Blood & Bones: Deacon (Blood Fury MC 4)

Her sister shot her a wicked grin.

Cassie was laughing so hard, she was wiping away tears. Autumn had her face covered with her hands as she shook. Stella had jumped to her feet, giving Reese a standing ovation.

“Stop it!” Reese hissed. “He’s... here.”

The women’s laughter instantly sobered, even though they didn’t wipe the smirks off their faces.

Deacon stopped in front of the picnic table where they were sitting and his gaze circled the group, his expression holding suspicion. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Nothing. We’re just discussing history,” Reilly said quickly.

His gaze landed on the box of wine sitting on the table, then the Solo cup in Reese’s hand. “The wine makin’ you red like that?”

Stella snorted and dropped her head.

Deacon frowned at her and looked to Reese again. “You done here?”

“She’s ready for her village to be pillaged,” Reilly announced loudly, trying to keep a straight face. Cassie wasn’t the only one who needed cut off.

Reese needed to get this conversation under control. “Yes, we need to discuss tomorrow’s plan.”

Cassie arched an eyebrow. “Plan. Uh huh.”

“You can use the apartment for your discussion. I’m going to hang here for a bit, then go to Crazy Pete’s with the boys from the garage. It’s open mic night and I could use some fun to get my mind off that motherfucker.” She leaned toward Reese. “That means I’m going to be late.” She did an exaggerated wink. “Just change the sheets before I get back.”

Reese gave her sister an eyeroll. “Thank you, ladies, for keeping me company and entertained.”

“We’ll do this again real soon,” Autumn said.

“We should make it a regular thing,” Cassie suggested.

“That sounds like a plan,” Stella agreed. She threw both fists up into the air like a boxer who just won a match. “The official executive meeting of the ol’ ladies. No men invited.”

“Right. Just a box of fuckin’ wine and a six-pack,” Deacon muttered. “Not sure Trip’s gonna like you women havin’ your own executive meetin’.”

“Well then, good thing it’s not up to him,” Stella stated.

“Woman power!” Cassie yelled.

“All right, let’s go,” Deacon ordered Reese, jerking his head toward the building.

She stared at him.

“We’ve got things to discuss,” he tried again.

Muffled snickers surrounded them, making Deacon’s frown deepen.

Reese slowly got to her feet and turned to face the women. “Again, thank you, ladies. This was... enlightening.” She turned back to Deacon. “Is it safe for Reilly to go to Crazy Pete’s tonight?”

“Besides them being assholes, yeah. With four Fury members there and Dodge? Ain’t gonna be a problem.”

“See?” Reilly called out as Deacon grabbed Reese’s arm and dragged her away. “Don’t forget to change the sheets. I’m not sleeping in the wet spot!”

“I’m not sure what pod she hatched from,” Reese muttered as she was pulled toward the back of the bunkhouse.

“She just knows how to have fun. Somethin’ you need to learn. Let her have tonight ‘cause after tomorrow? She ain’t gonna be happy when she’s told she’ll be stuck at Dutch’s and here. That’s it. She’s goin’ on lockdown ‘til Warren pops up his weasel-ass head.”

He released the tight grip on her arm and spread his hand along her lower back, instead, propelling her toward the bottom of the back stairway. Justice ran by them, racing up the steps.

“Sounds like you got the okay on your plan.”

He scrubbed a hand down his beard. “Yeah. Let’s hope it fuckin’ works.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“It’s gotta. Now...” He paused and steered her around to face him. “We gonna go dirty the sheets?”

Reese shrugged one shoulder. “How can I resist that grin?”

“Told you I’m irresistible.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t have to. Can see it in your one good eye.”

She rolled that “one good eye” at him. “Do you have a spare set of sheets?”

“Fuck no. I just know I won’t be sleepin’ in the wet spot tonight.”

“You think there will be one?”

He tipped his chin down, his smile now blinding. “Challenge accepted.”

Chapter Eighteen

Ten days.

Ten whole fucking days since they’d posted the first staged picture of Reilly in front of Dutch’s Garage. They’d even made sure the business’s sign was visible in the photo. They had her smile brightly with Rook’s arm wrapped around her waist, squeezing her close. Deacon’s club brother was also giving Reese’s younger sister a hungry look that appeared way more authentic than it should.

The photo’s caption on Instagram was: New job! New HOT boyfriend! Life can’t be better! Along with five million hashtags and emojis. Some of those being flames, hearts and a dash of eggplants.

They figured if it seemed as though Reilly was enjoying stuffed eggplant by a new man, it might bring Warren out of the woodwork a little quicker.

They’d even tagged Manning Grove as the location to make it easier for the asshole to find her. Nothing like spoon-feeding the fucker to help him surface.

If Warren went back underground and said fuck it to cleaning up this loose end, then they were doing this all for nothing.