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“But she still hates Jordan,” I said. She was his mother. Who would want their child spending time with someone like Jordan?
“I let Romeo do as he pleases. He knows where to draw the line. Jordan’s guilt isn’t Romeo’s problem, but if the man wants to make amends and be in his life, that’s up to my son to allow, not me. I will not stand for any of his bullshit spreading this way, and he knows it.”
Romeo grinned. “They’ve had a run-in a time or two.”
“Oh, I would have loved to witness that.” Dash grinned.
“Mom, you have to see how Dash deals with Jordan. He says whatever he wants, consequences be damned.”
“And you don’t?” I accused. I’d seen the way Romeo held little back with Jordan.
“I can get away with it and know when I’m toeing the line. Dash doesn’t.”
“Dash doesn’t care,” he said, referring to himself.
Pepper put the quiche in the oven and turned to us. “You need to handle a bully firmly. Don’t let him see you back down. He might threaten, although I’ve learned he won’t hurt anyone Romeo cares about. Use it to your advantage. Now, how do you feel about French toast? I have a great recipe.”
“I can’t wait.” Dash popped the last bite of muffin into his mouth.
Pepper reached across the counter and pinched his chin. “We’re going to be best friends.” Then she came over to me. “Don’t think I’m leaving you out. What’s your favorite breakfast food?”
“Bacon,” I said honestly.
“It’s a good thing I brought a package. I figured if one of you was vegan, I’d just toss it in the fridge for Jordan to gnaw on when he comes here like the animal he is. I like to mark my territory. He knows Romeo doesn’t buy much food. Every time I come over, I leave something to remind him this boy is mine, and he’s not to corrupt him.”
Romeo nodded. “One time, she left a scented candle on the counter with a note that said, ‘You don’t scare me, but hurt my son and you’ll know genuine fear.’”
She grinned. “The candle was black. I put a skull and crossbones label on the front, along with his name.”
“What did he say when he saw it?” I asked.
“Not one to be outdone,” Romeo began. “He picked up the candle and put it in the garbage, then flipped her note over and scrawled his own on the back.”
“What did he write?”
“Threaten me again, and I’ll have you killed in your sleep,” she replied, her smile still in place. “The next time I was here, I left a drawing I made on the counter. It was a stick figure with a beard and another of me pointing a gun at his balls with the words ‘Test Me’ written at the bottom. That was one of my favorites.”
My eyes must have been huge, because Romeo put his arm over my shoulders and pulled me close. “Don’t worry. If Jordan hurt her, I’d never forgive him. Like she said, he has enough guilt. The two of them do this back and forth for sport, trying to one-up the other.”
“And since you like bacon, Tristan, I have a different present for Jordan.” She reached into the bag she brought and pulled out another muffin. This one had a nail file sticking out of the top. She placed it on the counter and handed me the note. It read: I hope they lock you up for life. If they do, shove the nail file up your ass before they take you in. I hope it chafes like a bitch.
She was smiling when I looked at her. “It’s the thought that counts.”
“Wow, I’ve really been missing out by you not visiting,” I said. “I could have been witnessing this all along.”
“Now you have something to look forward to, honey.”
23
ROMEO
The bass thumped softly through the hallway as I wove my way to the shared dressing room. I was on the late shift tonight. Luckily, not the late-late one that closed the place down. I didn’t like that shift. By the time I got home and settled enough to pass out after a meal and shower, the sun was coming up and I couldn’t fall asleep. At least with this one, I got home, could relax, and pass out before the rest of the city woke.
Tristan had two meetings with Jordan already. I was home for both, wanting to be there in case Jordan decided to be a dick to him. My surprise wasn’t easily hidden when Jordan took a different tone with Tristan, a gentler one. He didn’t demand or talk to Tristan like he was below him. The position was new to Tristan, so he asked a lot of questions I was certain would send Jordan close to the edge, but Jordan calmly answered them.
It wasn’t until Tristan excused himself to use the bathroom that Jordan told me he knew about Tristan’s past. Jordan would have done a thorough background check the moment he knew Tristan was moving in with me. What I didn’t expect was for him to tell me one of his guys paid Oscar a visit in prison and scared the fuck out of the man. Oscar found out Tristan wasin a relationship with me and Dash. While I didn’t have mail delivered at home, couriers could still drop packages off.
Apparently, Oscar got very resourceful and must have had someone follow Tristan. Oscar had a courier deliver a letter that was intercepted by Bruno. When Bruno saw the return address was a prison, he brought it to Jordan. I could have gotten mad at Jordan. It would have been within my right. But I’d learned to pick my battles with him, and that wasn’t one of them. The letter was addressed to Tristan. I didn’t see it, though Jordan said the message was clear. Oscar begged for Tristan to give him another chance and wait for him. Well, that shit wasn’t going to happen.
