CHAPTER FOUR
DREAD
“Yo.”
I glance over to Reign, gesturing at the sheet of drywall we just hung.
“You think it needs replacing?”
I squint at the small crack near the corner and shake my head. It’s just a hairline imperfection.
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I’ll skim some mud over it, and it’ll be fine.”
He nods and turns back to what he was doing as I sink another screw into the stud, securing another sheet to the wall in Morpheus’s garage.
“So...” Reign lines up another screw of his own. “Meet your new neighbors yet?”
My heart picks up speed at the mention of my sexy new neighbor. Images of dark auburn hair and subtle curves that make this Saint wanna sin in all the best ways flood through my mind.
Jesus.
I thought about Honey all night, which is fucking ridiculous.
I don’t even know the girl. I mentally cringe at the thought of her as a girl. But the facts are the fucking facts. She might have two kids, but she’s gotta be every bit of at least ten years younger than my thirty-six years.
“Judging by the look on your face, I’m guessing that you did.” Reign smirks.
“Yeah,” I grunt.
Reign chuckles as Morpheus walks in carrying another sheet of drywall.
The VP raises an eyebrow as he leans the heavy board against the wall. “What’s funny?”
Reign dips his head in my direction. “I asked Dread if he’s met his new neighbor yet, and he got all dreamy-eyed.”
I scoff. “I sure as shit didn’t get dreamy-eyed.” He can fuck right the hell off with all that bullshit.
The Irish bastard is always up in somebody’s business.
“You sure as shit did,” Reign counters with a shit eating grin on his face. “Got the same look Killer gets when he’s eye-fucking Memphis.”
Morpheus chuckles, dusting his hands off on his jeans. “He does, doesn’t he?”
Okay, so maybe our enforcer does get a look, but that doesn’t have shit to do with me. I barely know Honey. Never stuck my dick in her and she ain’t my woman.
Morpheus lifts a brow. “Who’s your new neighbor?”
I shrug. “A woman moved in with her two kids.” At least I think they’re the only ones who live there. I never did catch sight of a man.
“She hot?” Reign asks, waggling his stupid eyebrows.
It’s fucking crazy because he’s one of my best friends, but him asking about Honey pisses me off. “I don’t fucking know. She has kids. What does it matter?” It’s a lame deflection, but it is what it is.
Morph wipes his brow with the back of his arm. “What the fuck does that matter? MILFs are hot.”
My temper vanishes as Reign and I stare at each other for a long beat, then burst out laughing. “The fuck you know about MILFs, VP?”
Morpheus flips us both off, but his eyes dance with amusement. “Mom I’d Like to Fuck.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Even I know that shit.”
Reign snorts, grabbing another sheet of drywall. “And here I thought we’d have to explain it to you.”
“Fuck both of y’all,” Morpheus chuckles as he turns his attention back to me. “So…You coming to the Christmas party tonight?”
I groan. “Not this shit again.”
Between Killer blowing up my phone and Reign hounding me about it yesterday, I can’t catch a fucking break.
“The women put a lot of work into this thing,” he defends.
“Not sure,” I deflect.
The truth is, Sarah and her new man are gonna be there, and I don’t know if I’m ready to see her yet.
Which is fucking stupid because it’s not like she did me wrong.
She didn’t even know I was interested. And that’s on me for dragging my feet, trying to give her time to get over her psycho ex, Chad.
That dude was a fucking lunatic. Created this whole fantasy in his head that Rage’s ol’ lady, Mac, was gonna be his girl.
Chad was obsessed with her even though he was dating Sarah.
We almost lost Mac when the sick bastard shot her in the hospital parking lot.
That was the nail in his coffin. Rage made the fucker suffer before he ended his miserable life. That’s a body nobody will ever find.
Good riddance.
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. The son of a bitch did a number on Sarah, too. Which is why I was playing the long game, trying to give her time to heal from what she’d been through. Turns out she didn’t need that much time because now she’s dating some douche she works with.
“Yo!” I whip my head around.
Reign’s brow is furrowed, and I realize he must have been talking to me.
“What?”
He rolls his eyes. “I said, ‘You gotta come.’”
“We’ll see.”
Reign grumbles something under his breath about stupid fuckers needing to get over bitches.
Before I can tell him to fuck off, Morpheus steps between us. “Enough, you two. Let’s get the last of this shit hung and call it a day.”
