Dice (Blackwings MC: Croftridge #3)

Chapter 10 – Daphne

10

DAPHNE

T hey weren’t kidding when they said the farm was gated and guarded. The property was surrounded by a ten-foot concrete wall. The only entry point through the concrete wall was a solid gate that could only be opened by the guard on duty.

“Does it ever get annoying having to stop at the gate every time you want to go home?” I asked.

“I don’t usually have to stop. They know my truck and bike, so they open it when they see me coming.”

“Well, aren’t you special,” I teased.

“We can add you to the list so you don’t have to stop either,” he said and seemed to reconsider his words. “Never mind. It won’t be an issue since you won’t be leaving without one of us with you.”

“Thanks anyway,” I said and turned to look out the window. I really wanted to get a look at the farm property, but I couldn’t see much because it was dark. The only thing I could definitively say was the property was enormous. Dice drove for several minutes before he finally turned into his driveway.

“Here we are,” he said.

He got out and started unloading my suitcases while I studied the house. It was a cute, Cape Cod style home, like the few neighboring houses I could see. While I scoped out the house, Diablo visited a few trees and bushes.

When we went inside, I was taken aback by the interior. It was decorated with neutral grays and browns and felt very inviting. It wasn’t the decor one would associate with a bachelor biker.

Dice’s chuckle caught my attention. “Before you ask, Ember is responsible for all this,” he said and waved his hand to indicate the area. “When she updated the vacant residential properties a few years ago, I asked her to include my house.”

“She did a great job. Is she an interior decorator?”

“No, she’s … well, I don’t know what her title is. She oversees the businesses on the farm, coordinates new projects, and manages the employee residential program.”

“So, she runs the place?”

“Pretty much,” he said. “Let me show you to your room.”

I followed him through the living room and down the hallway to an average size guest room. “Congratulations. You’re the first one to use this room.”

“I’m honored,” I teased.

“The bathroom is the next door on the right, and my room is directly across the hall. I’m not sure how well the kitchen is stocked since I haven’t been here much, but you’re welcome to whatever’s in there.”

“Thanks.”

“If you need anything, let me know.”

“I think I’m good. I’m going to change and probably go to bed.”

With that, he left me to get settled in my new room.

The next morning, Diablo woke me up wanting to go outside. I glanced at my phone and groaned at the time, but dutifully got out of bed and slipped on my shoes.

“Come on, Stinker,” I said quietly and trudged to Dice’s back door. The back door led to a large screened-in porch which opened to a large back yard with a fire pit and seating area in the center.

Diablo was running around sniffing what seemed like every single blade of grass when he suddenly stopped, and his entire body became rigid. I turned my head in the direction he was looking to see a completely naked Ink peeing off his back porch. I squeaked, Diablo barked, and Ink turned his back to me before he awkwardly shuffled out of sight.

“What’s going on?” Dice asked as he threw the back door open and rushed outside where he found me bent at the waist, covering my mouth trying to stifle my laughter.

Ink’s head appeared around the corner of his house. “My bad, Daphne,” he called.

Dice joined me in laughter. “Never mind. I know what’s going on.”

“Can y’all turn around so I can go back inside?” Ink asked.

“Yeah, man,” Dice said and gently turned me in the opposite direction. “Go ahead.”

Moments later, we heard Ink’s door close. Then we both cracked up laughing.

“Would you like some coffee?” Dice asked once we were back inside.

“I’d love some,” I said. “I hope we didn’t wake you. Diablo isn’t usually up this early.”

“I know. That’s why I thought something was wrong when I heard him barking from outside. And no, you didn’t wake me. I was awake, I just hadn’t gotten out of bed yet.”

A few minutes later, he placed a large mug of coffee, with cream and sugar just the way I liked it, in front of me. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“Thanks,” I said and pointed to the coffee. “I guess I need to pick a house to stay in, but other than that and maybe a grocery run, I don’t have any plans.”

“About that … we can go look at the available houses, but you’re welcome to stay here if you want to.”

“Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

“You and Diablo are not an imposition,” he said. “I’d be happy to have you stay here.”

“Would that be easier for you?” I asked. It seemed like it would be. There was no sense in both of us dragging our belongings to different houses if we didn’t have to.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about me.”

“It’d be pretty rude if I didn’t consider how this affects you.”

“I’m fine staying here, and I’m fine staying somewhere else. It’s completely up to you.”

I blew on my coffee and took a slow sip to buy myself a little time before answering. “I’m okay with staying here. My stuff’s here, and your stuff’s here. It seems silly to move it all again.”

“Good,” he smiled. “I’ll let Phoenix know.”

“I guess that leaves the grocery store,” I said.

“Actually, if you’ll make a list of what you want, I’ll place an order and have them delivered later this afternoon.”

“Point me in the direction of pen and paper,” I said happily. “I hate going to the grocery store.”

“Me, too,” he agreed and got up to get a pen and notepad from a drawer in his kitchen. “Here you go.”

I quickly made a list of what I needed. I added a few extra things so I could make dinner for him at least two nights that week as a way to thank him for letting me invade his space. When I finished, I started to hand the notepad to him, but pulled it back when he reached out to take it. “I want you to let me pay for the entire order.”

“Daphne—” he started.

“No,” I interrupted. “I want to. It’s the least I can do.”

He sighed. “To save us both time and energy, I’m going to go ahead and give in now since I have a feeling this is an argument I won’t win.”

“Great. I’ll grab my debit card.”

I finished my coffee while he placed our grocery order.

“Well, now what?” he asked when he finished.

“Would it be possible to have a tour of the farm? I’d love to see the property.”

“Sure. Are you ready to go now?”

“Yes,” I said before looking down at my pajamas. “No, I need to change first.”

Dice laughed. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

I hurried back to my room to get ready to go. I didn’t bother to do anything with my hair other than pull it up into a messy bun, but I did wash my face and put on a little bit of makeup. Then, I changed into a comfortable pair of jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and my favorite hoodie. After slipping on my shoes, I picked up Diablo’s leash and returned to the living room. Diablo trotted along excitedly behind me. He knew we were going somewhere since I touched his leash.

“Ready,” I announced.

Dice pointed to my shirt. “Is that a bloody handprint on your hoodie?”

I laughed and nodded. “It is. I like psychological thrillers, and this is my favorite author.”

“I like it.”

“Thanks. Me, too.”

We walked outside to his driveway, where a golf cart was parked. “Where did that come from?” I asked.

“I borrowed it from Ink. He asked me to tell you he was very sorry about that unexpected view you got this morning. He thought we were staying at one of the other houses.”

“Tell him not to worry about it. He was pretty far away, so I couldn’t see much,” I said. “But, um, does he have tattoos on his butt cheeks?”

Dice leaned forward and laughed so hard he started to cough. “Oh,” he said once he composed himself. “Yes, he does, but promise me you’ll ask him about it.”

“I don’t want to embarrass him or make him uncomfortable.”

“You won’t,” he assured me. “It’s a funny story that he pretends to not like to tell, but he secretly does.”

“I don’t know if I believe you. This sounds like a trap.”

“It’s not,” he promised. “Trust me. It’ll be worth it.”

“We’ll see,” I hedged.

“All right. Are you guys ready?”

“I think so,” I said and looked down at Diablo. He was sitting on the floor, crammed in the space between our legs, but he didn’t seem to mind one bit.

Dice pulled out of his driveway and turned to the right. “To the right is the home of a heavily tattooed biker who likes to roam around naked,” Dice said, mimicking the sound of a tour guide. “Coming up on the left is the home of another biker and his girlfriend. They prefer to wear clothes when outside or in the company of others.”

I reached over and playfully slapped his arm. “You’ve got to stop. You’re making my cheeks hurt.”

We continued through the residential area, and he pointed out where the various club members and their families lived. Then we drove through the dairy farm. I was surprised to see how large it was. The next stop after the dairy farm was an area with several office buildings.

