Page 33 of Reckless Devotion

I glance down at a beaming Macey. “There is enough of Uncle Chase to go ’round, isn’t there, kid?”

She nods eagerly, her pudgy hand landing on my chin.

“Stop roping my daughter into your schemes,” Mason says curtly as he slides his hands under her arms and lifts her gently off me.

“What is schemes, Daddy?” I hear her ask as he tucks her into his chest and carries her away to her seat, smiling as I hear his low rumble explain it patiently to her.

I never thought Mason would settle down and have kids. None of us did, but he’s taken to it like a duck to water. It’s a world apart from the reclusive bachelor persona he hid behind for so many years. I’m happy for him, even if he wouldn’t care what I feel either way.

“What, the international supermodel couldn’t grace us with her presence?” I ask, finding Mia’s gaze as she plonks a white baby monitor down on the table in front of her.

“Emily has a date, but she said she would swing by later.” Mia slides into her seat.

Well, they do say the best way to get over one is to get under another. Hopefully it works. I don’t like the thought of my baby sister hurting after some arrogant model jackass. She deserves so much better than that.

“I’m told I will like her a lot.” Chloe clicks her tongue contemplatively, picking up her glass of wine.

I groan quietly, pressing my forefinger and thumb into my eyes. I hadn’t even considered Emily and Chloe meeting for the first time. They’re both bat-shit crazy enough for this to be a cataclysmic event.

“Oh, you will.” Mia chuckles. “I know we don’t usually say grace, but maybe we should send up a quick prayer that the twins nap long enough for us to enjoy a meal.” She eyes the monitor as a faint crackle comes through.

“I’ll get them if they wake,” Mason murmurs quietly, closing his hand over hers on top of the table.

She smiles at him and I’m just about to crack a joke about praying to the fella downstairs instead of the lord above—seems as he spawned the twins—when a high voice rings through from the living space.

“Party’s here!”

We all turn to watch as Emily breezes in wearing white flared trousers and a red T-shirt that has built-in gloves. She looks like she’s wearing part of one of those nylon morphe suits. Plonking herself down into the seat next to me without preamble, she lets out a sigh, a slight grimace crossing her face as she eyes up the serving bowls of food in the center of the table.

When everyone has said their hellos and Chloe and Teddy have been introduced to her, I lean over and mutter, “You need to stop drinking that high-fashion Kool Aid.”

“Mommy, bat!” Macey squeals before Emily can do more than roll her eyes.

“Yes darling,” Mia coos absentmindedly as she plates up some mashed potato for her daughter. The soft clink of serving spoons on china rings out as other people start to help themselves to food too, all except my sister. “What happened to your hot date?” she directs curiously at Emily.

“Oh, she wouldn’t stop looking at her phone, so I bailed.” Emily waves a gloved hand dismissively, already reaching for the open bottle of red wine in the center of the table.

“She?” I query, raising my brow at her. I couldn’t give a flying monkey which gender she dates, but this is the first I’ve heard of anything other than men from her.

“Mommy, bat!” Macey yells impatiently, but no one seems to be paying much attention, given the revelation unfolding.

“What can I tell you, brother? Ya girl likes to eat pussy from time to time.” The soft glug of red wine being tipped into her glass accompanies her brash words.

My brows shoot up and Mason chokes on the sip of scotch he just took, thumping his chest with the heel of his fist. “I did not need to know that,” he mutters hoarsely.

“Language,” Mia sighs weakly, looking reluctantly amused.

“I think I’m in love,” I hear Chloe say faintly from the other end of the table, but my attention is firmly back on my sister, who looks entirely unbothered by the admission as she contemplates her glass with a soft furrow between her brows.

“Need any pointers?” I ask her slyly, just as Macey screams, “BAT!”

Quicker than I can blink, something dark plunges into Emily’s glass from the general direction of the vaulted ceiling, spraying deep purple wine in every direction. She blinks in shock, wine dripping off the end of her sloped nose.

“Holy shit, it’s an actual bat!” Teddy gasps out a laugh, leaning across Jax to get a better look at the leathery little ball struggling to get out.

“How the fuck did a bat get in here?” I mutter, using my already wine-splattered hand to pluck it out. It struggles weakly in my grip, squeaking in protest.

“Bat! Bat!” Macey starts to chorus excitedly as people laugh.