“Wouldn’t Inez have known?” Breezy asked. “Wouldn’t she have warned Seychelle?”
Darby arrived, pushing a small cart. She began to place various dishes of food in front of each of them.
Blythe stopped her daughter before she could leave. “Honey, this firefighter you’re seeing, Asher Larkin, the one I talked your father and the club into leaving you alone about so you could date in peace. That man. Is his aunt Eden Ravard? Is he a cousin of the Ravards? The four brothers who are all in the Diamondback club?” Her voice was very mild. Soft. Low.
Darby took a deep breath. “Yes. Asher’s mother is Reggie’s, Eden’s late husband’s, sister. He has nothing to do with the Diamondbacks though.” The last came out in a defensive rush.
“But you didn’t disclose that information, Darby, and you put your father and the club in a bad position. That wasn’t right, and you know it,” Blythe said. “Withholding such an important piece of data could have gotten someone hurt or even killed just because you were being selfish. You wanted to see that man, and you didn’t trust your father enough, after all he’s done to prove himself to you, to make the right decision. I thought I taught you better than that.”
Darby stared at the floor. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not the one you owe the apology to, and in our home, we never apologize unless we know we’re sincerely sorry and we’re willing to pay the ultimate price for forgiveness,” Blythe said. She indicated the open floor of the restaurant with her chin. “I know you have a lot of work to do. You think on whether or not you really are sorry and what could have happened to your family before you ask anyone for forgiveness.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Darby blinked back tears and pushed the cart away.
There was a small silence. Breezy looked over at Blythe. “I have no doubt you can handle those teenage boys without Czar’s help. You didn’t raise your voice at all, but you definitely said everything that needed saying.”
“Knowledge is important. All knowledge. She knows that. It isn’t a small thing she did. This is no little infraction,” Blythe said. “Czar and all of Torpedo Ink need to know who they’re dealing with at all times. If they have an enemy close to them, they have to know that. Even a potential enemy. Asher may be dating Darby, but his family are the Ravards. That equals Diamondbacks. If he overhears something he shouldn’t, that could put Czar or any one of the members of Torpedo Ink in jeopardy. She knows better.”
“Blythe really could have poisoned Savage’s tea,” Steele said, awe in his voice. He sat back, regarding Blythe with new respect.
She picked up her fork, avoiding Czar’s gaze. “I should have waited until we were home. I’m sorry, honey.”
“It was club business, not just personal, Blythe,” he said gently. “What you did was right. While we were attending to Alena, she put all of you in jeopardy.”
“But I did lose my temper.” She pushed her food around on her plate.
Seychelle nudged her. “That’s losing your temper? I threw a mug at Savage and was really upset that I didn’t hit him in the head. I’m still kinda upset I didn’t hit him in the head.” She squirmed around on her chair and sent Savage a very intimate smile.
He grinned at her, his cock stirring at the thought of those stripes on her bottom.
A faint smile tugged at Blythe’s mouth. “Savage might make me want to throw things,” she admitted. “Actually, in the kitchen, a time or two, around the knives, it was touch-and-go there.”
“Hey.” Savage paused in the act of putting a forkful of food into his mouth. “How did I get into this conversation? I was staying very quiet over here.” He winked at Seychelle, telling her he was proud of her for getting the conversation off Darby’s scolding.
“Blythe has been known to throw things at me,” Czar admitted. “I’m actually the calm one in the household.”
Steele and Savage both snickered derisively. Breezy coughed behind her hand, and Blythe looked around, gazing up at the air. “I’m expecting lightning to hit you any moment, Czar, for that whopper.”
Savage was grateful he’d thought of bringing Seychelle out to dinner. She seemed to have a good time. Breezy and Blythe both had her laughing, and he appreciated the musical notes floating around the table going up toward the ceiling. Sometimes when the others laughed, he could see their notes as well, but mostly, it was Seychelle’s notes.
He sat back in his chair after he finished his favorite dish on the menu, and drank the dark, bitter coffee. He didn’t need sweet in it. He had sweet seated right across from him. He had no idea how he’d gotten so lucky. Just looking at her sometimes hurt. He spent the rest of the evening waiting to get back home, mostly because he knew she was worried about something and he wanted to be alone with her.