The worry on her little sister’s face broke her heart. All she’d ever wanted for these children was a chance at a joyful childhood free of worry, abuse, and the hard labor she and Lee had endured. But it appeared she couldn’t shield them from everything, no matter how hard she tried.
Another glance in the mirror. As promised, Thunder rode right on her tail. Relief surged followed by a moment of panic. Scary as this business with Crank was, she needed to keep her head in the game. Becoming dependent on Thunder for protection and emotional support was a no go. She hadn’t busted her ass for the past two years only to rely on someone who wouldn’t be there in the long term. No way in hell would she start over with nothing ever again. Continuing to rely on herself today and tomorrow would be far easier than learning how to do it again after sharing the burden with someone else.
No matter how hard her stomach fluttered in his presence.
CHAPTER TWENTY
FLIPPED HIS SHIT was the most accurate description of how Copper took the news of Crank not only being in Townsend but confronting Makenna. He’d straight-up demanded Thunder bring Mak by the clubhouse so he could find out word for word what Crank had said before Thunder showed up, but he managed to put his president off until the next day. The prez had also agreed to send someone to sit on the house. Keeping an eye on all of them would be difficult, especially since pinning Lee down often proved impossible.
Mak needed to relax. She needed to spend the evening with her family, eat some sugar, then end the night with an orgasm—or three.
He sat on the couch, waiting while she got the kids to bed. Amy was staying at Toni and Zach’s house that night. She’d struck up an instant friendship with Lindsey, a teen who the Handlers had rescued from the CDMC a few months back. Mak had already called twice to check up on them even though Thunder assured her there was no safer place than his enforcer’s house.
That left Kara, Emmie, and Rissa, who’d overdosed on cookies, ice cream, and animated movies. Yes, he’d admittedly been on the kids’ side, begging Mak to let them eat more treats than she’d approved of. But hey, they were kids. They deserved a little fun.
So did Mak.
Didn’t hurt his chances of getting the kids to love him, either.
Surprisingly enough, Thunder had enjoyed himself. A lot. The fifteen apologetic glances Mak had sent his way throughout the evening hadn’t been necessary. He hadn’t minded the little ones snuggling all over him or their fingers leaving sticky prints on his arms. Or the hundreds of comments Rissa voiced throughout the movies. Hell, he’d even enjoyed the cartoon movies themselves. The only thing that could have made the night better would have been Mak snuggling with him. But the night wasn’t over yet.
The only kid unaccounted for was Lee, though Mak had said he was due home anytime.
Sure enough, about a minute later, as Thunder rested his head on the back of the couch, the eighteen-year-old burst through the front door, coming to a stop when he spotted Thunder.
“Oh, hey, man.”
“Hey, Lee. What’s up?”
The teen grabbed a fistful of cookies off the coffee table. “Nothing,” he said, mouth full.
“You in for the rest of the night?” Thunder asked.
The glare he received was full-on what-the-fuck-do-you-care.
As Thunder was about to give Lee a heads up to be vigilant, Mak came back into the room. “Lee, you’re home. How’d the job interview go?”
“Job interview? Thought you worked at the pizza joint?” He grabbed Mak’s hand, pulling her down next to him. Ahh, finally. He’d needed to feel her next to him. Actually, he needed to feel her skin on skin, but that would come later.
“He lost that job for being late too many times,” she said in an accusatory tone as she stared at Lee.
Her brother shrugged as he stuffed another cookie in his mouth. “I blew off the interview. Don’t wanna work at a fucking ice cream shop.”
Mak straightened. “Lee! You can’t do that. You need a job. What are you going to do all day?”
Thunder squeezed her thigh, which had her settling back against him with a huff. Lee looked about two seconds from unleashing some serious attitude. “Hey, how about working at a gym? That interest you at all?”
His eyes lit. “Yeah. Fuck yeah.”
“It’s not glamorous. Zach’s looking for someone to clean equipment, help with office work, stock towels and shit like that. But you’d have access to the gym when you weren’t on shift, and you could learn about becoming a trainer.”
Lee rushed forward, excited about something for the first time since Thunder had met him. “I’d love that. Last place we lived, I had access to a gym through a friend. I miss it so much. You’d really give me the job?”