“Ember’s office is in that building,” Dice said. “And Harper has a therapy practice in that building, but the next section is my favorite.”

We came to a stop in front of a large greenhouse. “This is where we grow organic and hydroponic plants. Do you want to go inside?”

“Yes, please,” I said excitedly. “Is Diablo allowed to go inside?”

“You know, I’ve never seen a dog in there, but I don’t see why it would be a problem. He’s not your average dog, anyway.”

I beamed proudly. “Thank you.”

Walking into the greenhouse was like walking into another world. There were so many plants, I didn’t know where to look. Dice escorted me through the aisles, pointing out the various fruits and vegetables they were growing. To my surprise, at the back of the main building, it connected to two other greenhouses, one on each side.

“Hydroponics are to the left, and decorative shrubs and trees are to the right. Each building connects to the fourth greenhouse where flowers are grown.”

“This is impressive,” I said. “Where are these sold? I’d love to buy some flowers and shrubs for the lake house.”

“Normally, people place their orders through our website, but I can bring you up here to pick out what you want.”

“Thank you. Remind me to get the website from you. I’ll be happy to pass it along to my clients. Redoing the flower beds is one of the first things people do after buying a new house.”

“Ember probably has some business cards you can hand out.”

“That’s perfect.”

We spent a long time walking through the greenhouses, and I enjoyed every second of it. It really felt like we were in a different world, and a part of me didn’t want to leave. However, the next stop was just as enjoyable.

“This is where Keegan trains racehorses,” Dice said.

“Like Kentucky Derby racehorses?”

“Yep,” he confirmed. “Several winners have come from this barn.”

“I had no idea.”

“It’s a well-kept secret. Do you want to pet the horses?”

“Can we?” I asked, unable to contain my excitement. “I love horses.”

“Sure. If Keegan’s here, you may get a chance to see her doing time trials.”

“While I’m staying with you, if there’s ever a time you can’t find me, I’ll be here or in the greenhouses.”

He chuckled. “I completely understand. Like I said, the greenhouses and the stables are my favorite places on the farm. I like the ponds, too, though.”

“There are ponds?”

“A couple. I can show you those next.”

Keegan stepped out of a stall leading a giant horse with her. “Hey, guys. What are y’all doing here?”

“I’m giving Daphne a tour of the farm.”

“Well, you’re just in time. I’m getting ready to take this big guy out on the track. You’re welcome to stay and watch if you have time.”

“We’d love to,” I answered for both of us.

“It’ll take me a few minutes to get him ready. If you want, you can give the horses in stalls one through four a couple of treats.”

Diablo’s ears perked up when she mentioned treats. Keegan noticed and smiled. “I have some of his kind in the office, if he’d like some.”

“Yes, please. He loves treats.”

Keegan handed the horse’s lead to Dice. “I’ll be right back.” She returned with a handful of bone-shaped treats. “These are homemade. The ingredients are peanut butter, apples, egg, and a little bit of baking powder.”

“I’m sure he’ll love them. In fact, I’ll probably need to get the recipe from you.”

“I’ll have Gabby send it to you. Whenever she makes them for Shadow, she drops some off here for the customers who bring their dogs to the barn.”

After Diablo devoured his treats, we walked over to the stalls and fed treats to the horses. I thoroughly enjoyed petting them and hadn’t quite had my fill when Keegan let us know she was heading out to the track.

Dice noticed my disappointment. “We can come back to see the horses any time you want.”

“I hope you mean that.”

He grinned. “I do.”

“Do you guys have pigs here?”

“No. We have horses, cows, and chickens, but no pigs.”

We walked out to the track and leaned against the fence as Keegan rode her horse to the starting line.

“What exactly is she doing?” I asked.

“Timing him. She has a remote that she clicks to open the gate and start the timer.”

He’d just finished explaining when the gate opened and the horse flew down the track. Keegan and the horse were nothing but a blur of motion when they passed us. “Holy shit! He’s fast.”

“Who knows? You may have just witnessed a champion in the making.”