“Fuck yeah.”
That’s the best idea he’s had all day.
***
“Who the fuck is this?” I eye the red Mustang sitting in the driveway next to Honey’s piece of shit minivan.
Is that her man’s car?
The thought hits me out of nowhere, and it irritates the hell out of me. Who Honey is seeing doesn’t concern me.
Shaking my head, I pull my bike into the garage and cut the engine. As I’m taking off my helmet, I hear a man shouting.
The fuck?
Head cocked to the side, I train my ears.
“Are you fucking stupid?”
Without a second thought, I’m off my bike and moving towards the sound. Years in the club have taught me to trust my instincts, and right now, they’re screaming like a banshee that something ain’t right.
When I round the corner of my new neighbor’s house, I stop short. Towering over Honey, with his finger pointed right in her face, is a man with slicked-back hair.
“You stupid bitch,” he hisses. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
”Yo!” I erase the distance between us.
Slick Rick’s head whips around, and his eyes go straight to my cut.
“You need to back the fuck up,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous.
He takes a few steps back, putting a healthy distance between us. Good fucking thing, too. I’m ready to chew this asshole up and spit him out for getting in my cute little neighbor’s face.
“Who…who the fuck are you?” He sputters.
Honey inches closer to me, and I take her in. I don’t see a hair out of place, but I can tell she’s shaken up. Slowly I turn my head back to the asshole staring at me like I’m the scum under his Nikes.
“I’m her man.” My arm goes around Honey’s shoulders, and I pull her into my side.
Jesus. I blow out a breath. I can’t believe I just fucking said that. I’m her man?
I drop my gaze back to Honey. Her eyes are big, and she’s looking up at me like, okay, you big lying liar. Now what?
“Her man?” Slick Rick hisses, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. “Bullshit.” He turns his rage back to Honey. “You’re fucking this... this criminal?”
Criminal. Killer. Pissed off motherfucker who’s about to fuck him up.
“You fucking whore!” He yells, spit flying out of his mouth. “Go get my sons. Now.”
I feel Honey tense beneath my arm. She’s scared but trying like hell not to show it.
Dipping my head close to her ear, I keep my voice low. “You want ‘em going with this clown?”
She bites her lip, and I can see the war raging behind her eyes. Fuck no, she doesn’t. But then she sighs. “There’s a court order,” she finally says.
I nod once, understanding. Custody shit can be complicated.
She steps away from me and calls into the house. “Tommy! Jackson! Your dad’s here!”
Within seconds, the little guys who were in my garage last night appear in the doorway. Their eyes widen when they see me.
“Hey, Dread!” Jackson calls out excitedly.
“Hi, Dread,” Tommy adds, eyeing his father warily.
I grin at the boys and nod. “Boys.”
Slick Rick narrows his eyes, clearly not liking that I know his sons. Tough shit.
My attention is pulled back to Honey as she squats down in front of her boys. The position gives me a perfect view of her ass in those worn jeans, and I have to force my eyes away. Not the time, dickhead.
“Be good for your dad,” she says, her voice soft as she straightens Tommy’s collar. “Have fun and call me if you need anything, okay?”
“Okay,” they chorus, though Tommy doesn’t look thrilled about going with his father. Jackson, on the other hand, seems to be excited.
I turn my attention back to the ex. The fucker has his eyes glued to Honey’s ass as she leans forward to hug her boys. My hand curls into a fist at my side. One swing. That’s all it would take to knock this piece of shit on his ass.
“I love you,” Honey says, kissing each boy on the forehead. “So much.”
“Let’s go, boys,” the boys’ father snaps, his tone harsh enough to make both kids flinch.
How the fuck was Honey with this guy? I really want to kick this ass.
The boys give their mom one last hug before reluctantly following their dad to his overpriced car. I watch as they climb into the backseat, and Tommy helps Jackson with his seatbelt.
“I hate when they go with him,” Honey sighs as they back out of the driveway.
I move closer to my new neighbor and pull her into my side again. I’m surprised when she melts against me, her small body fitting perfectly against mine.
We stand there and watch as her kids drive away with her ex, neither of us speaking until the car disappears around the corner.
Honey looks up at me, those blue eyes filled with gratitude and something else I can’t quite place.
“Wanna go to a party?”