Page 61 of Falcon

“If you don’t move your skinny asses, I’m gonna take a belt to them!” Wanda-Faye roared, and they ran after her.

“Oh my God, somebody call a doctor. I’m going to gouge my eyes out and order a new pair,” I complained. The crowd laughed and dispersed.

“That was entertaining,” a man commented, and I stiffened with a groan. I turned and saw my parents.

“Hey!” I exclaimed and reached out to hug them. Mom grinned as she returned it. “What are you doing here? Where’s the brats?”

“The brats are over there, stuffing their faces with ice cream with Axel, and we’re here to see you. Calamity invited the club to a cookout this weekend. But we thought we’d come up early,” Dad said.

“Yeah, meet your new girl,” Mom deadpanned, and I froze. Ah crap. Myka.

“Don’t scare her, Mom,” I warned.

“Now why would I do that? Looks like I’m getting a grandson,” Mom replied and grinned at me.

Luca eyed me sympathetically before escaping into the tattoo parlour. Fuckin’ coward! Ghost waved through the window at me with a huge shit-eating grin. Asshole.

Myka

I was helping Penny prepare a shopping list for the following week’s menu when a red-headed woman bounced in. She was gorgeous, but her vibe was off.

“Bitch!” she yelled at Penny and came racing over.

“Whore,” Penny shouted, and stood up. Panic raced through me. I was in no condition to stop a fight. Penny met the stranger and hugged her tightly.

“Damn, Artemis, you look great,” Penny said.

“Yeah, hate to say it, retirement suits you.” Artemis peered around Penny and grinned at me. I felt like a mouse under a cat’s paw. “I’m Artemis.”

“Myka.”

“Well now, ain’t that a pretty name? Penny, grab the liquor. Myka and I will get acquainted.

Why did that sound like a threat?

“Can you believe I’m gonna be a grandma and I ain’t even forty yet? Ace keeps teasing Drake about how he’s only forty-three, and will be the cool grandpa as Drake’s a miserable old bastard.”

Ace. Artemis. “Oh shit. Your Falcon’s mom,” I breathed.

Artemis grinned, and now I knew what being a shark’s prey was like.

“Damn right I am. Girl, you and I are going to get to know each other. Settle in, kid, and start talking,” Artemis ordered.

I glanced hopefully at the door, praying Falcon would come through it, and Artemis laughed. “Forget it. Ace, Axel and his siblings have Falcon locked down. You’re all mine.”

I glanced at Penny in panic, and the door opened, and Falcon stormed in. “Nice try, Mom! Leave my woman alone.”

Artemis sulked. “I can’t believe you escaped them.” Then she brightened. “Your woman. Nice.” She turned a gimlet eye on me. “Start talking!”

Holy crap. Falcon’s mother was a lunatic, and his father indulged her. They were certainly both insane. Falcon had his father’s attitude but his mother’s stubbornness. It was a dance between them; Artemis pushed, Falcon misdirected. Ace sat there and smirked as he watched them. During this, a huge guy walked through the door. His eyes searched the clubhouse and lit on me.

“Yo!” he boomed and, using crutches, crossed the room at speed.

“Hi,” I replied weakly, completely overwhelmed now.

“Penny, push her; we’re going for a chat,” he demanded.

“Axel!” Ace warned. Ah, this was the man Falcon called a legend and treated as a grandfather.