“That would be neat,” I said, still in awe of the horse’s speed.

We hung around while Keegan finished up with the horse and did his cool down. “Well, what did you think?” she asked.

“I hope you don’t mind spectators, because I definitely wouldn’t mind watching that again.”

“We love spectators. Feel free to come by whenever you have a chance.”

After that, we rode by another barn. “Duke runs that barn. They give riding lessons and board horses. It’s also where the horses Harper uses for equine therapy live. We can stop if you want, but there’s probably no one there right now.”

“We can stop by another day,” I said. “What’s next?”

“The ponds and walking trails.”

Dice drove toward the wooded area, past rolling hills and several large fields. When we reached the trees, he steered the golf cart onto a well-worn path. Several minutes later, we came to a clearing where a large pond was nestled.

“Wow,” I breathed. “This is beautiful.”

“It is. Not many people come out here since it’s so far from everything else,” Dice said as we came to a stop.

“That’s exactly why I’d want to come out here.”

We got out of the cart and walked to the water’s edge. It was so quiet and peaceful. “Are there any fish in the pond?”

Dice shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

We casually strolled around to the other side of the water. I turned to thank him for giving me a tour of the farm, as well as everything else he’d done for me, but the words died in my throat when our eyes met. He held my gaze for several beats before he took a step forward and closed the distance between us. My stomach flipped when his eyes flicked to my lips as he leaned forward. His lips had barely touched mine when the sound of a loud splash caused us both to quickly turn toward the water.

“Diablo! What are you doing?” I yelled at my usually well-behaved dog, who was happily swimming through the pond.

Diablo looked back at me for a moment before he continued swimming across the water. I exhaled in annoyance and placed my hands on my hips.

Dice laughed. “You didn’t tell him to get out or come back. You only asked him what he was doing, and he answered you.”

“I swear. I love him with my whole heart, but sometimes I think he’s too smart.” I sighed and shook my head. “He’s going to freeze on the way back while getting both of us wet.”

“There might be a blanket underneath one of the seats,” Dice said. He jogged back to the golf cart and proudly returned with a blanket a few moments later.

“Are you sure Ink won’t mind?”

Dice waved his hand dismissively. “I doubt he has any sentimental feelings about a blanket he keeps in his golf cart, but we can wash it before returning it if that will make you feel better.”

“Washing it is a must. Sentimental or not, I can’t return a blanket that smells like a wet dog.”

We walked around the pond to meet Diablo, who realized what we were doing and turned around to swim to the other side.

“Diablo,” I scolded. “Get your butt out of that water right now.”

To his credit, he did pick up the pace, but he continued swimming to the opposite side of the pond, causing Dice to laugh hysterically while I rounded the water yet again to catch my wayward dog.

“If you shake water all over me, we are going to have serious problems today,” I said to Diablo when he exited the pond. He looked at me and took a few steps away before he shook. “Thank you,” I said and held the blanket open for him. He ran into it headfirst, and I dried him off as best as I could. When he was as dry as I could get him, which wasn’t very dry at all, we walked back toward the golf cart. “I guess we should head back to your house so I can give him a bath.”

“We were going to have to go back soon anyway for the grocery delivery.”

I ushered Diablo into the golf cart and wrapped him in the blanket before Dice and I took our seats. We hadn’t even made it out of the wooded area before Diablo started shivering. “That’s what happens when you go for a swim in the middle of fall, you big goober.”

“He just wanted to have some fun,” Dice said.

“I’m honestly surprised he did that. I mean, he loves the water, but he hasn’t gotten into the lake since it started getting cooler.”

“Do you have a hard time keeping him out of the water at home?”

“It was hell when we first moved there. Every time he went out to do his business, he tried to go for a swim. Between the muddy paw prints on the floor and the wet dog smell, I seriously considered moving somewhere else, but we got it under control after the newness wore off. And thank goodness for that, because giving him a bath every day wasn’t good for my back or his skin.”

“There’s a farm supply store in town that has a dog washing station in the back.”

