Lock You Down (Rivers Brothers 2)

I saw a lot of that.

It was in King and Savvs, in the Mallick guys and their women, even to the patriarchs of my extended family--Charlie and Helen Mallick.

They were placing their bets on me.

About when I would find someone.

I think it was proof that they all needed some goddamn hobbies. Especially seeing as I had shown exactly no interest in things like getting serious or settling down. Hell, I didn't even date casually all that much.

Maybe you wouldn't be so fucking grumpy if you were getting some on a regular basis. That was Shane, the youngest Mallick, a giant wall of a man who worked as a loanshark enforcer. And also happened to own the gym I worked out at. Charged full price, I might add. Shane didn't believe in family and friend discounts.

"You look pissier than usual," Shane greeted me from the front desk, shooting me a raised brow.

"New client," I shot back, shaking my head.

"What's the matter? He got an ex-wife threatening him because he doesn't feel like he should have to pay his child support?"

Shane had less tolerance for the suits than I did. Even though he had a brother who was undoubtedly one himself.

"He's a paranoid jackass."

"Aren't they all?"

"Fair enough," I agreed, grabbing one of the towels, so heavily washed in bleach that I could smell it from a few feet away.

"My Ma text you yet?" he asked, lips twitching, and I knew Helen was up to something. Sometimes, she got off on making "rules" for you to be able to attend her Sunday dinner. And, well, the meal was so fucking good that you just complied, no matter how idiotic you thought it was.

"What now? It better not be a theme thing again." I still had no idea what the hell to do with my Hawkeye outfit I purchased to go to one of her costume dinners a few months back.

"Nah, she's got something fun up her sleeve. An old-school one she used to pull when my brothers and I were younger."

I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what was about to come out of his mouth. "What?"

"You have to bring a woman."

"You're shitting me. Seriously?"

"I think she must be running out of time on her bet with Mark. She's trying to force your hand. She knows Atlas and Rush never have trouble finding a date, so you got to think this is directed at you."

It was.

I had never brought a woman to the Mallick family Sunday dinners. To me, Sunday dinners with my sort-of extended family was something like bringing home a woman to your folks. You didn't do that shit casually. Or, at least, I didn't. And since all I ever had with women was casual, it didn't leave me much else to do but skip.

"If it's any consolation, it's not for this Sunday. Think she knows your charmless ass is going to need a full week and a half to find a woman who would want to be on your arm for a meal."

"Says the man who paid a woman to be on his arm the last time she pulled this shit."

"Hey, maybe she's got something there," he said, pulling out his ringing phone. "I ended up marrying Lea."

With that, he answered his phone.

Dismissed, I made my way into the gym, going even harder than I anticipated seeing as I not only had to work off the frustration about the client, but the annoyance at the Sunday dinner rules.

I could skip it.

That was an option.

But when you did, Helen felt disrespected, and you didn't want a woman like her--the fearsome woman married to a loanshark who created an empire full of his five enforcer, and ex-enforcer, sons--to feel disrespected. But you could do it.

The problem was, short of having to skip because of work, I didn't want to skip.

Because I loved Sunday dinners.

I was not a man who loved much in life.

A good cup of coffee, some smooth as fuck whiskey, and a home-cooked meal.

The only time I got a home-cooked meal was at Helen's.

It reminded me of growing up, of sitting with my mom and siblings around a table. Of the laughter once shared.

We'd all taken our mother's death hard, Scotti maybe the most since she was the only girl and the youngest, but I felt the cut of that loss sharply even after all the years.

Sunday dinners and the ultimate mother figure that Helen represented, well, they helped soothe things over.

I didn't want to skip.

Which meant I would have to find a woman to come with me before then.

Shane was right, I would probably need the whole week and a half. I didn't have the charm and laid-back boyishness of Atlas or the cocky self-assurance and teasing nature of Rush.

Christ.

I might even have to take a page out of Shane's book and pay someone.