I chuckle, taking a drink of my soda and wishing it were a damn beer. “Don’t tell me Mrs. Pierson’s chili is what’s going to bring you to your knees.”
“I think she made it with ghost peppers,” he says reaching for the can in my hand. “I won’t be able to judge the others because I no longer have taste buds. You can do it. Here taste this.”
I hold my nearly empty hands up, refusing to take the bowl of chili from him. “Not a chance. I hate spicy food.”
He coughs a little before turning the soda up and draining it. The grimace never leaves his face. “You’re a man now. I thought you’d get over that with age.”
“Getting over not liking my mouth being on fire isn’t a thing. How is it working for you?”
“I’m considering taking up your stance on it.”
I laugh, a sound that seems to be coming easier these days. I’ve been back in Farmington for a little over a week, but although I’m here at the community chili cookoff and fundraiser, I’d prefer to be nearly any place but here.
Families swarm around, children running and laughing, dragging colorful balloons behind them. Cerberus members are milling about, smiling and interacting with everyone, their leather cuts not a deterrent in this situation. I’ve always known the MC was involved in the community, but it’s eye opening to see them in action.
Most of the men that are paired up stick close to their women, not taking their eyes from the beauties for a second. They see a lot in their lives and aren’t willing to risk their safety at an event like this. Most people would call it possessiveness, and from the way I’ve seen a few of the men eyeball some guys willing to risk a second look, that may play a part, but I also recognize it as hypervigilance. Some would consider it a bad thing, being too alert to the point of obsessive, but these men handle themselves well. They manage to carry on conversations, something I’ve struggled with since arriving and noticing Izzy on the other side of the park.
Thankfully, both Hound and Dominic, Izzy’s best friend’s dad, are keeping close to her.
That asshole, Apollo, is also extra attentive to her as always. Just the sight of him makes me want to be violent. I know he’s a good guy. I know he’d never hurt her. Kincaid doesn’t hire people like that. But even though I told her I never wanted to be a dad, even though I’ve kept my distance since she told me to step aside in the hallway last weekend, I can’t help my own sense of possessiveness I feel for her.
I felt it the night I met her, and every second since. When I thought she died, I wanted to strangle Megan’s husband when he showed up to thank me, and none of it makes sense.
I don’t do possessive. I never did. I watched my mother struggle with it, being controlled by the men coming in and out of her life. I didn’t want to be that guy. I didn’t want to get so wrapped up in a woman that I lost my head over her.
Yet, as I watch Izzy from forty yards away, I want to shove my fist into the face of the man grinning and talking to her.
“That’s Landon,” Lawson says, finally able to speak without hissing air over his burning tongue. “Kid’s son.”
“That man?” I don’t point, but rather angle my head. “In the blue shirt?”
“He’s only seventeen, not really a man.”
I could remind him just how much of a man he thought he was at that age, but I hold my tongue.
“What the hell are they feeding him?” I can calm down now knowing that there’s no way a kid would have a chance with her.
“Who knows, but the boy is a beast. Kills it every year on the baseball field.”
“Where is he headed after high school? Marines?”
Lawson chuckles. “I don’t know him well, but from what I hear, he plans to get as far away from Farmington as possible, and has no interest in following in his father’s footsteps. Griffin is the only one of the original members’ sons that went into the military.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what else I can say. I’m not exactly an asshole, but hearing the life stories of everyone connected to the club doesn’t interest me if they aren’t somehow directly linked to Izzy.
“Izzy and Apollo aren’t together?”
Lawson is silent for so long, I have to pull my eyes from the man offering a red sno-cone to Izzy.
“Well?”
“No, they aren’t together. Just friends. I don’t think Apollo is happy about it, but according to Delilah who has talked with Izzy’s best friend, Sophia, I don’t think the man is willing to give up on her just yet.”
“But you don’t know for sure?”
He shrugs. “Hound thought he was the baby’s father for the longest time.”
“Is that right?”
“He’s very protective of her. Most men wouldn’t get within a couple of feet of that girl with all the warnings he’s issued about her. Apollo is the first one to brave his wrath to get to know her.”
“He hasn’t said a word to me,” I confess.
I figure he’s trying to psych me out, get me agitated enough to come talk to him. I respect the man. He’s one of the ones who stood up in court and told the judge he’d be responsible for me at my first denied bond hearing, but I don’t owe him an explanation. Izzy is grown and made her own decisions that night.
“He will,” Lawson says, and it sounds like an ominous promise. “Have you met Colton Matthews?”
My brother smiles, extending his hand as the tall man walks up with a smiling Sophia on his arm.
“Colton, this is my brother, Drew.”
I shake the man’s hand and nod at Sophia whose eyes are darting between me and the guy. He looks a little old for her being at least ten years or so older, but who am I to judge.
“Did you ever get involved in events like this?” Colton asks, his eyes roving over the crowd dispersed with several uniformed officers.
“We should have them more often,” Sophia interjects. “This is the first time I’ve seen this one in full uniform.”
Her hand runs the length of Colton’s shirt, stopping barely above his gun belt. The move is blatantly sexual, and although it pulls an uncomfortable chuckle from Lawson, Colton rolls his eyes as if he’s used to her acting this way.
“No, sir,” I answer. “I wasn’t with the department long enough.”
“Ah.” Colton cringes and I feel bad for his embarrassment. “Sor—”
“You know who else loves a man in uniform?” Sophia smiles. “Izzy, but I guess you already know that, huh?”
My cheeks flame, not with embarrassment or shame this time but anger.
“Sophia,” Colton hisses as Lawson shifts back and forth on his feet.
“What?” she asks, genuinely confused before turning back to look at me. “Oh shit. I didn’t mean… fuck, Drew.”
She cups her hand over her mouth, and as she tries to blink away tears forming in her eyes, I know she didn’t mean to be insulting by bringing up the fact that I’ll never wear another uniform, but the words hit their mark.
I clench my jaw as Colton guides her away.
“That one doesn’t think before she speaks,” Lawson explains.