Cash
I HAD NOT spoken to Teagan since our fight the previous Monday. I’d waffled between calling, texting, or just showing up at her house, but I wasn’t about to admit Hatch had been right, so I stayed quiet. She was obviously all for our ga of chicken as well because she hadn’t folded either.
I walked into the club and my eye imdiately caught Teagan laughing a little too hard at sothing Razor had just said. They were standing at one of the pool tables and she was making a concerted point of ignoring .
I scowled and headed outside to grab a beer, only to be accosted with the sight of my sister up close and personal with her asshole neighbor. "Who the fuck invited you?"
Daisy raised her head and gave her own glare. "I did, Cash."
"Daisy," I growled.
"You got a problem, man, we can go talk privately," Huck said. "But you’re not gonna use that tone with your sister. Understand?"
I crossed my arms. "Yeah, who’s gonna stop ?"
"Well, if he doesn’t, I sure as hell am," Dad warned. "What the fuck, Cash?"
I rolled my eyes. "Jesus, Dad, you know I’d never do anything to Ducky."
Dad raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, then what’s with the attitude?"
"You know what?" I said. "It’s family night. There’s no attitude." I turned on my heel and walked back inside. Teagan was no longer with Razor, and he gave a chin lift before sidling up to a woman I’d never seen before.
I wasn’t inside long when Daisy found , and I pulled her in for a hug. "Sorry I was a dick."
"I’m not really the one you need to apologize to, am I?" she pointed out.
"Well, that’s not gonna happen, Ducky, so how about you let have this?"
"Why are you so amped up?" She gave a squeeze.
"Honestly? Just pissed Teagan did sothing so fuckin’ reckless. But I shouldn’t have taken it out on you."
"Thank you for saying that," she said, holding up her wrist and pointing to her bracelet. "But y’all seem to forget that we are all locked and loaded. You can track each and every one of us with the push of a button."
Years ago, Doc, the president of the Dogs of Fire Chapter in Savannah had insisted the old ladies wear so piece of jewelry equipped with GPS. The end result was that the old ladies and kids of the club mbers were tracked and protected at all tis.
Daisy wore a bracelet. Others wore necklaces, so wore rings, and there were rumors that one of the Primal Howlers’ won out of Colorado had a tracker in a very private piercing, but I had never been nosy enough to confirm. I personally wore a chain around my neck with an anchor charm. Mom chose it. She said it was to keep anchored to ho.
"I know that, Ducky," I said. "But a lot can happen between so asshole drugging you and your finger pressing that button."
"Which is why you can activate it remotely."
I sighed. "You’re right, you’re right. I overreacted. I’m sorry."
"Thank you. Now, please go and apologize to Huck."
"Fuck, no."
She shrugged. "It was worth a shot."
I grinned, kissing the top of her head before releasing her. She walked back outside, and I saw my mother approaching, an inquisitive smile on her face. I smiled back and she sped up a little, wrapping her arms around my waist and giving a not so gentle squeeze. "Hey, Mama."
Daisy and my mother were carbon copies of one another, and if you didn’t look too closely, you’d swear they were sisters rather than mother and daughter. My mom might be in her fifties, but she looked a hell of a lot younger, and my father worshiped her.
"Hey, Bubba. God, I miss you."
I chuckled. "I just saw you two days ago."
"A chaotic two minute ’hi, bye’ does not constitute seeing ."
I hugged her close. "Fair enough. Lunch this week?"
"Yes." She looked up at . "Thursday?"
"Absolutely."
She cupped my face. "Love you, baby."
"Love you, too."
As she grinned and walked away, I felt like the weight of the world was off my shoulders. At least for a minute or two.
Heading into the kitchen, I saw a flash of red hair as Teagan tried to run from , so I followed her down the hall. She slipped into the bunk room, and I grinned as I pushed open the door.
"Goddammit," she snapped, as she tried to slide past .
"You hiding from , Turtle?"
She crossed her arms. "Hiding, no. Avoiding, yes."
"Semantics."
"What do you want, Cash?"
"A lot of things. How about we start with where ya been all week?"
She scoffed.
"You gonna answer my question?"
Wrinkling her nose, she moved to walk by , but I grabbed her arm. Firm enough so she couldn’t escape, but gentle enough so I didn’t hurt her.
"Let go of ," she hissed.
"I’m done with this ignoring bullshit, Teagan."