“I’ve used those before, but there was no way I was putting his muddy, stinky, wet ass in my car and driving to a store every day to wash him.”

“Yeah, I can understand that.”

When we arrived at Dice’s house, I made sure to wipe Diablo’s paws off before we went inside.

“Do you need any help washing him?” Dice asked.

“No,” I said slowly as something occurred to me. “But I need dog shampoo. I don’t suppose you have any, do you?”

“No, but I know who probably does. One second,” he said and pulled out his phone. After a few text exchanges, he grinned. “Harper has some she’s going to bring over.”

Harper pulled into the driveway a few minutes later and got out, carrying a small basket filled with bottles. “I brought shampoo and a bunch of other stuff you probably won’t need,” she said and handed the basket to me. “I may or may not spoil our furry family members.”

“Does Carbon know that’s how you refer to him when he’s not around?” Dice teased.

“No, and you better not tell him.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I didn’t even think about dog shampoo when I was packing. I’ll get these back to you as soon as I’m finished bathing him.”

“You can keep those. I have duplicates, if not triplicates, of everything in that basket.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” she said kindly. “I enjoy spoiling all the fur babies, not just mine.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I really appreciate it. Dice was showing me around the farm, and Diablo decided to go for a swim in one of the ponds.”

Harper laughed. “I know what that’s like. We have one that loves the water so much, he jumped off our boat while we were pulling up to a shore. It’s a miracle he didn’t get run over.”

“That must have been terrifying.”

“It was,” Harper said. “Now, we make sure someone’s holding him when we beach the boat.”

“I’ll have to remember that. I haven’t taken Diablo out on a boat, but I could totally see him jumping into the water before he was supposed to.”

“If you do take him on a boat and need to borrow a doggy life jacket, let me know. We’ve accumulated quite the collection over the years. In fact, if you ever need to borrow any size life jacket, from infant to adult to dog, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you. I know my dad has several at the lake house. Well, he did. I’m not sure if they survived the fire last night.”

“Let us know if they didn’t. We’ll be happy to help you replenish.”

“Thank you,” I said for the umpteenth time.

“Well, I better get back. Harlow is hate-baking, and my kitchen will be destroyed if I’m not there to secretly clean up behind her.”

“Hate-baking?” Dice asked.

Harper laughed. “That’s what I call it. She claims she likes to bake, but she gets really pissy every time she does. And she’ll bite the head off anyone who offers to help her. I’ll see you guys later.”

“Bye, Harper,” Dice said.

“Bye,” I waved. “And thanks, again.”

I turned around to look at Diablo. “Time for a bath, Stinky.”

After giving Diablo a bath, I was more or less soaked and covered in dog hair, so I took a quick shower. Then I blow dried both of us, laughing when Diablo barked and snapped at the air.

We emerged from the bedroom to find Dice in his kitchen putting away groceries. “Oh, let me help,” I said and hurried over to give him a hand.

“I can handle it,” he said.

“I’m sure you can, but I want to help.”

“Thanks.”

“I was thinking I would make breakfast for dinner—scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and pancakes. Is that okay with you?”

“That sounds great, but you don’t have to cook for me.”

“I enjoy cooking, and it’s my way of thanking you for letting me stay with you.”

“You’ve already thanked me.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’ll keep doing it. It’s just the way I am.”

“Do you need any help with dinner, or would you rather I stay out of your way?”

“At the risk of sounding rude, I’d rather you stay out of my way.”

Dice chuckled. “No problem. I know some of the old ladies get downright ragey if someone enters the kitchen when they’re cooking.”

“It’s definitely a thing. I have no idea why it happens, but it does.”

He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll leave as soon as we’re finished with the groceries.”

Once the groceries were put away, Dice left the kitchen. I put in my earbuds and got lost in an audiobook while I was cooking.

An hour later, everything was ready. I proudly carried the platter of food to the kitchen table and called for Dice.

“Finally,” he said. “That smell’s been making my stomach growl for the last twenty minutes.”

