well, it sounds like Iris can handle them all on her own,” I comment with a grin.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about,” Beast scowls in response.
“Mate, I think you should relax,” Xeno says, laughing as Beast pulls a face.
“Say that to me again when you become a dad,” he quips before striding out of the room and into the club, a sleepy Iris resting peacefully in his arms.
We follow Beast into Tales, and despite the hustle and bustle going on around us, Iris doesn’t stir as their team gets the club ready for this weekend’s fight. The club is situated in a huge warehouse, providing ample room to house over two hundred seated guests, three bars, a huge cage to fight in and whatever props they need for the dancers to use in their performance.
It’s an impressive set-up and we’ve learnt a great deal from Beast and Grim over the years.
“I’m just going to say hi to Clancy. I haven’t seen her for a while,” Pen says, motioning towards her friend who’s over on the far side of the warehouse going through her routine with Grim’s dance troupe for this weekend’s performance.
It's unique for an underground fight club like Tales to have dancers perform before and after fights, but it has proven successful. Grim’s fight club is renowned for hosting the best fights, accompanied by the best shows in the whole of the UK. It’s why the club is heaving most weekends.
“I’ll come with you, Pen. I need to firm up some final details with Clancy for the show anyway,” Grim adds, joining her.
“We’ll wait in the car,” I call after Titch.
