Ransom
My phone rings and it’s Ryder’s number that pops up. I answer with my name the same way he does. We might not be blood-related, but the man I share my genes with is the same man who raised him.
“We might need to put Lachlan on paper as Carley’s husband when you all get married,” Ryder says as if we are all already engaged, and we didn’t just reconnect three months ago.
“Why’s that?” I ask him curiously.
“His mother is at it again. This time, she somehow has his signature. I found a filed form saying if Lachlan isn’t married before the age of thirty, he gives up his inheritance to his mother. If he spent any of it, he then has to pay that money to her.”
“Good thing he has spent none of it then. He only spends his earnings on our jobs,” I say, unhappy that the gold-digger is at it again. When will Lock be free of that abusive, selfish woman? I wonder.
“He has a few years, but honestly, the sooner the bett
Chapter 60: Off the MarketRansomMy phone rings and it’s Ryder’s number that pops up. I answer with my last name the same way he does. We might not be blood-related, but the man I share my genes with is the same man who raised him.“We might need to put Lachlan on paper as Carley’s husband when you all get married,” Ryder says. It’s as if we are all already engaged and didn’t reconnect three months ago.“Why is that?” I ask him curiously.“His mother is at it again. This time, she somehow has his signature. I found a filed form saying if Lachlan isn’t married before the age of thirty, he gives up his inheritance to his mother. If he spent any of it, he then has to pay that money to her.”“Good thing he has spent none of it then. He only spends his earnings from our jobs,” I say, unhappy that the gold-digger is at it again. When will Lock be free of that abusive, selfish woman? I wonder.“He has a few years, but honestly, the sooner the better. She will not stop trying to marry him of
Jase “Well, well, if it ain’t my lost little Cajun toy. Where have you been, boy?” Etienne’s body goes rigid at the sound of Axe Zen’s voice. I’m sparring in the ring with Tee, who is here helping Weston get this new gym set up for Weston to run it officially when he graduates. Weston already owns it. I watch as Etienne moves with deadly calm toward the rope barrier. He leans over it, grinning down at Zen. I have a feeling the man in this ring with me now is not the same person Zen once thought he knew. “If it ain’t ma old lover,” Etienne purrs at him. “It’s been, what, not quite ten years since we last saw one another? You look… even older,” he taunts Zen with a rictus. “I didn’t expect you to be in Palomino Bay when we started expanding our territory,” Zen replies. Etienne scoffs. “More like you forcibly moved. Hear da Las Mangemorts teamed up with da Death Riders an’ kicked you outta Grêle.” “I guess you still have crew connections, my toy,” Zen purrs at the former gang
CarleyI feel awful, which sucks because it’s also Christmas morning. The guys will all be here soon to celebrate, and I’m hugging the toilet. There is a knock on the bathroom door. “Hey, Cactus, the guys just pulled up. Are you okay?” Storm asks through the door of his room. Another bout of nausea takes over and dry heave into the porcelain bowl. “Are you sick? Do you need anything?” “I’m fine.” I think. “I’m not running a fever, s
Weston A baby in the house again. A baby that’s mine, well, ours. One that won’t be a sibling to parent. I’m not sure if I remember how to take care of a baby. I mean, I was around 8 years old when I started taking care of my now 12-year-old and sixteen-year-old teenage brothers. I’m with Arson. I don’t know if I can do this. What if I screw this kid up? What if I screwed up my baby brothers? Are they going to grow up into decent adults? I’m not so sure. I know they will not follow in my footsteps. Both of them are straight-A students. Stetson is so intelligent; he is a high school freshman. Preston just got his license and is a sophomore. Preston’s football coach is already talking about him earning scholarships to play football wherever he wants. He will be the team captain when the new year starts. I’m very proud of both of them. When the boys get home, I must look stressed out, because I soon have them both sitting beside me, hugging me against them. I must have done something
Chapter 63: No ChangeArsonCarley seems more tired than usual. She has been that way for a while now. Not that I’m complaining too much about her using me as a pillow.We had plans to go out to ring in the new year. Instead, we all decided to just stay home and watch a movie. Carley fell asleep about a quarter of the way through.This is better than last year. I mean, sure, it's never dull getting drunk with the entire Death Kings Family. We usually end up with strip teases or fashion shows amongst a private band concert by the retired Kings of Death themselves. Only without the makeup to hide their identities.“I wonder what’s in the bag Ali brought by?” Weston asks, staring at the drug store sack on our coffee table.“Let’s look,” Lachlan says, moving to reach for the bag, but Carley shifts.Carley’s head grinds against my thigh. I grunt when it
Ransom“Lock. If you don’t sit down, I’m going to tie you up so you can’t move,” I threaten watching him pace around in front of the couch where was are all waiting for Carley. She took the boxes of pregnancy tests into the bathroom with her after leaving breakfast barely touched. The smell of the bacon cooking had her running for the bathroom. I don’t like this. She is sic
Jase“What do you mean, the baby won’t biologically be yours? There is a possibility….”“There isn’t, J. I can’t have kids. I’m sterile,” Ransom interrupts, not rising to my frustrated anger at him telling me won’t have a mini Ransom running around.“Sterile naturally or sterile as in…”“I had vasectomy alright,” he deadpans, interrupting me once again. Sometimes I wish Ransom could feel emotions as strongly as I do.I would ask him if he had any remorse over that decision now, but I know the truth. He doesn’t. He can’t. He lacks the capability.“What is wrong with you? Why are you mad at me over this?” Ransom asks me, baffled at me being livid at him over this.“Maybe because I want to raise a little mini-Ransom/Carley mix in the future. Maybe I was excited over the possibility of a child with you
Carley “Help me pack, boys. I’m going to move in with y’all,” I say, still keeping them on pins and needles for the answer to their question posed by Ransom. My dark knight’s face shows confusion. Ransom’s emotions are dulled down, but he is possessive of who and what he considers is his. He is obsessively protective of his possessions or people. Ransom is a weapon that can make him dangerous. He has no remorse over anything, but Jase acts as his conscious. Despite that, he is grounding. He is loyal and constant. He is mysterious to most people thanks to his borderline epicene looks, paired with his caustic aura. My Death Bear. I look at Jase, who has a knowing smirk on his handsome face. Never could hide anything from that man. He is intelligent and cunning. Jase is a brilliant fighter who takes his time to watch his opponent for weaknesses he c