We sat down to eat, and I waited with bated breath as he took his first bite. “Mmm,” he groaned. “This is delicious.”

“Thanks,” I beamed. “I’m glad you like it.”

“If there’s enough left, I’ll take a plate over to Ink when we’re finished.”

“You guys seem pretty close. How long have you known each other?”

“Twenty-something years? We’ve been friends since we were teenagers.”

“Oh, did you go to high school together?”

“Not exactly,” he said in a way that made me think I might have ventured into a topic I shouldn’t have. Instead of asking another question, I waited to see if he would continue. To my surprise, he did. “What do you know about the history of the farm?”

“I know there’s a contract that prevents it from being sold outside of the family, but that’s about it.”

“Before Phoenix inherited it, a man named Octavius was running it. Octavius was not a good person. In addition to running the farm, Octavius was involved in guns and drugs. To staff his operation, he loaned money to people he knew wouldn’t be able to pay it back and made them come work for him when they couldn’t. As in, he sent men to their homes and brought their whole family to the farm at gunpoint. They weren’t allowed to return home, or even leave the farm property, until they had worked off their debt. I was sixteen when my family was brought in. Ink arrived with his parents a few weeks later.”

I stared at him with a look of complete shock on my face. Of all the possibilities, I would have never guessed they met in such a traumatic way. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. To both of you. We don’t have to talk about this.”

“No, no,” he said quickly. “This isn’t a bad story. Being brought to the farm ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Okay, you’re going to have to explain that, because it really sounds like you and your family were kidnapped and held hostage at a labor camp.”

“To put it bluntly, my parents were pieces of shit. My father was an alcoholic, and my mother liked pills. Neither one of them could keep a job for more than a few weeks. We were constantly moving from one shithole to the next. I’d been taking care of myself since elementary school. So, I didn’t think it was all that bad when my parents were taken to one part of the farm, and I was sent to another. I had my own room, a comfortable bed, clean clothes, and plenty of food to eat. The only things they expected of me were getting passing grades and staying out of trouble. For me, living on the farm was an upgrade.”

“I have so many questions.”

He chuckled. “What do you want to know?”

“What happened with your parents? You’re still here, so are they still working off their debt?”

“Without going into all the details, it came to light that Octavius wasn’t the rightful owner of the farm—Phoenix was. Octavius put up one hell of a fight and even tried to kill Phoenix in the process. In the end, Octavius and his henchmen were busted, and control of the farm was given to Phoenix. Octavius’s illegal operations were dismantled, and the people he’d forced to work for him were free to go. Ember realized that a lot of people were suddenly homeless and unemployed. She came up with the idea of growing organic and hydroponic plants to create jobs. Then she converted one of the office buildings into residential apartments for the employees. Everyone was offered a legitimate job and a place to live. It was no surprise that my parents chose to leave. I, however, wanted to stay. Unfortunately, I was underage and couldn’t stay by myself. Luckily, Ink’s mom opted to stay and agreed to let me move in with them. So, to answer your question, my parents left, and I never saw them again.”

“Have you tried to find them or anything?” I asked carefully.

“I didn’t have to. Years later, I got a call from some county official wanting me to claim their bodies. So, in a roundabout way, I guess they found me.”

“Do you know what happened to them? Wait. Is it okay that I’m asking these questions?”

He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t have brought it up if I didn’t want to talk about it. Honestly, it may sound harsh, but their deaths didn’t affect me in the slightest. They were little more than strangers to me. As for what happened to them, they were killed. Both were shot execution style. So, if I had to guess, I’d say they got themselves into some debt they couldn’t get out of.”

“So, have you lived on the farm since you were sixteen?”

“Pretty much. When I turned eighteen, I got a job working at the horse stables and moved into my own apartment in the same building. A few months later, when Ink turned eighteen, we started prospecting for the club. We patched in a little over a year later. I moved into this house when I was twenty-three, and I’ve been here ever since.”

It seemed like he was going to say more, but our conversation was interrupted when someone knocked on the door.

While he got up to answer the door, I started clearing the table. A few minutes later, he returned to the kitchen with Ink.

