“Right,” I said with a scoff.
“Hey, Casper?” Forrest said. “Josiah and Ephraim are in town with Cecilia’s stuff, you think we should get a storage unit, or you guys got some place to put it?”
Lu smiled at Forrest, knowing just like I did, that he’d chosen that moment to bring it up because he was trying to smooth shit over, and not because the boys were in any kind of rush to unload the truck.
“Nah,” Casper said. “No use wastin’ money on a storage unit. I’ve got room in my garage—we can put it there. Let your boys know we’ve got food on, and afterward, we can head out to our place.”
“Sounds good.”
“Why do you look like someone just kicked your puppy?” Eli asked, throwing his arm around my shoulder as Casper was called across the room.
“The fuck are you talkin’ about?”
“You don’t want to go to Casper’s place?” he asked, holding tight to my shoulders as I tried to shrug him off. “I do. I have got to see where a man like that lives.”
“It’s a fuckin’ house, Eli,” I said, succeeding in getting him to let go of me. “It’s white and it’s old and it’s got a big front porch.”
“Oh, yeah? Huh.” He looked over at Casper. “Seems alright. Why don’t you want to go there?”
“Leave it,” Forrest ordered Eli. “Go call the boys, would you? Tell ’em to get over here.”
“Fine,” Eli said with a sigh. “Though I hope you realize that means less food for us.”
“He’s in fine form today,” Forrest said as we watched Eli leave the room.
“It’s ’cause we haven’t had shit to do,” I replied. “Boredom is kicking in.”
“Yup. God, I can’t imagine livin’ with that guy. You think anyone will ever marry him? How the fuck would she handle the day to day monotony?”
“Earplugs?” I joked.
“I’m gonna go ask if the ladies need any help,” Forrest said, scratching at his beard as he smiled ruefully. “And after they kick me out of the kitchen, I’m gonna take a shower.”
“I’m gonna lay down with Cecilia,” I replied. “Wake us before the food’s gone?”
“You got it,” he said with a nod. “She’s good for you, you know? Puts you off your game a bit—makes you human.”
“Yeah, I know,” I mumbled as I left him. “See you in a bit.”
I waved at Poet as he came in the front door, but I didn’t slow down as I made my way back to our room. Suddenly, I couldn’t get back there fast enough. I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before everyone was ready to eat, and I wasn’t going to get any sleep, but I craved the feeling of being wrapped up under the covers with Cec. If FAM didn’t get back to Wilson by the end of the day, shit was going to get messy tomorrow, and I needed the calm before the storm.
“Hey,” Cecilia whispered groggily as I entered the room, unbuckling my belt. “Is it already time to eat?”
“No,” I whispered back, stripping out of my clothes. “Thought I’d come lay with you for a bit.”
“Oh, okay,” she said with a sleepy smile over her shoulder. “Hopefully, it takes them a while.”
“We have at least half an hour,” I replied as I slid in behind her. “Go back to sleep.”
She relaxed into me as I wrapped around her waist, but stayed awake. Eventually, she sighed.
“I can’t wait for all of this to be over,” she breathed, her voice so low I barely heard her.
“I know,” I replied kissing the back of her head. “Soon, baby.”
“Do you really think Cane was using me to get at the club?” she asked.
I thought about it before I answered. I wasn’t going to lie to her, but I also didn’t want to make the whole situation even worse than it already was. Cecilia carried more guilt than anyone I’d ever met. Half of the shit she felt guilty about had nothing to do with her—I wasn’t going to add to that unnecessarily.
“I think that he saw an opportunity and took it,” I said finally. “I don’t think he was using you to get to the club. Honestly, from what you’ve said about him and how he felt about your friend, I’m guessing that he figured the club was insurance to make sure you didn’t screw them over.”
“I wouldn’t have,” she said thickly. “I wouldn’t have agreed to carry Olive for them if I—” She stopped and swallowed. “I gave up an entire year of my life to help them.”
“I know you did,” I said, tightening my arm around her waist. “But men like that—especially rich ones—see enemies everywhere, even if they look like friends.”
“I wonder if Liv knew.”
“I doubt it,” I replied. I guess I was going to lie. I would’ve bet my left nut that her friend had known exactly what her husband was up to. She’d just been so desperate for a baby that she’d fed into the illusion that they had to have leverage on Cecilia to keep her honest.