Chapter Ten.
Sapphire
We parked behind Ambrosia and headed through the rear door.
The back part of the restaurant was closed to diners in the morning, and every Sunday, we met here for breakfast. It was a ritual we all embraced.
Even the stable or family members would come with us.
I was surprised when there was a knock at the door, and Dagger opened to and stared at the couple standing there.
“Gramma? Pops? What are you doing here?” I asked, getting up from my chair.
“Pops and I heard that you girls had breakfast here, and we wondered if we could join you,” Gramma said.
“Um, sure, come on in,” I replied, confused. I swapped glances with Sparrow and then Belladonna.
Belladonna was grinning from ear to ear, and I longed to ask why. I settled Pops and Gramma at a table and introduced them to Rosie, Stitch, Lantern, and Candle.
“What’s put that grin on your face?” I whispered to Belladonna.
“They’re Wylde’s grandparents, he’s the apple of their eye,” Belladonna murmured back.
I already knew that after spending lunch with them. Wylde could do no wrong in their eyes.
“Yeah?”
“They want to get to know his new girlfriend, whom they both highly approve of,” Belladonna said and began laughing.
I sent her a horrified look. “They think that’s me?”
“Yup. Sapphire, be nice to them, they’re really sweet people,” Belladonna warned.
“I already knew that,” I hissed, miffed that she felt she had to warn me.
“And they are totally stoked that Wylde is with you; they thought he’d never settle down and have babies!”
“What the fuck?!” I yelled and forced a grin when Pops and Gramma glanced over at me.
Belladonna howled with laughter.
“That’s as funny as fuck. I’d love to know how you’re going to get out of this one,” she said and marched off as a person banged on the restaurant door.
Someone needed to whack me with a frying pan when Belladonna opened it and Warrick, Cassidy, and Wylde sauntered in.
Wylde’s lips curved into a smile as he took in my stunned expression as Warrick wound his way through the tables and sat his ass down next to Sparrow.
I followed his progress, noting how Sparrow lit up at the sight of the hunky fireman.
“What are you doing here?” I hissed at Wylde.
My sisters were all alert at having two cops among us.
“My grandparents called and informed me of what they were planning. I figured I would try to intercept them, but failed. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but please don’t upset them,” Wylde murmured, dipping his head close to me.
“Wylde, I am not a monster.”
“Never thought you were.”
I looked across at Cassidy, who was standing at the self-serve buffet area piling a plate with breakfast food, which was carried over to Pops and Gramma.
“What do you fancy, Gramma?” Cassidy said, and I frowned.
“He’s waiting on them?”
“Pops and Gramma were there for them as much as me. Warrick and Cassidy dote on them.”
I watched as Cassidy filled a plate for Gramma, then filled two glasses with apple juice.
“Are you eating?” I finally asked to be reassigned.
“Sure. Saphire…” Wylde looked uncertain of what he was about to ask.
“What?”
“Would you mind sitting with Gramma and Pops?”
I laughed. “No. They can join us, though.” I pointed to the longer table, which had Sparrow, Warrick, Storm, Maid, and Rose on it. “I eat everything bar tomatoes and mushrooms.”
Wylde chuckled at my order as I headed towards Gramma and Pops.
“Are you going to come alongside us, sweet girl?” Gramma asked.
“No. Pick your plates up and join us. My sisters would be delighted to meet you,” I offered with a warm smile.
“You have sisters?” Gramma exclaimed, and I realised where she misunderstood.
“Not blood sisters, but the members of the club are my sisters. Like in a male one, they’re called brothers. However, Belladonna and Sparrow are almost my blood sisters. We met in foster care.”
“You were a foster child?” Gramma asked, and I noticed her expression soften.
“About half of us here are,” I replied. “Or we were unwanted by our parents. I’d say about five or six can claim to have a good relationship with their parents.”
Gramma took a seat opposite Sparrow and studied her.
Sparrow gazed back with a look of confusion on her face.
Warrick began laughing. “I know that expression, Gramma.”
“Well, I bet they need one!” Gramma shot back.
“One what?” I asked, confused as Cassidy sat down and joined Warrick in laughing.
“A grandma!” Gramma exclaimed and beamed at us.
Belladonna looked at me in sheer panic while Maid and Rose cocked their heads.
“Wait, what? Are you offering to be our grandma?” Storm asked, confused.
“No. Not offering. Telling you,” Gramma replied as Wylde placed a plate in front of me and groaned as he sat down.
“Gramma. You can’t go around adopting everyone. Remember Vincent Smith?”
Gramma’s face fell at the name, and hurt appeared. “That boy.”
