Zip, Zero, Zilch (The Reed Brothers 6)

“You’d be okay with adopting?”

“Have you seen Matt’s family at all? His oldest three kids were adopted, and they are family. They’re loved just as much as his biological kids.”

“That sounds nice.” She rolls in my arms so that she’s facing away from me. I brush her hair down between us, and kiss her naked shoulder. “I love you, Sam,” she whispers.

I can barely hear her, but I do. The words roll around in my mind and in my heart, swelling and growing from a tiny seed into something bigger. “I love you too.”

My gut clenches, because I’m afraid she’s going to hate me. Something has to be done about her mother. And I’m the man who is going to do it.

***

Paul slams his palm down onto the table. “Abso-fucking-lutely not!” he bellows. He jumps to his feet. “Have you lost your motherfucking mind?”

I called this meeting with my brothers because I need a plan. Logan’s the only one who’s not here, and I have no idea where he is.

“I don’t have a choice,” I tell Paul quietly. “I have to go and see him. Peck’s mom might not have been around for a while, but she’s Peck’s birth mother. I need to take care of this for her.”

Pete watches me closely. He spent two years behind bars because of Bone. I know he’s going to have a problem with this. But he doesn’t say anything. Not yet.

“No,” Paul bites out.

“You don’t get a say in this, Paul. I’m asking for your help. Not for permission.”

He stops his pacing and stares at me. “What does Peck say about this?”

“She doesn’t know.”

Paul points a finger at me. “Tell her and then get back to us. Once she dumps your stupid ass. And it’ll be all your fault.”

Pete glares at me from his seat on the other side of the table. “You know what Bone did to me.”

“I know that you and I got caught doing stupid shit and that he was in the middle of it, but we chose to do it.”

I’ll never forgive myself for the fact that Pete spent two years in jail while I was in college enjoying myself, learning, growing, and being a young man with prospects. Pete’s a felon and I’m not, but I should be. Regardless, we chose to commit the crime. Bone paid us for it, but we chose it.

“I’m not going to go and work for him. I’m just going to go and give him the money for Peck’s mom. That’s all.”

“Why can’t you just give the money to her mom? Then she can pass it on and everyone can be done with it.” Leave it to Pete to be Mr. Sunshine.

“Because I want to be sure it’s all the way over. Done. Complete. Bone isn’t going to do anything to me. He has no beef with me whatsoever.”

Suddenly, a voice from the back of the shop calls out, “I’ll go with you.”

I look up and see Josh rolling toward us.

“I know Bone,” he says. He uncovers his shoulder and shows us a tattoo on the side of his neck.

“Fuck,” Paul says. “I fucking knew it.” He drops his head into his hands and scrubs his face. He lifts his head, looks at Pete and says, “Show him the door.”

“Hear him out,” Pete says.

“I know where he works. I know where he lives. I can take you there and be sure you come out safe.”

Paul swears. “You can’t guarantee he’ll be safe.”

“I can’t guarantee it, no, but I can help. Without me, you’ll never get through the front door.”

That teardrop tattoo on his cheek freaks me the fuck out.

“When can you go?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I need a couple of days to make a plan.”

“A plan for what?” Paul barks.

“I need to find out where he is and what he’s doing. I need to be sure he’ll be receptive to visitors. The nature of his business is rolling. I’ll ask some questions and find out.”

I nod. “Okay.”

Paul jumps up so fast that his chair flips over. He storms toward the back of the shop.

Matt reaches over and taps the table in front of me. “Let me know when you’re going to meet him.”

No way in hell I’m taking any of my brothers with me. They have families. Kids. Wives.

I have Peck. And I’m doing this for her, I remind myself.

“I need to see him anyway,” Josh says. “I need to give him something.”

“Bone?” I ask.

He nods. Then he rolls toward the back of the shop and picks up a plunger. He wheels himself into the bathroom and the door closes behind him.

“Do you need any money?” Matt asks.

“I’m good.” I have more money than I could dream of. And nothing to spend it on.

“I hope this all works out like you hope.” Matt squeezes my hand again and then he goes to his station and starts to set up for the day.

My only hope is that I’m doing the right thing.

Peck

A knock sounds on the door and I go look through the peephole. Emily and Logan are kissing on the other side of the door, with Kit smushed between them.

“God, you two are like r-rabbits,” I say as I open the door.

Emily buries her face in Logan’s chest. After a second, she raises her pink cheeks and looks at me. I step back and she walks into the apartment with Logan and Kit following her.

“Thanks for doing this,” she says as she drops a diaper bag onto the sofa and starts to unpack it. “These are her favorite toys. And her food is in here. She’s not picky, and she knows signs for her favorite things, so don’t be surprised if you see her use them.”