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“Today has been a perfect day,” he sighs.

“Awesome, now tell me why it’s been so perfect. I know I cover ninety-nine percent of it, but what’s the other one?”

He glances at me for a brief second and clears his throat. I wait with a pointed look.

“Mr. Bennet was assaulted a few days ago. He’s in the hospital.”

“The hospital?” I ask with wide eyes. “Damn. Doesn’t he know to just give up the wallet?”

“He did,” Poe starts chuckling. “Whoever attacked him didn’t want it. It was left at the scene, untouched.”

“Oh, this is getting good. Go on,” I gleefully chuckle.

“They broke both his legs and arms. Cracked several ribs. He has a concussion.”

“Stop keeping me in suspense and tell me everything already!” I smack his arm playfully.

“He never saw who did it,” Poe breaks into laughter. “In broad daylight, he got yanked into an alley and beaten. No one saw or heard anything.”

“Did you do this?” I ask suspiciously.

“I promised I wouldn’t,” he shoots me a glare, his humor still visible.

“Well, I didn’t do it,” I pout. “Couldn’t have happened to a better person, though. Thank you, mysterious vigilante.”

“Agreed,” Poe starts chuckling again.

“So you dropped the case?” I ask softly.

“Yeah,” he sighs. “With most of the judges gone and the lawyers too, it seems a little pointless. None of the other members wants to pursue it. You want nothing to do with it. But that phone call made everything alright again. It may not have been the right thing, but it feels good.”

“And no jail time,” I sigh as we pull up to the diner. Ash and his crew are already inside.

Dinner is more comfortable than it has been in a while. I’m relaxed because I did my first tattoo since I broke down. Poe is relaxed because William got annihilated by a ghost. He’s gleefully telling them the entire rundown. It’s the most he’s spoken in front of them.

Tera is cringing and sinking down in her seat. The guys are smirking and nodding with a few suspicious glances at Tera. As if that woman could lift a bat in her state. She’s way too pregnant to take on William.

“Ok, enough, yappy,” I smack his arm.

“What? This is the stuff that dreams are made of, siren,” Poe protests with a chuckle.

“He can laugh,” Max mutters with raised brows. “Over violent shit. He fits right in.”

“Shut up,” Asher glares at him.

“You be nice to Sprinkles,” I point at Asher menacingly.

“Yeah, Asher,” Max pouts. “Big sis is on my side all the way.”

“I can’t believe you never told her our names,” Trevor snarls at Ash.

“It was a joke,” he protests. The sound is so childishly defensive that I laugh.

The rest of the dinner goes smoothly. Almost like old times with a few added twists of humor.

Trevor is just as big a grump as Asher. It’s no wonder they argue. They’re two sides of the same coin.

Max is a sassy, sarcastic wonder. The things he comes up with to taunt Ash have me rolling with laughter. I want to adopt him.