“We don’t need granddad,” Saint growls. “We’re capable of dealing with this problem on our own.”
“I’m with Theo on this,” Caz says. “Lo’s life is at stake, and we don’t have the time or the right resources to really nail their asses.”
“We should explore all options,” Galen agrees. “And personal shit has to stay at the front door.” He drills a look at his cousin.
Saint scowls as he brings a bottle of beer to his lips. Putting my mug down, I crawl up the couch, nestling between his legs with my back to his chest. His arms automatically circle my waist, and I angle my head and look up, touching his face. “He isn’t a threat to what we have. He and I were a thing for five seconds, and it was over before we got together. You need to let it go. He can help, and we’d be stupid to turn that down.”
Everyone waits for Saint’s response, and I run my fingers back and forth across the underside of his prickly jaw while I wait for him to process his shit.
“I’ll try,” he admits after a minute. “But I hate that fucking guy.”
Caz snorts. “You hate any guy who’s been inside the princess.”
I send a glare in Caz’s direction. “Not exactly helpful and not entirely true considering everyone in this room has been inside me.”
“He has access to stuff I can only dream about,” Theo says, appealing to Saint’s strategic side as he refocuses the conversation. He hands me my hot chocolate again, and I smile over the rim of the mug. “We’ll get things done much faster with his help.” I drink the chocolate goodness while Saint thinks about it.
“All right,” Saint concedes, fastening his arms more tightly around my waist. “But I’m not promising I won’t hit him.”
I shake my head, yawning as my eyes fight to stay open.
I guess I nodded off sometime after that because the next thing I know I’m being shaken awake. “Babe.” Warm fingers brush hair off my face. “You need to get up.”
“Go away.” I swat at Saint’s hands, pulling the pillow down over my face. Soft snoring and heat from another body confirms I’m not the only one having trouble waking up.
“Theo has found something important. He needs us all downstairs.”
The covers are whipped off me, and I groan, yanking the pillow off my head, sitting up and scowling. Saint is perched on the edge of the bed, smirking at the state of the bird’s nest on top of my head. I was too tired to dry it last night, so I just pulled it into a bun, and I’m sure it’s a hot mess. I look over my shoulder at Galen. He’s still passed out, and he actually looks peaceful in sleep. “Do we really have to wake him?”
Saint pulls me into his lap, nuzzling his nose in my shoulder. “I don’t want to, but we have to.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, yawning. “Did you sleep here too?”
“I did. You were practically comatose, so I carried you to bed. Galen followed, and I didn’t think you’d mind if he joined us.”
“I don’t mind although we do need to buy a bigger bed.”
“Truth.” Saint pecks my lips before leaning across and slapping Galen across the cheek.
I jerk my head up, glaring at Saint. “Was that fucking necessary?”
“Jesus, man.” Galen sits up, rubbing his reddened cheek. “You’re a raving asshole.”
“Tell us something we don’t know.” I slide off Saint’s lap, crawling to Galen. “I’ll kiss your boo-boo better,” I tease, leaning forward and pressing my lips to his cheek. He pulls me down against him, wrapping his arms around me. I rest my head carefully on his shoulder, not wanting to press on his sore ribs.
“Touching as this is, we need to get our butts downstairs before Theo loses his shit.” Saint stands, and I can’t ignore the monster erection in his pants. I lick my lips as heat swamps my lower regions. “You are such a naughty, naughty princess.” Saint smirks at me, adjusting himself in his sweatpants. “If you’re a good girl, I’ll let you suck my dick after breakfast.”
I flip him the bird. “I’d rather choke on my own vomit.”
“Wow. What a lovely visual,” Caz says, his head appearing at the top of the stairs. “You need to get down here stat.”
When Caz wears a serious face, you know it’s about to get very real, so we get out of bed and follow him downstairs.
“What’s going on?” Saint asks as we all take seats at the table.
“I’ve got a lead on our mystery dude with the camera,” Theo confirms. “I ran him through facial recognition software, and when I didn’t get any hits, I put out a few feelers among some contacts. One of them just came through.” His eyes lock on Saint’s. “It’s not good, dude.”
“Who is he?”
“He’s with the DEA,” he says, and a litany of curses rips through the air.
Honestly, I’m not surprised the Drug Enforcement Agency is sniffing around, but it seemed like he was following us when I’d expect him to follow Sinner and the senior chapter members.
“But that’s not the worst of it,” Theo adds, turning his laptop around, showing us the image on the screen.
All the color leaches from my face as I stare in shock at the photo of the DEA guy with Ruben. They’re smiling as they shake hands, looking like smug assholes.
“Holy motherfucker,” Caz says. “We’re so fucked.”
CHAPTER 30
Caz
“WANT SOME HELP?” I ask, coming up behind Lo in the kitchen. She’s making an early dinner because she wants to have it ready before the old man arrives. I think she thinks if we’re all eating it’ll be more civilized. Fat chance a mouthful of food will stop Saint from going postal on Diesel’s ass.
“Could you cut the bread?” She gestures toward the chopping board on her right as she slides the lasagna in the oven.
“That smells delicious,” I admit, sniffing the aromatic scent of garlic, tomato, and fresh herbs as it wafts around our small kitchen.
“Thanks. It’s about the only thing I can cook.” She washes lettuce in the sink. “Mom’s a great cook, as I’m sure you’ve all noticed, but I didn’t inherit her passion or talent.”
“Sounds to me like you didn’t have much downtime to learn.” I slice through the baguette. “And you definitely have other talents.” I waggle my brows suggestively, and she laughs.
“What about your family?” She looks over at me as she pats the salad leaves dry with some paper towels.
Bile swims up my throat. “Not much to tell. My sister Nelia is ten, and my brother Jake is six. Mom works at a grocery store, and Dad’s a mechanic when he’s not pulling shit for The Sainthood.”
She stops what she’s doing, her eyes popping wide. “Your dad’s a member?” She absently drops lettuce in a glass bowl while she watches me.
“Yep. And he’s your typical prick. Drinks too much. Likes to slap my mom around. And he’s a proverbial cheater.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “It is what it is. I’ve tried to help Mom. I have enough money saved so she could move out and get her own place, but she won’t leave him.” I shake my head. “I don’t get it.”