Desolation Road (Torpedo Ink 4)

“But survival training?” Maestro echoed. “Blythe is really okay with that?”

“It worked for us,” Reaper pointed out.

“Think of it this way,” Absinthe said. “The kids are part of this club whether they’re here at the clubhouse or not. When we’re threatened, they are. If we ever have to pick up and move, they do. They have to follow the code of the club, just as we do. They need to know how to survive in any situation. I don’t want them hurt the way we were, but they should know what to do if someone attacks them.”

“That makes sense,” Gavriil said. “Just know whoever is teaching that class is going to have to contend with that little devil, my brother Maxim’s son, Benito. He’s a mini Maxim, a little assassin in training.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Savage asked.

They all looked at one another, clearly puzzled.

“It is when he’s a bloodthirsty boy bent on revenge and Airiana, my sister-in-law, and Blythe are watching his every move—and ours. He’ll try your patience to no end,” Gavriil said.

“You and Casimir are the newest members,” Preacher pointed out. “You should volunteer and take this project on.”

“They nixed us,” Casimir said complacently. “Some little complaint about Gavriil pulling Benito through the window by his hair and putting a knife to his throat. Airiana wasn’t very happy with him. I don’t think she’s fully forgiven him. The woman holds a grudge and she’s our sister-in-law.”

Laughter went around the table and when they sobered, Transporter shook his head and nodded at Gavriil. “Got to hand it to you. You don’t talk much, but you’ve got a way with women.”

Another round of laughter went around the table. Gavriil shrugged, not in the least disturbed by the assessment.

Absinthe looked around. “Czar laid it on the table. All joking aside, Blythe really wants this, and we have to give it to her. She doesn’t ask us often. That means we have to be serious about it and come up with a plan. We need to know what we’re going to teach them. How much time it’s going to take. That kind of thing. I’m willing to plan it all out, but there are a lot of kids and they’re different ages. I’ll need help with the actual instructing.”

Czar shot him a grateful look. For Absinthe, it was all about Blythe. She had put up with all of them almost from the moment she met them—and they hadn’t been easy on her. Not even Alena and Lana.

“Absinthe, sadly, is right,” Lana agreed. “We’re going to have to deal with those little monsters. All of us.” She looked around the table. “You’re not leaving them to us because Alena and I are women. Every single one of you can help. Absinthe, when you’re making up the lesson plans, factor that in. Give everyone a role.”

Groans accompanied nods, but no one was going to turn down a Blythe request.

“Put it to a vote?” Steele asked.

“We don’t have to vote,” Preacher said, “but if you want it official …”

Survival training passed immediately.

Ice looked around the table. “Any other business?”

Absinthe waited, but when no one spoke, he nodded his head. “I found my woman,” he announced. He kept his voice low, matter-of-fact. He was always careful when he talked. He’d learned never to use his voice on his brothers. It wasn’t always easy to stop himself, especially if something was really important to him like this. Like his little librarian.

Czar’s head went up alertly, as did Steele’s. Czar was back to using his razor-sharp, piercing eyes. He turned them on Absinthe. “When?”

“About six weeks ago. I went to a library in Sonoma for a little downtime and she was working there. It took me all of about two minutes of looking at her before my body reacted to her. I knew then but refused to believe it.” He couldn’t help but smile. “She likes books. She likes the same things I like. I just watched her for a while. She’s good with kids, teens especially. She helps them with their homework, and I can see she really cares. She’s got this bright red hair. And I mean fire-engine red.”

“Temper to go with it?” Keys asked with a small grin.

“Probably,” Absinthe admitted, his gaze lifting to Keys just for a moment, amusement creeping into his mind. Yeah, he was pretty certain Scarlet had a temper. “I haven’t tested that yet. I asked her to dinner the other night and wasn’t stupid enough to push her beyond that, although the waiter pissed me off. He made a play for her right in front of me.”

“You weren’t wearing your colors,” Czar said. “If you were wearing your colors no one would have made a play for your woman. That would have been a big red flag.”

There was a silence and several of his brothers straightened in their chairs. Mechanic and Transporter shifted closer to him as if they were ready to protect him.