ROWDY
Farley followed me to Clint’s condo, where I used my cousin’s code to get inside. Rather than find the place empty like earlier, I interrupted a conversation between Clint and Rock. They stopped midsentence and frowned at me. I frowned right back.
“Your tiny lady plans to stick around my place to make lasagna. I brought your crap over.”
Clint walked to the kitchen and emptied the bag. I eyed Rock, who avoided my gaze. Farley focused his attention on Hanzee.
“Did I interrupt something?” I asked when Clint finished putting away his groceries.
“We were talking about taking out Bob.”
Bob was the ringleader behind the brawl last year between three LM Jokers and a handful of foxes, including Goldie, Nova, and a very pregnant Elle. The fight at the quarry had given the impression that the problem was solved. Those assholes would stay away from us, and we’d stay away from them.
Except that would never be enough. The three men needed to die for putting the women at risk. The plan was to wait until tensions died down before orchestrating “accidental” deaths for the three men. To kill them outright might instigate a war with their families back in Baton Rouge.
Pissed off now, I demanded, “Why are you acting like Farley and I shouldn’t be involved in this conversation?”
“Clint thinks you’ve gone soft,” Rock said, winning an eye roll from our president. “I think you’ve always been soft.”
“And why isn’t Farley involved in this conversation?”
“We don’t need a sniper yet,” Rock replied casually. “Plus, we were thinking about having the foxes take the lead in the kills. If so, we’ll ask Zadie to do the sniping.”
“I’m offended,” I said and frowned at Hanzee staring at me. “This dog is also offended.”
Clint sized me up before asking, “Offended over what?”
“Everything!” I hollered, sending a startled Hanzee running to his cage near the windows. “I’m angry, dammit!”
Clint narrowed his blue eyes. “Is this a real pissy fit?”
“No. Maybe. I’m not sure. I don’t like feeling left out.”
“You just returned to town,” Clint explained calmly. “You’re helping Kat and her sister get comfortable at the condo. You’ve got twin babies with a schedule to keep. I figured you were busy, and I shouldn’t bother you.”
“Oh, well, that’s all true, but I haven’t gone soft.”
Clint refused to get flustered. “Ford told me that he struggled to be violent after I was born. He didn’t like the idea of using his hands as weapons when they would also touch an innocent child. Does that not bother you?”
Frowning at my hands, I muttered, “Well, it does now. Thanks, Clint.”
My cousin grinned. “Our fathers got softer after they had kids. That didn’t mean they became weak. It’ll be the same way with you. That rowdy guy ready to throw down at a moment’s notice now has a woman and kids waiting for him to come home safely. That’s bound to mess with your head.”
I studied my hands and imagined my sons’ soft skin. “Yeah, I can see that. But I still think Farley should be offended.”
“I don’t care if I’m the one to kill Bob or not,” Farley said and crossed his arms. “I just want him dead, so he can’t hurt our people again.”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “Your diplomatic tendencies are a real bummer.”
Farley grinned. “Can we leave now?”
“No, I need to gossip first. Did you boys know Farley’s sporting a boner for Mariana Darville?”
Rock nodded approvingly. “She seems solid. No drama.”
Farley opened the condo door. “I’m leaving now.”
“Can you take Hanzee out to the courtyard?” Clint asked before Farley disappeared. “Rowdy’s conniption fit has gotten the little man dancing.”
Though we had two lovely blondes waiting for us back in my condo, Clint had a way of making people fall in line.
Farley and I walked to my condo, where I called for Goblin. My boy didn’t want to leave the stairs. Once he heard Hanzee bark at Ivy, he came running.
I gave Kat a smile when she watched me like I’d been gone for too long. “We’ll be back soon.”
Farley and I walked down to the courtyard, where the dogs did their business before chasing each other around the grassy area. I found a spot in the shade near a line of bushes. Farley ignored me and played with the dogs. He really needed a pet of his own.
After the dogs decided to roll around in the sun, he joined me in the shade.
“How was the grocery trip?” I asked.
Lowering his jaw, he hid behind his hair. “Maria’s great. She’s smart and strong but not hard, you know?”
“Sure. Kat’s the same way. On paper, she doesn’t seem to have a use for a man like me. But the sisters crave family and someone to lean on besides each other.”
Farley glanced around the quiet courtyard. “I’m nervous this thing with Maria won’t pan out. I feel like I ought to back off and wait until she settles into her life here.”
“Or, and hear me out, maybe you should race toward what you want and roll with the consequences.”
Farley flashed a dark frown at me. “That’s easy for you to say. You already won over Kat.”
“You’re letting that old shit with Cordy and those other bitches taint your thinking. Maria is a good chick. She likes you. Just have fun and enjoy her company. If things work out, move her into your place and marry her. Maybe have a set of twins. Try not to make them cuter than mine.”
Farley exhaled deeply, seeming overly bothered. “My moms have already heard about Maria and Kat. They’re talking about riding up here to meet them.”
“Good. Maria needs more family.”
Farley turned toward me like he might take a swing. “Dude, Zadie hasn’t even met Maria yet.”
“Who cares? My parents met Kat before my sisters did.”
“At the hospital, right? You’re trying to make it seem like the way your relationship came together was normal.”
“Hey, don’t you dare bring up how my unofficial wife ghosted me,” I said and flipped him off. “Just for that, I’m not asking you to learn Estonian with me.”
“Learn what?”
Loosening up, I helpfully explained, “The twins speak Estonian whenever they’re having a private conversation.”
“Why learn it then?”
“So, Kat can teach my boys the language without me feeling left out.”
Farley’s brown eyes flashed around the courtyard before he nodded slowly. “Maria feels special. That’s why I’m nervous about getting attached. I’ve struggled to let go of far worse women than Maria. I can’t imagine how pathetic I’d become if she ditched me.”
