Page 82 of Devil's Own: Roughneck

Lacy is the first to join us. Then her mom, Rae, enters the fray. After that, our girl group pops the seams as Dusty, Ridley, and Riordan join us. Dusty has been a great friend and boss for years. I’m so lucky to spend my life working a job I love with people I love even more. Ridley followed in her family’s footsteps, heading off to medical school after her undergrad degree. She currently works in the ER in Middlesboro and says she loves it. Riordan went the other way and studied design mechanics. She builds custom bikes with her dad. Talk about a man who is happy to have his family. Reaper has never bought into any of that gender nonsense that a lot of big, rough and tumble kind of men do. His daughters have been allowed to try whatever they’ve gotten in their minds to try because he’s always known just how close he came to never getting to be a father at all. My Cam has benefitted from Reaper’s new way of thinking, given Rough followed his lead. If Rough said no to Cam, he said no to Grady, too.

Danni and Aja dance their way into our cluster of gyrating bodies along with Greer’s oldest daughter, Tasha, and her youngest daughter, Destini. Sonny, Rae’s youngest daughter, runs into the group. Freya, Aja’s daughter, makes her way over, shaking her gorgeous ass. Finally, Danni’s daughter, Electra, and my Cambria can’t pass up the beat of the music any longer.

Some of the men join us on the floor. My nephews, who both look so much like my brother, have never passed up the chance to show off their moves in front of the ladies. I love that our sons are more apt to let go of the macho bullshit and dance than their fathers. The only time I get Rough on the dance floor is when it’s a slow song, and I have to promise blowjobs in return.

Whatever works.

Still, Grady starts dancing, too, along with his best friend, Bishop—but we all call him Bish. He’s Green and Danni’s oldest. The ladies love it when the men actually dance and fall all over them.

Tasha drops down low in front of Tripp and rolls her body while moving her ass slowly up his leg, shaking it from side to side, running her hands through her hair. I won’t lie—it looks like a sex act about to take place right there in public when Tripp positions himself, pressing his jean-covered cock against her ass, and he smacks it.

Not my monkey. Not my circus. Well, until it becomesallour circus. Ty, Dark and Rae’s oldest, who has grown into afineman, and I mean that in thedamn, sonway, not necessarily theupstanding member of our communityway, yells, “The fuck?”

Then, he—I kid you not—throws his drink onto the floor and charges Tripp and Tasha. He sucker-punches my nephew, which doesn’t go over at all. Titus jumps in to defend his brother, and then we’ve got brother after brother throwing punches, spilling drinks, and breaking all kinds of shit while Greer pulls Tasha out of the way because she just stands there looking shocked.

“The fuck is your problem?” Maverick, Dark and Rae’s younger son, shouts at her before he jumps in to defend his older brother, which means Cutter and Aja’s son, Lex, joins him. Those two have been best friends forever.

“I was just dancing,” she says, bursting into tears. “I was just dancing…”

Her brother Ace pulls her into his arms. “I’ll talk to him,” he whispers as she presses her face to his cut while she continues to cry. Locke joins his older siblings. The Lennox clan is close and those boys look out for the women, just like their dad does.

“I’ll fucking kill him,” Locke says. He grits his teeth menacingly, balling his fists.

“No, you won’t,” Ace snaps. “That shit won’t do anything but stoke this fire. This is between Ty and Tash.”

“I didn’t know therewasa Ty and Tash. What am I missing?” Locke demands, and I’m with him. What am I missing? Since when has there been a Ty and Tash, and who do I have to beat up to get that story?

Dammit, I don’t like being out of the loop. It looks like the women need a no-men-allowed sitdown. I’ll make my enchiladas. Nic can bring the margs.

Sarge pushes himself into the group. He takes custody of his daughter from his oldest son, drawing her away. He whispers something into her ear while hugging her. But he does it glaring at Ty.

Oh, shit…

It might take more than my enchiladas to get this figured out. I mentally prepare the list of ingredients that I’ll need to make my RumChata silk pie. The margs will get them feeling good. The RumChata will have them spilling every secret they know by the end of the day. They’re lucky I use my powers for good.

Rough moves in behind me, holding me close with his arms wrapped around my waist, and he leans down to whisper in my ear, “This shit is exactly why our daughter isn’t allowed to date.”

“Rough, honey,” —I bite my lip to keep from laughing— “she’s been dating since she was sixteen.”

“I know that. But I’m telling you now,she’s not.”

That’s it. I can’t hold in my laughter any longer, and spin in his arms to kiss him.

Twenty-five years and counting.

Life is good.