Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Chapter Nine
Pops
Weeks turned into months. Months to a couple of years. Gracie had her baby and took in Liam as a second son. Liam took the role of big brother to little Abraham very seriously. Colonel Gill and the lawyer, Mama’s half-brother Ian McGregor, had gotten Alex a sweet deal. I had no idea how they’d managed it, but I’m sure bullying and threatening were involved. Alex got sixteen months plus four years’ probation for shooting up the airport. Well, that and community service. Which, surprisingly, he took to with gusto. Kid thrived on helping people. He’d joined us only a week ago and was still trying to adjust to his new life. But he was good for not only his own son, but Liam too.
Mama and I sat on the porch of the big clubhouse, watching as a couple of the guys worked on their bikes in front of the garage.
“Five bucks says Brutal’s gettin’ ready to kick somethin’,” Mama muttered to me, never taking her eyes from the group.
“Nah. It’ll be Mo.” I took a pull from the beer I’d been nursing for the last fifteen minutes. The sun beat down on the group, likely making them sweat even though it had started out as a crisp, fall morning.
“Motherfuck!” Mo fell back on his ass and threw the wrench he’d been using at the bike. Unfortunately, his aim was too high and it sailed over the seat and hit Brutal in the back of the head. The other man stumbled forward with a sharp yelp, only to turn and throw the wrench he’d been using at Mo.
Aaaand the fight was on.
Without looking at me, Mama held out her beer in my direction and we clinked the glasses together before taking another pull.
“Tie?” I continued to watch the kids wrestling. Boys will be boys after all.
“Sure.”
That was the moment Gracie stepped outside the small house she and Alex had been given. Abraham stayed with them, of course, but so did Liam. Did my heart good to see the kid find a sense of belonging I wasn’t sure he’d had with just him and his father. Even though he’d lived here longer than me and Mama, it had taken the kid a couple months after his father left to relax and actually act like a kid.
“What on earth?” Gracie stopped, her hands going to her cheeks as she frantically scanned the crowd gathering to egg on the fight. “Alex?” When she didn’t see him anywhere, she ran forward. “Alex!”
The big black man poked his head out from the shed near where the men were working outside and his gaze settled on Gracie and the boys. He raised his hand to his ear, like he was trying to hear whatever she wanted to say to him.
Gracie visibly relaxed but there was still tension in her body as she made sure she had a hand on each child, preventing them from running into the fray. She looked seconds away from bursting into tears. No doubt the fighting distressed her, given her background. The girl had known nothing but violence for a long time because of her relationship with Alex.
Alex gave her a crisp nod before hurrying over to the fight. I glanced at Mama who’d sat forward in her chair just that little bit, watching intently while trying to prevent herself from jumping up and going to the guys.
When Alex reached the group, he inserted himself between Brutal and Mo, shoving the two men apart. “That’s enough!” His voice carried easily over the entire area, clear and strong. “No fightin’ in front of the kids.”
Mo and Brutal were winded and looked ready to do murder, but to each other. Not Alex.
“Come on, man!” Brutal pointed an accusing finger at Mo. “He started it!”
“And I’m finishin’ it. No fightin’ when the kids are in the compound.”
“But they never leave the compound,” Brutal complained.
“Then take it someplace else,” Alex insisted, not backing down an inch. “Don’t want my boys thinkin’ it’s OK to lose their tempers.” He lifted his chin. “S’what got me in trouble. I don’t want that for my kids.”
Immediately, Mama sat back, a satisfied smile on her face. I chuckled, reaching over to grip Mama’s hand. She didn’t look over at me, only turned her hand so she could lace her fingers through mine. God, I loved this woman!
“Mama and Pops didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout it.” Mo looked disgruntled as he glanced our way. “I say it’s OK to fight.”
Alex grabbed the other man’s shirt front in one fist and jerked him closer. “No. Fuckin’. Fightin’. In. Front. Of. The. Kids.” He spoke each word slowly and distinctly. It was so unlike Alex. He never brought attention to himself. If anything, he kept his head down and did whatever was asked of him, no matter the task and did it without complaining. He never half did anything either. Kid might be a little on the slow side, but he was a stickler for details.