Keeping Her (Savage Brothers Second Generation 2)

“Your word is about as dependable as a monk in a room full of easy pussy, motherfucker,” Dragon responds to Ford.

“I don’t get it,” B.B. replies. The t-shirt guy slaps him on the back of the head.

“No dick is going to turn down free pussy,” the man instructs. “Even a monk.”

“But—”

“Unless his old lady has his dick in her pocketbook,” the guy finishes. Everyone stares at him. “What?” he asks defensively. “You motherfuckers act like the rest of you aren’t controlled by your old ladies’ pussies. At least I’m man enough to admit that my sweet Katie owns mine.”

“Shut up, Torch,” Skull grumbles, but he doesn’t argue with him.

“I’ll go with my boy,” Dragon says. “We’ll stay at the hotel that’s on the state line and you will bring your daughter to us.”

“Yeah, amigo, that ain’t happening,” Ford says, his Texas cowboy roots coming out in him. Hell, if he had on a Stetson, I could see him on the set of a western.

“You can stay in the hotel,” I suggest.

“Damn it, Grunt—”

I hold up my hand, to my President, giving him a silent plea to hear me out. That muscle tightens on his face—the one that always warns you when he’s about to lose his shit, but he nods.

“You and two of your men can stay in the hotel and I’ll come and personally take Thomas to Lyla and deliver him back to you safely.”

“Motherfucker, I don’t know you either. Why would I trust you?”

“Because I love Jasmine and when this is all over, I want my woman by my side in Virginia, happy. I don’t think she’ll be happy if she feels like her parents can’t ever come and visit her.”

“You agree to this?” Dragon asks Ford. Ford looks at Thomas and then back at Dragon and nods.

“Then it’s settled,” Dragon growls.

“Good, now you motherfuckers get out of my office. Jesus, I need some coffee,” Garner growls.

“You need to lock down your officer,” Dancer warns him.

“Man, he wouldn’t even be on my payroll if I had my way. He’s got friends with a higher paygrade than I do. I’ll use this to tangle him up in an IAB investigation and give him a slap on the wrist for the incident. That will keep him busy for a few months. I’m sorry, Dancer, but I figure that’s the best I’m going to be able to deliver.”

“What about me?” I ask Garner.

“You’re free to go. You struck out because you were worried about Jasmine. She already gave her statement and detailed how Lagger pulled his weapon on you without call. If you want to file police harassment papers and get a lawyer, I can’t really help you.

I snort. I’m not doing that shit.

“Now all of you assholes get out and let’s make it another year before I see you again.

Everyone mutters under their breath, not happy, but figuring that at least for now, matters are settled. Just as I’m about to follow them all out of the room, wanting one last word with Jasmine’s father, Garner speaks up again. “Hey Bull? Don’t forget to tell that pretty wife of yours that I said hi.”

“It’s like you want me to kill you,” Bull growls, storming out and leaving Dancer and Garner to laugh.

Jesus, I need to get back to Virginia.48Jasmine“You still pissed, Red?” I ask as we drive up to our new home.

It’s been four days since the throw down at the police station in Kentucky. Lyla hasn’t been feeling good and Ford wanted to wait a couple of weeks before Thomas came to Virginia. I got the feeling that it was Dragon that wasn’t happy about that, or maybe Thomas, but in the end, they agreed. Part of me wonders if it’s not Ford just making Dragon and his crew cool their heels. I wouldn’t put it past him, but I can’t say as I blame him either.

She looks back at Daisy—which is the real reason we haven’t hashed any of this shit out. “I’m fine,” she mumbles.

The incident in Kentucky bothered Daisy more than Jasmine and I could have imagined. She’s had trouble sleeping and has been crashing in our bed every night. I’m hoping that will change tonight when she has her very own room. Jasmine has been telling her some kind of bedtime story about a princess and a troll and it seems to be helping. I wonder if she’s supposed to be the princess in the story and if I’m the troll, since that’s what she called me when her father nailed my nuts to the end of his boot. She assured me that the story was about her parents, which is confusing as hell. It’s also leaving me to wonder if I am equipped to raise girls. They’re freaking complicated.

I know that Jasmine’s answer is just code for the fact that she doesn’t want to discuss any of this right now.