Page 12 of Queen Crow

"What, the tape of two of my cousins fucking? No, thanks. Lips gave me the general rundown, that's enough trauma for me, thanks, Floss."

Well.

That’s surprisingly reasonable of him.

He looks down at me as we head back into the house together and sighs at me. “I would’ve probably lost my shit as badly as Ash has, if I had seen it. I’m not blaming him, I’m just fucking glad I’m not in that boat. Lips said you’re okay, and I’m not about to drag you back down to the depths of miserable you were when we left by making this about me. Ash isn’t thinking clearly enough to do the same. I’ll beat the shit out of him tomorrow until he gets it, once he sobers up a little.”

And that’s why I have always loved Harley, why he’s always been my family from the very moment we met him. He’s always been the balance, even when he was going through his own version of hell, he always has done what he can for me and Ash.

He’s also loved nothing more than taking my side when Morrison and Ash used to gang up on me, if only so he could take a swing at one of them in my honor.

It’s why I’m not mad about him stealing my best friend half of the time.

When we get to the kitchen, we find Ash there already with a glass in his hand and Noah perched on one of the stools, chin propped up on his fist as he stares dreamily at my brother.

Harley ignores them both and says, “Where’s Aodhan hiding? I needed to talk to him about the funeral. He’s refusing to let me help pay for it, and I might snap his fucking arm off and beat him with it if he doesn’t change his mind.”

Noah rolls his eyes so hard that I’m surprised they don’t fall out of his head. “The Irish fuck? He only drops in for booty calls and then slinks out in the morning, like he’s scared to face us all in the light of day.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

Ash slowly lowers the glass and turns to look at me, but Harley saves the day by smacking Noah in the back of his head right as Lips and Morrison join us.

Lips immediately groans, “What’s he done now? Seriously, would it kill you to just try to get along with us for once? You’ve gotten the easiest ride I’ve ever fucking seen and you’re still being a dick about it.”

Noah gives her a look that sets my teeth on edge immediately and Harley shifts his stance like he’s going to choke him the fuck out. Ash drains the last of his drink and then stalks back out to find the rest of my stash of alcohol. Lips follows him with a frown, and I already feel a headache over this entire mess.

We’re never going to know peace again.

Morrison can’t let anything go and as he comes over to give me a very sedate and formal half-hug, he drawls, “He’s a jealous little brat, spends all of his time whining about who Lips has in her bed.”

Noah shifts that derisive look over his way and says in the most scathing tone, “You look like you want to spoon after you fuck, so no, thanks.”

I manage to keep my face straight at the look of outrage on Morrison’s face because, really, I’m absolutely positive he’s the little spoon post-coitus with Lips. Harley doesn’t even attempt to school himself, he just throws his head back and roars with laughter, oozing the type of joy he’s only found since he’s had our Mounty in his life. It’s good to see the joy that Lips was talking about up close.

“And why is it that you’re obsessed with my brother? How does he look to you?”

Noah smirks at me, the kohl smudged under his eyes making the blue of his irises pop. “He has big dick demon energy. He would definitely slit my throat after rearranging my guts, and that’s too fucking hot.”

Kill me.

Just fucking kill me.

Morrison chokes out a sputtering laugh and Harley drawls, “Oh look, there’s the Graves in him.”

Lips stalks into the room with a bad attitude, comfortable enough to actually show it because it’s only us at home… us and her new kid brother. “If I find out you’ve survived all of the shit you’ve had thrown at you only to be taken out at a dick appointment, I will buy a ticket to hell to kick your ass, Noah. Right after I bleed the asshole who fucked you out. Can we just agree to no guys for, like, another year, at least? We need to put you under the same fucking rules as Poe.”

He stares at her in disgust. “Be fucked, you’re going to be getting railed by three guys every night and telling me to cross my fucking legs? If you want me to stay home, then share that one with me.”

He jerks his head in the direction of Ash, who looks like he might slit Noah’s throat sans fucking if this conversation doesn’t end soon.

Lips stares the kid down, calm and steady. “Wyatt left you in my care. I’m the only thing stopping you from getting your ass murdered, so you might wanna shut your mouth because I’ve left a long and bloody trail behind us, all people trying to fuck one of my guys.”

There’s a minute of quiet, not even enough for me to relax and make a plan of what I’m going to get done today, and then Noah starts up again.

“It just seems very selfish, all of that good dick going to waste.”

Lips shoots me a look, because we both know how this is going to go and she’s feeling bad for whatever details I’m about to be subject to.