Country’s mouth dropped open. “You shoot raccoons with a double-barrel shotgun?”
“I sure do. Damn things shouldn’t be messin’ ’round my garbage.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she gasped. “Lord have mercy, boy! You’s been shot.”
“It’s nothing, Ada. Just a flesh wound.”
“Don’t give me none of dat. I know a flesh wound when I sees one,” she fussed. “And that ain’t it.”
“I’m fine.”
She let out a breath. “You’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
“No more stubborn than you.”
“Don’t disrespect your elders, child.” She sat down next to Gladys and gave her a pat on the leg. “How ya doing there, dear?”
“I already told you. I’m fine. Now, quit fussing over me,” Gladys answered. “And that goes for all of you. I’ve been through worse than what those goons put me through, so stop with all the nonsense.”
“We just wanted to make sure you’re okay, Gran,” Country complained.
“Well, I am.” She put her cup of tea on the table, then turned to him and said, “I’m more worried about you and your brothers. Is everyone okay?”
“We’re good, Gran. It’d take a lot more than those few assholes to bring us down. You know that.” Country stood from the sofa, then told her, “We gotta get going. You two call us if you need anything.”
“You know we will.”
Before we left, I went over to Ada and explained, “I have some guys coming by to clean up the place. They should be here within the hour.”
“Alrighty.”
“And Ada?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, you sweet boy.” She reached up and hugged me. “Nutin’ I wouldn’t do for you.”
I gave her a slight squeeze, then followed Country outside. By the time we reached the others, they’d already taken care of the Broken and had Bear loaded up in my SUV. It was done. Soon, the Broken Knights would be nothing more than a distant memory. I wished I could say the same for their surprise attack.
After losing one of our own, the painful memory of this night would linger in all our minds for years to come, but we could also find some small comfort knowing Bear understood that family was more than the blood he shared. Family was about those willing to bleed for him.
And what it meant to be a Ruthless Sinner.
He’d died fighting for his brothers—the people he cared about most in this world, and any one of us would’ve traded places with him.
14
REBECCA
“I can’t believe he did this.” I poured myself a cup of coffee, then walked over and sat down at the counter next to my mother. “I mean, seriously? You have to wonder what the hell he was thinking.”
“When did he send it?”
“I don’t know.” I glanced down at the postmark on the envelope. “It looks like it was mailed out the day after his birthday.”
“So, right after Cat’s visit.”
“Apparently.”
“Read it to me again.”
I unfolded the letter Trevor had written Cat and groaned silently at the sight of his handwriting, then cleared my throat.
“Dear Cat,
I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed our visit the other day. I know it was difficult for you to come here, but it meant the world to me. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to spend time with you. You’ve grown so much over these past few years. You are so beautiful and smart, just like your mother. Keep working hard in school, and I hope we can have another visit very soon.
Love always, Dad.”
“Hmmm.”
“Hmmm is right,” I grumbled. “Trevor had to know I wouldn’t give it to her.”
My mother was not one to give her opinion about things, especially in regards to my personal life—not even when it came to Trevor. She wanted me to make decisions for myself without feeling like she’d influenced me in any way, and I adored her for it. But there were times, like these, when I wanted her to scream and shout her opinions and tell me what a piece of crap Trevor was, but instead, she merely asked, “Why would he write it if he didn’t think you’d read it to her?”
Knowing she already knew the answer, I replied, “Because he wrote it for me.”
“Of course he did.” Mom lifted her coffee cup and brought it up to her mouth, then shook her head. “He simply can’t stand the thought of you moving on with your life.”
“You think that’s why he’s been so adamant about seeing Cat?”
“I most certainly do.” She took a sip of coffee, then added, “You’ve finally started to put the past behind you and he knows there’s little he can do about it, so he tries to get to you the only way he can.”
“Through our daughter?”
“Exactly.” Mom cocked her eyebrow. “The question is ... What are you going to do about it?”
“I have no idea. That’s why I’m here.”
“I can’t answer that for you, sweetheart. You’re the only one who can decide what’s best for you and Cat.”