“Sorry about this morning,” he said awkwardly. “I thought you two were staying at one of the vacant houses.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, but couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with him. “Would you like something to eat? It’s still warm.”

“Yes, please,” he said eagerly. “It smells wonderful.”

“Thanks,” I said and loaded a plate with breakfast foods for him.

“Ink stopped by to discuss the plans for tomorrow,” Dice said.

“Oh,” I said. I’d had such a nice day with Dice, I almost forgot the reason I was really there. “Surprisingly, Mondays aren’t usually that busy for me. Well, there’s not a lot of running around. Most of the day is spent answering emails, returning phone calls, and catching up on paperwork.”

“What about the rest of the week?” Dice asked.

“I have showings Tuesday afternoon, most of Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon, but that’s subject to change.”

Ink put down his fork and swallowed the bite of food in his mouth. “It’s going to be hard for us to escort her to appointments and check out the houses before the clients arrive if she’s going from house to house with the clients. What do you think about having Flint pretend to be a new agent in training? He could go with her and be present for the entire showing without alarming the clients.”

“Do you think your boss would be okay with Flint tagging along?” Dice asked.

“I think she’ll be fine with anything as long as I’m safe and the clients are happy.”

“I’ll run it by Phoenix, but I don’t think he’ll have a problem with it,” Dice said.

“Can I ask why you suggested Flint?”

“A few reasons,” Ink said. “That boy is resourceful and can think on his feet in intense situations. He’s not afraid to take risks when necessary. He’s also young and clean-cut, so he can easily look the part of a real estate agent.”

“Is this something he’ll want to do?” I asked. I really hated the thought of being a burden to any of them.

“Oh yeah,” Ink said assuredly. “Flint’s a team player. He’ll be more than happy to jump in and play your undercover bodyguard.”

“Phoenix is fine with it,” Dice announced as his phone dinged with another text message. Dice chuckled. “Flint wants to know what he needs to wear.”

“He can wear anything from formal business wear to business casual.”

“You may need to be a bit more specific,” Ink said.

“Anything from khakis and a polo shirt to dress slacks, a button-down shirt, and a tie. I usually wear dress slacks and a nice blouse.”

Dice’s phone dinged again and he started laughing in earnest after reading the message. “Flint said he’ll have his mom go shopping for him.”

“Oh, now I feel bad.”

“Don’t. He’s happy to help, and Annabelle will love shopping for him,” Dice said.

“Well, that was easy,” Ink said. “This was delicious, by the way.”

“Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I said as I replayed what Dice had just said. “Hold on. Annabelle is Flint’s mom?” I asked.

“Yes,” Dice said. “And Phoenix is his dad.”

“How many kids do they have?”

Ink laughed as Dice answered. “Four. Ember and Coal are the older twins, and Blaze and Flint are the younger twins.”

“What about Nathan?” I asked.

“Nathan is Annabelle’s son, and Phoenix’s stepson. It’s their story to tell, but Octavius wreaked havoc on their family, too.”

“It’s none of my business. I just didn’t realize Flint was their son.”

“Now that we’ve got that settled, and I’ve had dinner, I guess I’ll get out of your hair.”

“You don’t have to leave on my account,” I said.

“Do you two have any plans this evening?”

“I was going to start a load of laundry, but that’s about it.”

Ink clapped his hands together and smiled. “Great! There’s a new movie I want to watch, and Dice’s TV is bigger than mine. Hey, man. You got any popcorn?”

“You can have some more pancakes if you’re still hungry,” I offered.

“He’s full, but?—”

“You can’t watch a movie without snacks, and popcorn is the best one,” Ink finished.

“Noted,” I laughed. “I’m going to go start my laundry.”

“You’re coming back for the movie, right?” Ink asked hopefully.

“Is it a horror movie?”

“No, it’s a rom-com.”

“Seriously?”

Ink laughed. “No. It’s an action movie, I guess. I don’t know. It’s about tornadoes.”

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to see that. I’ll be right back.”