Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Sutton
Many years ago, I asked Gemini why he and his cousins were named after constellations and he told me it’s because his family lived in the stars.
It took years for me to piece that together, and when I did, I wanted to smack myself for not understanding it right away.
I’ve noticed that anytime they have their phones in front of them, they’re reading their daily charts, as if the astrological predictions are a guideline for how to proceed with their day.
When I stopped long enough to think about it, back in high school, they had the daily newspaper in hand, always open to that section.
I sit back with a Solo cup of soda, watching these men as they reminisce over their times in the service.
A smile slips past my lips because this is what male bonding is like.
There’s no peacocking, no ‘I suffered more than you did’.
No, they’re commiserating with each other, and my guys, they’re sitting there, acknowledging the sacrifices these men made as soldiers.
“I think this is all going to work out,” Pisces says as he leans beside me, kicking his foot up and propping it against the wall to steady himself. “Moving here hasn’t been easy on any of us, has it?”
“No, it hasn’t,” I reply, my face still holding a smile.
Butterball comes to mind for me, specifically, because her antics that first day when I was trying to find my house were something out of a book.
Most Welcome Wagons I’ve ever heard about have cheery, friendly community members but I got a damn cow.
“What has you grinning, Sutton?” he asks, lifting his beer and taking a hefty swallow.
I snicker then answer, “I was just thinking about your names and wondering if these guys are going to follow along y’all’s path.
” I keep my other thoughts to myself, for now at least. Hearing about my introduction to my ‘neighborhood’ is something I plan to pull out and share if I think a little levity is needed since these guys tend to be rather serious minded most of the time.
“Our path of what?” he asks.
“Think about it. Gemini,” I say pointing to the man who is becoming my entire world. My obsession. My book boyfriend. Then I point at him and continue, and follow that finger jab with each man’s name I state. “Pisces, Orion, Mercury, Midas, and Hercules.”
“You consider Hercules one of ours, huh?” he probes, his face full of concentration.
“Yes, and you’re ignoring the other half of my statement,” I emphasize.
“Not ignoring,” he quickly asserts. “Just contemplating.”
“What are you contemplating?” I ask, being nosy.
“If your gut is trying to tell me something,” he remarks.
“Like what?” I inquire.
“Like these guys belong here,” he answers, “with us.” His eyes scan the backyard where everyone has congregated. I’m not sure what he’s looking for, but whatever he finds, it has his body less taut and at ease.
“They belong,” I insist. “Look how groups that came together have parted ways and everybody is talking with one another as if they’ve known each other for years.”
“I see what you’re saying, Sutton,” he states as his and Gemini’s eyes lock, nodding their heads at one another. “And so does Gemini.”
“It feels like a family,” I muse, which has him chuckling.
“In a roundabout way, that’s exactly what we are,” he reveals.
“That’s the meaning behind brotherhood, Sutton.
We may not share blood, but we’re brothers nonetheless.
A club won’t work if you don’t get along and are unwilling to take a bullet for each other.
There’s going to be friction during some point in time, that’s what happens between siblings and we’re no different. ”
“That’s something I’ve seen firsthand,” I state. “You four act like you shared a womb. Y’all fight like cats and dogs.”
“That’s bantering, not fighting,” he contests, a sidesplitting grin tilting upward at the corner of his lips.
“We get on each other’s nerves from time-to-time, but that’s because we’re so close that one way or another, we spend each and every day together with no timeouts.
You can’t be with someone twenty-four/seven and not come to some sort of blows. ”
“I’ll have to take your word for it,” I laugh, digging my thumb into my chest. “Only child who was sheltered and not allowed to have any friends.”
“Sounds lonely,” he speculates.
“The loneliest,” I confirm, my tone solemn. “My dolls and books were the only things I had to keep me company. It was a solitary existence.”
“I bet the four of us scandalized you with the way we interact,” he jest. “At least, in the beginning.”
“At first, it was a bit of a culture shock,” I substantiate. “But once I got used to it, it just showed me what I missing and what I wanted to be a part of.”
“Well, you have brothers now, Sutton. Overprotective ones at that. You’ll never be or feel alone again. I can promise you that.”
A whistle permeates the air, breaking our conversation and hushing the entire yard.
Gemini, surrounded by Rio and Riptide, steps up onto a table so he can be seen and heard by the masses.
The music that had been blaring in the background is abruptly shut off and all eyes are glued onto the three imposing men.
Gemini takes a moment to put his eyes on every person in attendance before he begins speaking.
“I want to thank you all for coming. I know most, if not all of you, have been here before when it was under the guidance of Rocco.” Boo’s echo around us which has Gemini nodding his head.