"Is your phone broken?"
I sighed, running my thumb over the inside of her elbow.
She yanked her arm from my touch.
"Baby, will you just talk to ?" I bit out.
"Oh, hell, no. You do not get to ignore for a week and then drop the ’baby’ card."
"I haven’t been ignoring you. I’ve just been busy."
"Bullshit." She crossed her arms again. "What did Hatch say?"
"When?"
"Don’t be obtuse. You know exactly when."
I pressed my palms to my eye sockets and sighed. "It’s not important."
"Got it."
She pulled open the door, but I was faster and pushed it shut again.
Teagan let out a frustrated grunt and shoved her fist into my side. I saw it coming and braced before grabbing her wrist and shoving her arm gently behind her back. "You wanna fight?"
"You’re a fucking asshole, Cash."
"That’s never been in question," I said, leaning down to run my nose over her neck. I breathed in deep, her citrus scent driving crazy.
"You need to quit," she hissed, but arched into with a quiet w as I kissed her pulse.
"Quit what?" I challenged, running my tongue across her bottom lip.
"Stop," she begged, and I imdiately stepped away. I had always made her a promise that if she ever said the word, ’stop,’ I would stop. Always. It didn’t matter what I was doing, sex, dishes, kissing her, whatever. It was our ’safe’ word.
I shook my head as I took a few calming breaths.
"You are a dick, Cash Warren Carver," she bit out, her eyes filling with tears.
"Yeah, we’ve established that."
"Good talk." She moved to walk out again, but I blocked the door. "Move."
"Baby, just give five minutes."
"To do what, Cash? Lie to ? Gaslight ?"
"I’ve never done either of those things."
"No, you choose your words very carefully, you’re right. You give no information at all, which is worse."
She was right. I did exactly that. But it was for her own good.
She cocked her head. "What did Hatch say?"
I stared at her.
"Ti’s a tickin’, bub."
I scowled. "He said I needed to talk to your dad."
"What?" she breathed out. "About... us?"
"Yeah."
"Shit, really?" she squeaked. "He knows?"
"Yeah, Teagan, he knows."
She swallowed, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. "So, you’re breaking up with ?"
"What?" I scowled. "Why the fuck would you think that?"
"Oh, I don’t know, maybe because your president tells you to make it official, and you ghost . What would you think?" She sniffed. "I get it. My dad’s scary. But I didn’t take you for a coward."
"Jesus, baby, I’m not breaking up with you." I slid a hand to her neck and tugged her toward . "Do you wanna break it off with ?"
"I don’t know yet."
I dropped my forehead to hers before kissing her gently. "I’m sorry I’ve been shitty."
"That’s not good enough."
"I know."
"So, what are you going to do about it?" she challenged.
"I haven’t worked that out yet."
"How about you reach out when you do?"
"Fuck , Teagan, you wanna give a minute to figure things out?"
"Fuck , Cash, you wanna grow a pair and stop being a pussy?"
I couldn’t stop a grin. "There isn’t a man alive who would talk to like that."
"Yeah, well, there isn’t a man alive who’s sucked your cock." She frowned. "Is there?"
"There is not."
"Okay, then talk to my dad."
"You want that?" I asked.
"Only if you an it."
"I love you, Turtle. I an it."
"Well, I love you too, dickhead, so you need to figure it out."
I kissed her, pulling her close again. "I’m sorry I shut you out."
"Do better, Cash. I’m serious."
"I will," I promised. "And I’ll find a ti to talk to your dad this week."
She nodded. "Okay. I’ll try to be extra sweet to him, so he’ll be easier to deal with."
I chuckled. "Appreciate that."
She slid her hand under my cut and up my back. "I’ve missed you."
I buried my face in her hair and hugged her close. "Missed you too, Turtle."
"Dad said I can quit law school."
"No shit?"
"No shit."
"Whatya gonna do?"
She shrugged. "Don’t know yet. But I’m leaning toward chanic."
"What the hell? Seriously?"
She pulled back and looked up at . "Why do you sound mad?"
"Not mad. Just surprised," I admitted. "You sure you want grease under your perfectly manicured nails?"
She scowled up at , hurt crossing her features. "Fuck you, Cash."
She turned on her heel and stord out of the room.
I dragged my hands down my face. I wasn’t entirely sure what I’d said, but I could guess, and I didn’t bla her for walking out.
Jesus, I was an asshole.
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