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Tonight we’re cooking Devil’s request for chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy and a side of green beans. It’s one of my favorites, so I’m definitely looking forward to it. We’re not leaving till after breakfast tomorrow, so I’ll be able to cook one more meal for everyone. I hate that I forgot about it while I was healing, but like Timber had said, more than one of the guys had said it wasn’t a big deal and they’d save the requests for when I visit again.
I had surprised them when I countered that I’d cook for them while they were in Forest Creek as well whenever they were there. That I’d work something out with Mama Astrid so that we both could keep track of the requests.
Shaking off my thoughts, I go over to the pantry and start pulling out the ingredients.
We’re lounging in the main room on the sofas with Dad, Devil, Loki, Kai, Ragnar, and Razor talking about random things after supper. Timber has me on his lap and I’m soaking in his warmth, having missed it the last few days.
A throat clearing has me looking behind me. Reaper has me pinned with a look that I can’t quite decipher, and it makes me nervous.
“Lil’ Bit, is it okay if we talk for a bit?”
Timber must sense my nervousness because he squeezes me and kisses my temple. “It’s okay, Sunshine. He probably just wants to make sure you’re okay after everything,” he whispers to me, and I nod.
My body slightly relaxes at that and I carefully slide off his lap so that I don’t pull at my stitches. I hadn’t felt any pain when we were downstairs, but I’m guessing my anger was masking it. It wasn’t until we were sitting in Church that I felt the soreness and tenderness setting in.
I follow him into his office and he shuts the door behind me.
“Have a seat, Lil’ Bit,” he says, gesturing to the sofa in front of his desk.
I sit down and he sits on his desk, facing me.
“Timber was right, I just wanted to check in to see how you are handling everything that happened downstairs.”
Exhaling, I nod. “I did have a little breakdown after I’d freshened up. That I had come so close to being forced into that lifestyle.” I pause, my body tensing as my anger grows at what they’d done and were involved in. “As for the other stuff that I’d done and said, I don’t regret any of it. Honestly, I wanted to hurt them even more for what they’d done to me. What they’d done to Frida. What they’ve done and are doing to all those women and children. I want them to pay for all of that and I want to free those women and children.”
He stares at me for a bit before he smirks. “I knew you were cut from the same cloth as Levi.” He shakes his head, and the look on his face softens. “Everything okay between you and Timber?”
Swallowing hard, I nod. “I think so. I told him I can’t be the one to always fight for him. He has to fight for me, too. Which means not letting other women touch him like Candi and Star were and not flirting with them. He told me he thought they were just talking. He didn’t know they were rubbing it in my face. Honestly, I’d love to bitch slap them both, but it wouldn’t do any good.”
A booming laugh comes out of him and I jump slightly at how loud it is as I’d never heard him laugh like this before.
“Fuck, I love when you get so riled up that you actually curse instead of your usual way of cursing.” He shakes his head, still smiling. In all honesty, I hadn’t even realized I had cursed.
He opens his mouth to say something, but then closes it. After a few moments, he turns, facing a shelf as he gnaws on his lip.
“I’m not sure how to ask this, so I’m just going to say it. I was wondering if we could talk some as we burned our black journal pages? I’m a little ashamed that I haven’t gotten to know you much this past week.”
Grinning, I get up, ignoring the twinge of pain as I wrap him in a hug. His body tenses at first and then his arms wrap around me, too.
Pulling back, I can’t help my giggle at his surprised face. “I’ll go get my journal and meet you out by the firepit. Okay?”
Still slightly stunned, he nods, and then he masks his emotions again.
“Sounds good, Lil’ Bit.”
Feeling brave, I lean up and kiss his cheek, right over his worst scar on his face. I don’t react when I feel him tense even further under my touch and I smile at him when I lean back. “I want to get to know you better, too, Uncle Reaper. See you in a few!” I say with another smile before spinning on my heel and heading out into the main room.
I make a beeline for Timber and tell him where I’m going to be at. I know I don’t have to, but I don’t want him to worry. Likewise, I’d want him to tell me if he were going off to do something as well.
He grins and lightly smacks my hip, telling me he’ll find me out there later.
With a skip in my step, I hurry out the backdoor and hop into the golf cart, driving the short distance back to the house. I grab my backpack with my journals and pens in it and after hesitating a few moments, I slip on my hoodie. The wind has had a bit of a chill to it the last couple of days, but the fire should chase most of it away. Still, I’d rather be prepared than freezing later.
In no time, I’m pulling up next to the firepit that Reaper’s at. He’s already got it lit and is adding a few more logs to it. Then he sits down on a bench.
Not sure if he wants me that close, I grab my bag off the seat of the golf cart and sit in one of the chairs next to him criss-cross style. Nibbling on my lip, I pull out my red pen and black journal and jot down a few of my emotions from earlier. I know I’ll need to write more later and process things better, but still, I want to watch those pieces of paper burn.
Reaper tears out his pages from the journal and I follow suit.
