Chapter 46
CHAPTER
FORTY-SIX
DARE
I walk out onto the front porch, look to the side, and see him sitting on the chair that faces the street. I don’t know what the fuck he’s looking at, but he’s intently watching whatever it is.
Then slowly, no doubt sensing my appearance, he turns his head. His gaze swings over to meet mine. He doesn’t seem surprised, though maybe he was expecting Chassis instead of me. He clears his throat before his lips twitch into a smirk and he stands.
“Hey there, brother,” he murmurs with a jerk of his chin.
“Hey,” I offer.
I don’t give him anything else. I hope I can have a candid conversation with him at some point, but I don’t want him to tell Cake. I need him on my side and at my back, so I gotta know if I can trust that part of him before I say anything.
“You got anything to eat?” he asks.
Letting out a chuckle, I decide that I’m not going to find any of that out right now, so I might as well have him come inside for breakfast. Jerking my chin toward the door, I tug it open before I speak.
“Fuck yeah. Come on inside.”
Once he’s inside, I follow behind him and lock the door, then turn around and stop at the sight of my woman. My wife. She’s wearing a tank top and a short pair of sleep shorts with a long sweater that covers her. She’s beautiful, my girl.
Gauge acts as if I’m not even in the room. He moves toward the hallway where she is standing, on a mission for one thing and one thing only… Chassis. I watch as he makes his way directly toward his sister.
He wraps his arms around her and murmurs something to her, but I can’t make it out. Instead, I just watch, curious about their relationship and bond. I didn’t pay much attention when Cake and his sons were here a few days ago, but Gauge and Chassis are closer than I thought.
Gauge takes a step backward, his fingers curling around her biceps, holding on to her for a moment, murmuring something else that I can’t quite make out. Chassis’s cheeks tint pink. She lowers her eyes and places her hand on her belly, then shifts her attention back up to meet his.
He covers her hand with his palm. I don’t know what else they murmur, but then his hand falls, and he takes a step backward. Gauge turns his head, shifting his attention back to me as he looks over his shoulder and smirks.
“About that food?” he asks.
Instantly, as if the question causes my body to magically become unstuck from its place on the floor, I make my way toward the kitchen. I’m not a chef by any means, but I do like breakfast foods, and I’m decent at making them.
Chassis excuses herself to take a shower, though she could stay in her pajamas all day long and I wouldn’t mind one bit. Prefer it, actually. She looks hot as shit. Once she’s disappeared down the hallway, I get back to making breakfast.
Gauge hops up on the barstool and places his elbows on the counter as he watches me. I’m making eggs, bacon, biscuits, and some fruit, but only because I know Chassis is going to want fruit. I couldn’t give less of a fuck about it, but if my woman wants it, she gets it.
“This fucker been bothering you guys at all?” Gauge asks, trying to make conversation as I move around the kitchen, working on breakfast.
I’m glad he’s asking. It gives me an opening. Though I can’t be completely forthright. I don’t want him to know that I’m going to hunt down Samuil and make him pay for what he’s done, but mostly for peace of mind rather than actual vengeance.
I don’t know what that makes me, especially since I told Rustik that he could handle the situation with Samuil unless he specifically attacked us. But I don’t want to wait for the attack. I can’t fucking function as I sit around and wait for him to strike.
I’m the asshole here, I get that, but I’ll deal with the consequences of my actions later. Hopefully, it won’t start a war.
“Not yet,” I state.
“But you’re still under the impression he will.”
The way he says those words causes me to pause. It’s the emphasis he puts on impression that makes me wonder where he’s going with this. I tilt my head to the side, flick my eyes to his, and arch a brow.
“Not just an impression. He will come after Chassis. He will come after the baby. It’s his son, and he will want him to be part of the Bratva. Make no goddamn mistake about it.”
Gauge slides his tongue across his teeth, keeping his lips closed as he does. He’s likely doing it in an effort to keep from saying anything that will piss me off. Maybe he doesn’t think that Samuil will come after us—after Chassis and the baby.
“And you’re just going to let that shit happen, then deal with it later?” he asks.
It’s my turn to choose my words carefully.
“My contact, their leader, assures me that if something were to happen, I will be given full permission without repercussion to deal with him myself.”
He nods his head a couple of times, his lips twitching into a smirk, his gaze searching mine before he speaks. “But you’re not going to wait, are you, Dare?”
Well, fuck.