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“Sin has that covered, man.”

“Whoever is attached to Fury is my responsibility, all of our responsibility. The club’s responsibility.” Cut eyes me like he’s trying to tell me something, and it makes me wonder if Dyke has mentioned shit to him.

“Now that’s something I’d like to protect.” Cruise nods towards Jenni who is stomping out of the kitchen door, heading towards Lick.

“You better not fuck with that, man,” Cut tells him. “You don’t want to be on the wrong side of Lick. I’ve seen the shit that he’s done to people who’ve wronged him, and you don’t want no part of that.”

“Well, if he’s not going to claim that ass, there’s no reason why I can’t.”

We all watch as Lick pulls Jenni into his arms. There’s so much fucking chemistry between those two it’s no wonder the lot of us aren’t coming in our fucking boxers just watching them. He kisses her fucking neck, and I can see her eyes roll into the back of her head from here. I’d pay good money to bet that he’s forgotten where the fuck he is and how many eyes are on him right now.

Breaking the tension and all the fucking staring, I open my mouth, “What’d I say earlier? Get a room already!”

My outburst has Cut laughing, and Lick pulled from the siren’s trance. He pushes Jenni away and stalks towards the house. Her shoulders drop, and I know she’s kicking herself for being pulled into Lick’s game again. That girl deserves the best, and I know the best for her is Lick. He just needs to see it before it’s too late.

“Piece of shit doesn’t see what he has right in his hands,” Cruise says from beside me.

“That piece of shit knows, but he’s fighting with his own fucked-up-ness,” Cut says.

“Aren’t we all?” I look at Cruise, but he only eyes me before taking a pull from his bottle and walking over to Tiny and Brass.

Cut is right. We’re all dealing with some shit in our lives. No excuse for not grabbing what’s rightfully ours.

Tessa

It’s been raining for three days now. That’s like a world record in Southern California. The facility is always a little hectic when it rains. The patients are stuck in their rooms or the common areas, and they tend to get a bit stir crazy. I’m wiping down the wall, cleaning pudding on the white paint, the results of a rainy day. Most of the time they don’t care to be out, but it’s the issue of telling them they can’t that becomes a problem.

“Tessa?”

I turn my head and see Rose standing there. She’s done a one-eighty from the time she was brought in. So well, in fact, that Martha told me they had a meeting with her caseworker and the administration yesterday and they believe she’s ready to go home.

I drop the brush into the bucket, wiping my hands on the towel I have attached to my waist. “Hi, Rose, what can I do for you?”

She runs her hands over her brown hair. Her blue eyes, so much like her son’s, twinkle in delight. “I was wondering if you and I could have a chat.”

I can see that she’s trying with me. She’s trying to be more than a patient, and I commend her for trying to get her life back on track. I check my watch and see that it’s close to my break, so I could go to the cafeteria and sit down with her.

“Sure, why don’t I meet you in the lunchroom?”

“Sounds good, dear.” She places her hand on my shoulder and gives me a squeeze before making her way towards the cafeteria.

I finish cleaning the wall and push my cart towards the maintenance closet. Once everything is locked away, I head towards the lunchroom. When I enter the room, I see that Rose is already at a table in the corner. She sees me, and gives me a little wave, so I head in her direction.

“I ordered you the same as me, I hope that’s all right.”

“Thank you.” I take the napkin from the tray and place it on my lap. “What can I do for you?”

“I was hoping that we could talk about my son.”

I blink a few times before answering because I’m not sure how to proceed with this. “Okay…”

She laughs to herself. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where to begin.”

“Why don’t you start with what’s on your mind?”

“I know my son has feelings for you. I know that I’m not the only reason why he’s come here to Los Angeles or stayed for that matter. I see the way he looks at you. I know that you’re the one who called him when I showed up. I remember you, Tessa. From New Mexico, from when you were younger, and even back then you looked at my boy like he’d be the one to solve all your problems, and even today I can see it.”

“Okay, I’m not sure where this is coming from. Hawk and I have always been friends.”