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“Yeah, the prospect called. They’re targeting Aunt E because they can’t get to the other two. I’m on my way with a few more brothers. Meet us at the gas station down the street, and we’ll regroup.”

***

Meredith

I hung up the phone with Grizz, not sure what to think about my new project.

I wouldn’t fail. Garages were easy, and the design firms often gave them to the newest employees.

However, there was a part of me that needed this to be successful.

I wanted to take the garage’s success and shove it down the throat of every brother who thought I was worthless.

Failure wasn’t an option, as I didn’t need another strike on my record.

I went back to working on the track system I wanted to install in the banquet center, trying not to think about the auto body shop.

There was no point in working on a project I had no information on.

The city had finally issued the blueprints for the banquet center, and I was matching the tracks to the beams in the ceiling.

We’d have to hire out for the actual construction, but if I could get it as close as possible, it would save on funds later on.

Dead and I sat on the couch with the prints spread out on the coffee table in front of the TV.

The animal channel was playing in the background.

It was quiet in the main room, considering how many brothers were lounging around.

I was becoming desensitized to the noise.

The wise men were playing poker, but without Thunder, they weren’t yelling over each other to be heard.

There was a group of brothers surrounding the pool table, but I tuned out the sound of the balls moving around the table.

A few brothers were playing darts, and they’d eventually swap winners with the pool table crew. There was probably some bet going on.

Sabre came running into the main room from the hallway where his office was. “The cartel is sitting outside of Aunt E’s appointment. Get ready to ride!” he directed towards the brothers lounging around.

Everything stopped, and then the brothers ran to their rooms for riding gloves, helmets, guns, and whatever else they would need, causing the volume to soar. I noticed Dead didn’t move from his spot, but he’d shifted on the couch so that he was watching the rest of the room.

“I’m with you, girlie pop,” he said when he caught my eye.

My bodyguard. It then hit me like a ton of bricks, and Sabre’s words flooded my mind.

Aunt E was in danger. The cartel was sitting outside of her physical therapist. I closed my eyes, but the images played behind my eyelids.

The soldiers would jump out of the car, and Aunt E would disappear as they found Thunder and the prospect dead in the parking lot.

Dead shook my elbow, and the images disappeared as I opened my eyes. Aunt E was a tough broad wrapped in a designer dress and pearls, and I internally scolded myself.

I mirrored Dead’s position, watching the activity from my safe zone. Sabre had run back to his office, and when he came into the main room for the second time, Grace was standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Stay out of sight and make sure Chef knows where you are.”

She nodded, not saying anything.

Sabre was about to run past her when he stopped and turned towards Grace. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in tight, and I wished Grizz were here.

“We’re going to bring them home safe, mama, but I got to warn you, I’m done fucking around with Alex.” He spat El Sombra Roja’s real name. “I can’t wait any longer for him to answer me.” He kissed her hard, yelled one more time at the brothers, and they were all out the door in a minute.

Grace watched Sabre’s back until the front door had closed as the last brother exited.

Her head turned, and she stared at me. I didn’t know if I was supposed to say something or comfort her.

We handled grief differently, and while I was worried, I’d been in enough of these situations to know that it could be close, but you had to have faith.

She laid her head against the entranceway, swiping at her eye. I stood from the couch, walked around, and went straight to her. I hugged her. “Aunt E is going to be fine.”

“I know, but this is all my fault.”

I laughed, but when she tried to pull away from me, I tightened my hold.

“I’ve spent my whole life trying not to be compared to you.

‘Grace is perfect,’ they would say, so I did my thing, knowing I could never compare.

Yet, we’re more alike than we care to admit.

I’ve always taken the blame for someone else’s shit.

Apologizing when it wasn’t me who needed to.

I just didn’t realize you were doing the same thing. ”

“I was the one who brought the cartel into our lives.” She tried to pull away from me again, but I wouldn’t let her.

“Stop feeling guilty for other people’s mistakes.

We don’t owe that piece of us to anyone.

” I had no clue what I was doing, but the guilt would eat at me if I let this go.

I would think about all the things I should have said or done.

If I made a fool of myself, so be it, as long as it eased some of the guilt we both clung to.

“Where’s JR?”

“With Emily in the kitchen.”

“Hey, Dead?” I heard a grunt in response, and all I could do was shake my head. Neanderthal . “Can you tell Chef we’re going outside to touch grass?”

“This is California. Ain’t no grass out back.” He snorted.

“Come on.” I grabbed Grace’s hand and headed down the hallway—the backyard was calling our names. We needed to get out of the clubhouse, even if we couldn’t go very far.