“And excited to meet you.” His hand slid down my back to my ass, and he slapped it inconspicuously. “Smile, Mouse.”
I took a deep inhale. “I want her to like me.”
“She loves you already. Any mother that sees her son as happy as I am loves the woman that does that to him.”
I squeezed his hand. “I love you, Logan.”
That’s all I needed, his brilliant grin lighting up his entire face. When I faced Isabella, she was smiling at us, and that’s when I saw it. Her smile was exactly like his, majestic.
Logan introduced me to his mom, and she immediately pulled me into a hug. There were tears in her eyes when she pulled back. She knew what happened to Logan and I. Well, she didn’t know everything that happened—especially what Logan suffered for months after he’d got me out. As far as his mother knew and anyone else, Logan had stayed and fought for Raul until he finally left to join his band.
“What the fuck? Where’s the guest of honor?” Crisis strode into the house and placed a case of beer on the counter then he came over and kissed Isabella on each cheek. “Hey, you’re mom.”
She blushed, and it was so sweet, I wanted to hug her again. Logan was right; this was what a mother was supposed to be like, warm and kind. Isabella had given more than most women; she gave her son a chance at a better life.
Kite opened the sliding glass door, tongs in hand. “Burgers are on. Where’s Kat?”
“Coming,” I replied. Matt texted me ten minutes ago from the hospital. “They’re about fifteen minutes away.”
The screen door squeaked as it opened. “Hey cupcakes. Whoa, wow, that your mom, Sculpt?” Georgie went straight to Isabella and pulled her into a hug. “I’m Georgie.” She pulled back and smiled. “You’re a real looker. Hot. Damn. Sculpt, what happened to you?”
Logan rolled his eyes and whispered something to his mom who gave a half-smile to Georgie and then turned her attention to Deck who had come in after Georgie. I excused myself to pull Georgie aside.
“Raven?” I couldn’t get the girl out of my head, and I couldn’t imagine what she had to have gone through to get to the point she was at—unable to mentally make decisions on her own, to be so conditioned to do what her master wanted, that she’d even kill someone.
“Deck is being tightlipped, and Deck being tightlipped means nothing gets past his sweet, sexy, fuck-me lips.” Georgie looked over at Deck who was talking quietly to Isabella and Logan. “He says she’s safe, whatever that means. Deck leaves tonight to fuck knows where for an undisclosed amount of time.” She lowered her voice like Deck’s when she said the “undisclosed amount of time” part.
Georgie always became a little unsettled when Deck went off on a job; I suspected it was because of what happened to her brother, but it was more than that. I knew Georgie really cared about Deck, maybe more than she’d ever admit. “Deck likes you, Georgie.”
Georgie laughed—hard. So hard she smacked her hand onto the kitchen counter and everyone paused to look at her. She leaned in, hand on my shoulder. “I annoy the hell out of him. Deck’s incapable of liking much except his way. And if you don’t like his way, then he’ll shove it up your ass, down your throat, and then make sure you learn to like it. I don’t like his way.”
Georgie and I chatted a while then Logan came over to join us, sliding his arm around my waist and kissing the side of my neck. Crisis was his usual loud and obnoxious self while Kite ended up chatting with Isabelle for a long while.
A car horn honked.
I slipped from Logan’s arms, and Georgie and I went running out through the patio door and around to the driveway where Matt and Kat were getting out of the car.
I reached Kat and threw my arms around her. I was careful not to squeeze too tight, but it was hard not to. “God, it’s good to have you home.”
Kat pulled back a bit, and despite her smile, I saw the haunted look in her eyes. I’d seen it in the hospital too, but she was so closed off, she wouldn’t talk about anything. I knew the feeling firsthand so I kept quiet and didn’t push her.
“Come here, lollipop. Give me a hug.” Georgie hugged Kat, kissed her on both cheeks, and then looped her arm around both of us and started walking back to the house.
Matt was getting the bags out of the trunk, but I noticed that his eyes never left Kat. It would take him a long time to get over this. I suspected longer than when their parents died.
“Hey, be careful with her, Georgie,” Matt shouted as Georgie started skipping and jarred us both.
Everyone cheered and gave Kat hugs and kisses. Crisis passed her a beer and kept beside Kat as if he was her private bulldog, although from what I didn’t know.
“You good, Emily?”
It was Deck. Logan had his arm around my waist and his fingers were caressing my bare skin beneath my blouse at my belly. I nodded. “Yeah, Deck. Glad to have Kat home.”
Deck glanced at Logan then back at me again. “You need anything. Call. That goes for you both.”
“Yeah, need you to convince her to leave Kat and Matt and come on tour with the band in a few months. Can you help with that?”
Deck lowered his head as if to hide the twitch at the corner of his mouth I caught a glance of. It was hot. Deck was hot, and Georgie needed to wrap her head around the fact that Deck didn’t watch over her because he had an obligation to her brother; he did it because he cared, and Deck caring was huge. I guaranteed he didn’t care easily.
Dinner was a barbecue on the patio, and it was nice. Better than nice. Georgie’s mom and dad showed up. Her dad was cool, but he didn’t take attitude from anyone, meaning he was scary, and he was also hot.