Page 93 of Bit's Bliss

Since Cru and Daphne were living in the house that used to belong to Brix, and Eberly and I were spending most of our time at Poppy Hill, the cottage had served as their base while they were in California. No doubt, our mother would’ve preferred they stay in the main house with her, but I got that Brix and Addy would prefer to be on their own with their daughter.

“I got a call from Decker. He said he’s been trying to reach you,” said my brother.

“I’ve been busy getting this place ready for my date with Eberly tonight. I figured I’d return his call in a few days.”

“Understood, except I think there’s some urgency in what he wants to discuss with you.”

I scowled. “Eberly is my priority?—”

“It involves her, Bit.”

That got my attention. The last few weeks had been hard for her and her father, trying to figure out how to save their house. She was willing to use money from her trust fund to pay off the loan, but her dad, along with the rest of thecaballeros, was reluctant to allowher to do it, given there was still a case to be made that the loan was fraudulent.

“I’ll call him.”

“He’s on his way here now.”

I sighed. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Sure you do,” said Snapper, who’d walked in, in the middle of our conversation. He wasn’t alone. Cru, Kick, and Alex were with him.

“Mom’s on her way,” said my sister. “So are Justine, Saffron, and Felicity. While you guys have yoursecretmeeting, the girls and I will finish getting the place ready for tonight.”

As hard as it was for me to let them do it, if whatever Decker wanted to talk to me about involved Eberly, I had to hear him, get it over with, then return and finish setting up.

“Look, I know you want everything to be perfect,” said Alex, putting her arm through mine. “Once your meeting is over, you can inspect our work and tell us everything we did wrong.” She winked.

It dawned on me then that she’d said “secret meeting.”

“Is Decker meeting us in the caves?” While that was the way I chose to phrase the question, what I wasreally asking was if he was being invited to meet with Los Caballeros.

“I spoke with theviejos, and they agreed,” said Brix. “What he has to tell us affects Malcolm Warwick as well as Lucas Hope.”

I glanced over at Alex.

“What? Do you really think I haven’t known about Los Caballeros most of my life? I still don’t get why you don’t have any female members.” She huffed.

“Caballeros, notcaballeras,” muttered Brix.

Alex rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever. Be on your way so Bit can get ready for his big date. Eberly bid a lot of money for it. He owes her.” She winked.

What Alex didn’t know was that what I’d planned for tonight wasn’t as much about my little dove’s auction bid as it was the rest of our lives.

Rather than meetwhere we usually gathered, we set up in one of the larger rooms inside the caves.

“Decker’s here,” said Brix. “Do you want to meet him outside and bring him in?”

“I can do it,” Cru offered.

I shook my head. The more I walked past where I’d been left for dead, the easier it would be each time I had to do it. “I’ll be okay.” My eyes met Tryst’s.

“Yes, you will be, Bit,” he said.

“Sorry to waylay you from your big plans tonight,” Decker said when I met him at the caves’ entrance.

“Yeah, well, make it quick.” I scowled and he laughed.

“Typical Bit.”