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Phoenix laughed. “You both inherited that from Arrow. Sheer bullheadedness. Drake has faces to match your names. He’s been smacked in the face with your existence. Now, there’s no choice for him except to deal with it.” She grinned.
“We’ll see.”
“Drake will surprise you; he has surprised me many times. He’s not as unbendable as you think he is. As I said, Drake is flawed. But in the same way that everyone else.”
“Okay.” I sighed, knowing I wasn’t going to win this argument. Phoe wasn’t wrong, but I couldn’t bring myself to accept her words fully, either. In my mind, Drake really was not interested in my girls—or me.
Drake
“Are you certain?” he asked Inglorious on the phone.
“Would I be calling if I wasn’t? Tonight,” Inglorious replied.
“I’ll bring everybody who wants to come,” Drake said.
The Unwanted Bastards’ president had invited Rage for a cookout. It had just turned April, and they were having a rare few days of warmth and sun. Inglorious had clearly wanted to jump on the weather.
“You do that and have the women bring sides,” Inglorious demanded.
“Anything else?” Drake asked, amused.
“Nope, not unless you got some classy lady hidden somewhere?”
“If I had, my brothers would be claiming them.” Drake chuckled.
Inglorious let rip with a rude noise and said goodbye.
Drake sent a group text out informing his brothers and old ladies of the plans for the night. Being Saturday, most should be able to attend. He knew as soon as Phoe got the message, she would be organising babysitters for the Hellions at Reading Hall.
???
Six hours later, Drake rode through the gates of the Unwanted Bastards’ compound with Phoe clinging to his back. She’d met him at Rage, telling him she’d be bringing food, but he still wasn’t allowed home. It made Drake chuckle, but he knew he had to resolve his issue with Carmelle soon.
When she’d arrived in Rage, she’d greeted the old ladies and piled platters into the SUV’s that would be bringing them. No old lady rode behind a brother when pregnant, well apart from Artemis, who simply refused to fight with Ace and would get her own bike out. Nobody told her what do to.
He parked his motorbike and sent a wave at Inglorious, who was coming out of their clubhouse to greet him. Beside him was Ace with Artemis. Most of Rage had come: Axel rode his trike, which Ellen loved as it was more comfortable than his old bike. Drake recognised but wouldn’t ever admit that Ellen was too old to ride a traditional Harley.
Apache arrived minus Silvie, who would be comfortably encased in one of the SUVs. Her condition wasn’t improving, but it had stopped getting worse. Her pain was almost constant, and there was now talk of an operation to help her Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Drake hated seeing her in the wheelchair, but it caused her agony to walk.
One by one, his brothers and old ladies rolled in behind him. A couple would be coming later, agreeing to meet up and ride together. Nobody rode alone.
“Yo!” Inglorious called out as he reached for Phoe and swung her around before giving her a loud kiss on her cheek.
Drake instantly scowled and dragged her back, but Phoe managed to give Inglorious a peck in return.
“You’re so fuckin’ funny,” Inglorious taunted as brothers snatched their women close.
“You do it on purpose,” Drake snapped, and Inglorious didn’t deny it.
“Good to see you, brother,” Inglorious said, reaching out to one-arm-hug Drake.
The Unwanted Bastards milled around, mingling with Rage and the old ladies. Drake sighed in contentment. They all needed this, a chance to let their hair down.
Slick
Slick’s gut was hurting, telling him something was wrong. It wasn’t often he felt like this, but he sensed someone was watching them as they walked around the Unwanted Bastards’ compound. He wanted to have brought Summer, but she’d already informed him she was busy. Slick knew damn well what she was occupied with, and he made a silent vow to put a stop to it soon.
His gaze raked the yard again, looking for the thing that was setting him off. He couldn’t pinpoint anything out of the ordinary. Even as he contemplated his feelings, Slick’s eyes swept to the entrance. A dust cloud in the distance sent his gut into overdrive.