“Honey, you did everything you could, and he still screwed you and everyone over. He hurt you,” Pops said.
“Wait, what? Someone hurt you?” I demanded, leaning forward.
“He was on drugs. Stole every cent Shirley had, and then when he couldn’t find any more money, he attacked her,” Pops explained.
Wylde bristled at my side.
“Tell me this prick is inside,” I hissed.
“Yes,” Cassidy said, swapping a glance with Wylde.
“What am I missing?”
“Tell you later,” Wylde replied with a glance at Gramma, who was looking sad.
Belladonna knocked on my mind before bursting in.
‘Holy crap. Wylde beat the crap out of him, and Cassidy covered for him by giving him an alibi. It’s at the front of both of their minds, and neither one feels guilty.
Even funnier is that Warrick also got a lick in at a different time, and they don’t know. ’
I bit the inside of my cheek and glanced at the three men from under my lashes. All three of them appeared smug, and I managed to choke back my laugh.
‘Seems our esteemed detectives understand a shade of grey,’ I replied.
‘As does Captain Hatton, because in Cassidy’s mind is a memory of Hatton ordering Cassidy to cover for Wylde. Although Cassidy had already made up his mind to alibi Wylde.’
“How interesting,” I muttered, and Wylde looked at me.
“What is?”
“Nothing. I was thinking aloud.” I smiled at Wylde warmly. Who didn’t like a guy who would beat the crap out of someone who harmed his gramma?
◆◆◆
I got the call as breakfast was ending. Warrick, Wylde, and Cassidy went out of their way to be charming and entertained my sisters. It was highly amusing to see all three men bow to Gramma.
I answered my phone without even checking who it was.
“Sapphire. A drug dealer is dealing his crap right now on the corner of Market Street,” a woman said and hung up. I glanced over at Vengeance and tilted my head, and she got up.
“Excuse me, there’s something I need to check,” I said, getting up.
Wylde glanced at me, but I kept my face impassive and walked away.
Someone had better not be dealing drugs on the corner.
For two miles around our businesses, which mainly centred around Market Square, no drugs or shit were allowed to be sold.
If some asshole dealer was taking a chance, he would take the consequences, too.
I strolled outside, well aware of Wylde’s sharp gaze watching my every move.
“What is it?” Vengeance asked as I walked towards the corner.
“That,” I hissed and jerked my head in the direction of what was clearly a dealer.
He had his back to us and didn’t see us coming until I had him in an armlock and shoved him face-first into a wall.
“Dealing on Royal Harlot turf?” I demanded.
“Gotta make a living,” he retorted.
“You got a death wish? It’s common knowledge that nobody deals around here,” Vengeance asked, examining her nails.
“Harlots don’t own the streets,” the dealer retorted, and I hauled him back and slammed him into the wall again. “Fuck!” he roared.
“Two-mile radius around our properties. You can have the rest of the town, but not here. Who’s in charge?” I demanded.
“Ain’t telling ya.”
“I’ll not repeat myself,” I said and punched his kidneys. A groan left him, and he shook his head.
“He’s more frightening.”
“Do you know what we’re going to do to you?
Someone who thinks we’re weak because we have pussies?
Right now, one of our sisters is fetching a van; you’re going to be shoved in the back and taken out to an abandoned house.
There, we’re going to play with you. Not nicely, of course, but we’ll slice and dice you until you tell us what we want.
“Vengeance here is aptly named. She’ll slowly slice strips of skin, a piece at a time, and she’ll pour chilli on it and rub it in.
Can you imagine how excruciating that will be?
Chilli hurts far worse than salt does. After she’s done that and left you a bag of meat, Vengeance will grab your cock.
You heard of an urethral dilator? It’s a metal stick that is inserted into the head of your penis and shoved down your urethra.
“But that’s not all of it. Vengeance won’t stop there.
While you’re screaming and trying to piss blood, she’ll attack a little pump to the top.
See, we have hollow dilators that, when attached to the pump, allow us to blow air into your urethra.
Now you’re already screaming from the chilli in your stripped skin.
Imagine cold air being blown into your cock.
“I can’t say I’ve experienced this myself, but I’ve heard the urethral tube in a man is highly sensitive.
If I force air into it, it will cause immediate, intense burning pain.
But Vengeance is a total bitch, she doesn’t stop there.
Because before she inserted it, she rolled it around in the chilli.
Now fucker. I’ll ask one more time. Who the fuck sent you to deal on our turf? ”
“Don’t ever piss her off,” Cassidy whispered, and I stiffened. I slowly turned my head and saw Cassidy and Wylde standing behind us.