“I know. But he’s no longer here and I’m the man in charge.
Things are going to be different with me at the helm.
There won’t be any shady business coming from me or any of my cousins.
The grounds, structures, and the way the businesses have been run aren’t the only things that will be changing.
We will be operating on a trust system, and I know y’all don’t know us, but this get together was a starting point for y’all to do that.
My cousins and I were raised in a motorcycle club, but it was family oriented, something we’re hoping to transition into the Montana Kings.
We want to have a cohesive clubhouse. We want trust. We demand loyalty.
But most of all, we hope to run things with honor and integrity.
For that to happen, we’ll need that same consideration from every member we bring into the fold.
Things will be run clean, but don’t let that fool you, we are a one-percent club, so our hands will have to get dirty sometimes because nobody fucks with the Kings! ”
Roars of approval reverberate around me, and there’s something about his speech that settles my nerves.
I may be in danger, and I may be dealing with an alpha male, but I know without a doubt, they will always have my best interest at heart and will do everything within their power to make sure every strand of hair on my head is protected.
When things calm down, Gemini picks up where he left off.
“If you can’t handle any of our demands, the door is that way,” he says, lifting his hand and pointing at the front of the property.
“Don’t let it hit you on the ass on your way out.
” When nobody moves, a pleased smile splits his face.
“Since you’re all still standing here, consider yourselves the new initiates of the Kings.
We won’t make things easy for you, you will have to prove yourselves to us.
This isn’t a cake walk, gentlemen. Rocco left us a lot of shit to clean up, and I don’t see his enemies letting us off the hook just because we’re under new leadership. Do you?”
Every man in attendance shakes his head, which is worrisome.
I don’t know anything about the guy mentioned, but once Gemini said his name out loud, cold shivers ran throughout me.
Riptide has a frown on his face and Rio has one full of disgust. I release a sigh because no matter which way we turn, we can’t catch a break.
Fuck knows we could all use one. Me from Allen Jeffries, and them from the ghost of presidents past.
* * *
The men are all still going strong but I can’t keep the yawns at bay. I search out Gemini, who’s currently talking to one of Midas’ nephews, although for the life of me his name escapes me right now, and say, “I’m gonna head up to bed.”
He leans in and captures my lips with a short, sweet kiss, which doesn’t shock me in the least. Why?
Well, I’m literally the only female in attendance and without saying a single word, he’s managed to let everyone around know that I’m his.
A shiver of pleasure runs through me which is a bit surprising because of my hard-fought independence.
Having never really belonged anywhere, at least to my own mind, I realize that he’s telling these men that I do belong. With him.
“Sleep well, Sutton,” he says.
Grinning, I nod as I wave to the others while heading into the house, my lips still tingling.
If that’s how I feel from such a quick caress, I know without a doubt that we’re going to be explosive.
Once inside, I lock the door behind me, gather my pajamas and head into the ensuite to take a quick shower to get the wood smoke smell off of me.
I may enjoy a roaring bonfire, but I don’t want to smell like it, and if that makes me a girly-girl, so be it.
I grab my phone off of the charger and see a text, which is weird. I mean, it could be Skippy, but she was going out of town this weekend to see her new niece. When I open up my messages, my blood runs cold.
Unknown number: You can run but you can’t hide, Sutton. Tick-tock, the clock is winding down for you.
I don’t think, I don’t scream or yell. Instead I take a screenshot of the message then forward it to Gemini.
While the sender is unknown, my gut is screaming that it’s Jeffries, and I promised Gemini that I wouldn’t keep anything to myself any longer.
I also swore to document every interaction between us and what better way is there to do that than to save it to my phone.
The message has been sent before I hear boots pounding through the house and running up the stairs.
When it penetrates that he’s coming for me and not heading to his own room for the night, I unlock the door and swing it open.
Rolling my eyes, because in my mind this could’ve waited until our guests had left, I merely hold the phone out toward the man who is barreling toward me, a harsh glare on his face. As he reads the message for himself, I hiss at the anger coursing off of him, as well as the men who followed him.
“Guess that answers our question, Gemini,” Mercury states as they all crowd around him. “He knows she’s not at her place.”
“At least this property is somewhat protected with the fencing, but there are whole sections that need replacing,” Hercules points out.
“We’re on it,” Mercury says. “Everyone’s locked and loaded, so we can set up patrols of the property until everything is fixed.”
I wave at my phone which is still clutched in Gemini’s hands and say, “Y’all can hang onto it for now, I’m going to take my shower.”
Because the testosterone level has exploded and even though my room isn’t exactly small, right now it feels as though it’s no bigger than a linen closet. Not only that, but there’s no way anyone will get past Gemini or his cousins.