As unfriendly as Teller has been to me at times, I’m charmed by his interest in and support of Charlotte’s career. Since he’s so sweet to his fiancée, his sister, his niece, and pretty much every other female associated with the club, he can’t be all bad.

I figure his issue has more to do with me. I get it. Z may have forgiven me, but it’ll take a while before his brothers trust me. While Wrath had been the one I was most worried about, I haven’t had to deal with him much since moving down here.

Teller stretches out on the couch on his side and pulls the coffee table over at an angle so he can flip through the coloring book with Chance.

“Have you eaten since Charlotte left?” I ask. Somewhere in the back of my head, career-oriented Lilly is rolling her eyes and asking, Are you really offering to cater to Z’s over-muscled, caveman brothers now?

But I shut that voice down because she’s a bit of a snobby bitch.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Z

The tension in the club hasn’t gone away since the night Malone’s blew up. I don’t completely trust Shadow, but I’m trying to keep the club together.

I also want to keep my family together. I always swore I wouldn’t be one of those bikers who claimed to be a “family man” yet spent all his time at the clubhouse. When it’s appropriate, I have Lilly and Chance at the clubhouse with me. When it’s not, I try to spend my days at the house and wrap up as much club business as I can at night.

Today, we’re having a spur-of-the-moment backyard barbeque at my place. Teller’s finally feeling better. Heidi and Charlotte came down to stay for the weekend. Charlotte’s brother, Carter, joined them, promising to watch the kids if we wanted to go to the clubhouse tonight.

Sun’s out today. Pool’s warm. Why not?

“Hey,” Murphy says. “They’re doing good, right?” He nods at the pool.

Heidi and Lilly are teaching the kids to swim. Really, they’re just splashing and kicking water at Teller and Carter, but that’s fun too.

“How pissed is Wrath you haven’t been at Furious all week?”

“Don’t tell him I’m here today.” He shrugs and glances over his shoulder. “Jake’s trying to put together a self-defense class geared toward the ladies. More intense than the usual ‘poke the eyes, scream, and run.’ Heidi and Charlotte are doing it. I know Wrath’s having Trin go, which means Hope’s taking it too. Think Lilly will be up for it?”

“Yeah, why not.” I point the meat tongs in my hand toward the pool. “She’s right there, ask her yourself.”

“It’s kind of hands-on.”

“So?”