“I get it,” I said and patted his shoulder.
“You want to be sensible. I tried to be that way when Kat ghosted me. I figured she was a lost cause, and I should stop texting her. Do you know how much of a fucking loser I felt like when I messaged her repeatedly without her responding? My ego demanded I stop chasing someone who didn’t want to be caught. ”
“But Kat did want to be caught.”
“At the time, I had no reason to believe Kat would ever respond. Hell, I was expecting her to block me. My ego took a bruising, but I couldn’t help myself because I knew Kat was special. Can’t you chance humiliating yourself for Maria in the same way?”
“I don’t know.”
“Have you imagined Maria living in your condo? When you look at my boys, do you picture your own twins? If the answer is yes, you’re already in too deep. Just ride these feelings wherever they go.”
When Farley sighed and seemed unsure, I tried to keep my cool. To me, the situation was obvious. He wanted Maria. She wanted him. They should be married by next week. Why make it more complicated?
“Do you still want Cordy?”
“No. In fact, I’m embarrassed that I ever wanted her.”
“She’s hot and lies well. I would have fucked her given the chance back in the day. Most guys would have. Her crazy is subtle and insidious.”
“Yeah, and Clint had to send the foxes after her.”
“You’re a chump. So what? Does that mean you never get to be with a good woman?”
“Maybe.”
Growing frustrated, I muttered, “This is madness.”
“He’s just scared,” a voice said from behind the bushes.
“Son of a bitch!” I hollered and kicked at the nearest bush.
Nine appeared from the other side and chuckled. “What the fuck, guys? I was sitting here the entire time. Way to pay attention.”
“Why not say anything?”
“I was bored, and your romantic shenanigans are entertaining.”
Like me, Nine got himself a nickname early on that still stuck years later. Alon Tooker was also the youngest of four kids. His sisters, Dalisay and Jaslene, lived at the Sorority House. His older brother Ben had a condo at the Five Points Lofts.
“Well, spit it out then,” I grumbled. “Why is Farley scared?”
Nine stretched his long limbs. His brown hair was tied up in a bun. I felt him making us stew before he shared his wisdom.
“With these other chicks, Farley’s always been the good guy putting up with bad women. But if the relationship with Maria veers into a train wreck, no one’s going to blame her.”
“That might be it, yeah,” Farley said.
“Well, I will blame Maria,” Nine insisted and smiled at his childhood friend. “I don’t know this chick, but I know you’re too nice to be a bad boyfriend. If things get fucked up, I’ll lay the blame on her.”
I immediately asked Nine, “If things didn’t work out with Kat, would you have my back?”
“No, because you’re a dickhead, and I would assume you did something wrong,” Nine said and dodged my slap. “But Farley’s the nicest fucking guy I know.”
Farley grinned at his fellow Rawlins kid, seeming to shake free from his earlier doom and gloom.
“Wait, so his pearls of wisdom worked?” I muttered. “But all my attempts to help you didn’t do a damn thing?”
Farley grinned at my irritation. “You have a vested interest in me hooking up with Maria that has nothing to do with my wellbeing.”
Smirking, I admitted, “That’s true. I would also be this insistent if it was Nine or Ben or anyone else who had caught Maria’s eye. You’re all good guys, and I want Maria to hook up with someone in the club who can hang out with me. My motives are completely selfish.”
As Nine eyed us both, Farley sighed deeply. “I feel a lot of pressure because everyone is paying attention to my every move.”
“Dude, I’d have far more pity for you if I hadn’t recently found out that the woman I was obsessed with was about to give birth to twins.
My life flipped upside down in a few hours, and I’m still figuring things out.
If a selfish asshole like me can build something good, there’s no reason a sensitive bitch like you can’t figure out how to nail things down with Maria. ”
“Poetic,” Nine taunted. “No wonder you’ve gotten that woman willing to give up her entire life to move here.”
“She's keeping many parts of her life, such as Maria, the cats, her interests. She’s just changing zip codes.”
“I wouldn’t give up my home for a woman,” Nine insisted. “But I guess Kat doesn’t have a choice since she’s tied down with two babies.”
“You’re starting to piss me off,” I said and made a move on him.
Nine was a quick fucker, but I had Chihuahuas on my side. Goblin and Hanzee saw us roughhousing, so they jumped up and ran for his feet. Nine had to dive over the dogs to avoid stepping on them. That’s when I got the upper hand and pinned him to the ground.
“Admit you’re jealous,” I taunted as I sat on his back.
“I would rather be neutered than deal with baby puke.”
Easing off Nine, I reached over and stroked Goblin, who barked in support. “I said stupid shit like that before meeting Kat, so I will allow you to live your life unneutered.”
Nine stood up and wiped grass off his shirt. “You’re overcompensating for being whipped.”
Though I dove for his leg, Nine darted out of reach and headed inside the game room. I eyed him until the door shut. My gaze flashed to Farley, who was focused on the door leading back to our condos.
“Ready to hang out with cute blonds?” I asked, standing up and wiping off my ass. “Oh, and Kat and Maria, too.”
Farley grinned at my comment. “Your sons are very pretty like their mom.”
Walking with him, I whistled for the dogs to follow. We entered my condo to find Clint and Rock sitting on the couch, listening to Vanessa talk about potential maternity leave. My mom was in the nursery with Kat. At the stove, Maria and Ivy worked on several batches of lasagna.
I smiled at how comfortable everyone was despite the newness of this situation. Even Goblin and Hanzee were chill enough to sit together at the windows, watching Wicked and Witchy perched on the nearby large dog cage.
I left Farley to flirt with Maria while I joined Bebe and Kat in the nursery. My woman immediately wrapped her arms around me and breathed easier in my presence. This feeling was most definitely worth going soft over.