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I didn’t have the energy to go out and watch, but I did have Leo leave the door cracked when he left after delivering us lunch. I warned Matt that Marco was going to lose his ever-loving mind, and wouldn’t you know it, I was right, he did. Julius stepped in when things got physical and stopped it before it got out of hand.
That’s the problem with being smart, people underestimate you and perceive you as being wimpy. They think you’re an easy target. And since Matteo has the biggest set of brains I’ve ever come across, he’s portrayed as being weak—when he’s anything but. My brother and Marco need to step back and remember he’s just as lethal and deadly as the rest of us.
“You ready to stop being lazy, uncle, and get your ass back to work?” Gunner asks as he barges into my bedroom.
Snorting, I banter, “I’m not weak, you pipsqueak. Meet me in the ring and I’ll spank your ass. Fuck knows you need a good ass whooping.”
“You’d have to catch me first, old man,” he taunts, knowing damn good and well that I hate the term “old” when it comes to me and my capabilities. I may be his elder, but I can still take on men half my age and come out the victor.
“Figuring out who’s the bigger man may be easier if you whip out your dicks and compare sizes,” Mera states, shocking the hell outta me and Gunner.
I’m too stunned to say anything and keep staring at her. Did my woman really just say dick? Without blushing? Without any qualms? For fuck’s sake, the first time she uses profanity and we’re not alone, we need to be because my cock just went rock hard.
His jaw drops before he picks it up off the floor and asks, “Did you just cuss?”
“Don’t look so shocked, Gunner,” she harrumphs. “I’ve been through some shit; it changes a person and puts things into perspective. A few foulmouthed words won’t have me knocking on the devil’s door.”
“Holy mother of pearl! Did my sister just use foul language?” Shayne questions as she walks through the door with a tray in her hand. “What has gotten into you, Mera?”
My woman winks at me, knowing how she’s affected me, the minx, then shifts in the bed to where she’s facing them instead of me. “I figured out during my little chat with my abductors that the nuns aren’t who they seem to be. Did you know that they take bribes? They’re nowhere as innocent and godly as you think they are, Shaynie.”
“What?” Shayne asks, tears wetting her lashes. “Th-they really did that?”
“Yep,” Mera answers, dramatically popping her P. “And probably a lot more than that. They knew about the girls and were especially interested in the youngest.”
“No! They’re just babies,” Shayne cries. “We have to protect them, Mera. If the nuns are compromised, and just as dirty as my brothers were, they’re not safe at the convent.”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Mera states. “And you’re right, they aren’t safe, but what can we do about it? Legally, we don’t have a leg to stand on. They’re untouchable, protected by the government and the church. Other than me being told, there’s no evidence to turn in so the kids can be removed from their custody.”
“We may have to go around the legal system,” I insert. “Fake an explosion like we did with the clubhouse?” I ask Gunner, wanting his input and suggestion.
“That won’t do if we’re coming back from the dead,” he denies. “We’ll have eyes on us for a long time. We won’t be able to pull something big like that off without being caught.”
“What are you thinking, Gun?” The way his eyes have glassed over, and how his head is tilted, I know an idea is percolating.
“Before we can do anything like what I’m thinking, let’s have our guys go through their finances. If they are taking bribes, I doubt the Crumleys were the only ones dishing out some dough. There has to be a paper trail.”
“And if there’s not?” I counter. I’m only asking him this because if I were wearing their shoes, I’d be burying that cash somewhere so deep that there’s no money trail linked back to the monastery.
“We go in using brute force and find some well-connected families who can change the kids' identities and give them the chance to start over,” Gunner answers.
“Lord knows some of those kids could use a fresh start,” Shayne comments. “That’s the option I’d go with, some of their beginnings weren’t all that nice. The abandoned and abused stigma following them throughout life will damage them in the long run.”
“I agree. Some of their stories are heartbreaking whether they remember them or not. A do-over would help them wipe the slate clean and give them parents who want them, chose them, and would cherish them for the gifts they are,” Mera concludes.
“I know a few couples who have been struggling to have kids,” I confess. “I know they’d do just about anything to have a kid or two of their own. Due to their lifestyle, they aren’t candidates for adoption.”
Mera wipes a tear from her cheek and says, “That’s a good thing because we have several sets of siblings that I couldn’t bear to split up.”
“Don’t forget about Tala, Trayton, and Tanner,” Shayne tosses in. “Those three would ignite the world on fire if they were separated. They’re cousins but they’re closer than any siblings out there. I doubt they’d be happy without the other in their lives.”
“True. Those three are loyal to each other and would run away if they don’t end up staying together,” Mera warns.
“Gunner. Let’s get a list compiled of the residents and let our women go through it. That way, we know who needs to be kept together, and who can be on their own,” I direct.
“Pops has a friend who works in the child services department. We can have them make a surprise visit and get a list of their past and present intakes,” Gunner states.
“Make sure they get a headcount and the numbers match, I don’t trust that they won’t be trying to hide someone from being detected,” I tell him. “If they’re shady, they won’t want everyone accounted for.”
