Page 132 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“Emmy’s moving in,” Nick said.
“Nice! We’ll help.” Dash lifted a box from Jess’s truck. “Where should I put this?”
My eyes darted to Nick’s. He was staring back, silently asking me what he should do. I gave him a small smile and shrugged. If Draven and Dash were trying to repair their relationship with Nick, I wouldn’t stand in the way. It was Nick’s decision how far to let them into our lives.
Nick’s shoulders relaxed and he smiled at his brother. “That box goes in the kitchen. Would you like to stay for dinner? After we get everything unloaded, we’re having pizza.”
“Fuck yeah!” Dash answered.
And with that, Dash and Draven joined my moving crew. With the added hands, my boxes were soon unloaded and Nick and a few of the guys went into town for pizza and more beer.
“How are you feeling, Emmeline?” Draven asked me as he helped unwrap coffee mugs.
“Better. My ribs are a bit tender but nothing I can’t live with.”
“Your eye looks better,” he said.
“It is. I can cover up the bruise’s remaining color with makeup.”
“Are these all coffee mugs?” Dash asked as he opened another box stacked on the dining room table.
Maisy and Gigi, who were playing with the kids in the living room, started laughing.
“Emmeline has quite a collection. And they’re all totally hysterical,” Maisy told him.
“Those ones all go out to the garage,” I said. “I’m only keeping the ones in this box inside.”
“Maisy, you feel like showing me the garage? I’ve been known to know my way around a tool bench.” Dash winked.
“Dash! No hitting on my friends,” I scolded.
“Fuck,” he said. “You’re no fun, Sis.”
“I think I’ll like having you at our holiday dinners,” Draven said. “It will be nice to have someone on my side to keep the boys in line.”
I gave him a small smile and went back to my mugs. I had no idea if we would be sharing holidays together. Nick and I both had a lot of hard feelings toward Draven, but I had to give the man credit. He was genuinely trying to heal the breech.
Hours later, I was officially living with Nick. Every box was unpacked. Artwork now adorned the walls, the guest bedroom had new bedding, and my clothes were stuffed in every available nook and cranny we could find.
I was exhausted but happy.
After a fun evening of pizza, beer and wine, everyone had gone home except for Draven and Dash. While Dash had been shamelessly flirting with Maisy, despite my warnings, he’d convinced his dad to get rooms at her motel in town and spend the night. But before they left us, they wanted to have a private conversation.
“The Warriors won’t bother you again,” Draven assured us as we sat in the living room.
“You’re sure?” Nick asked.
“Positive,” Dash said.
“You know we don’t normally share club business with outsiders,” Draven said. “But I’ll make an exception, given your word to keep it quiet.”
Nick and I both nodded.
“Change is coming for the Gypsies,” Draven said. “We’ve voted to start getting out of the drug trade. It won’t happen overnight, probably within the next year, but border patrol is locking down tight and none of us want to risk spending a decade in prison. Dealers aren’t paying us as big of a cut as they used to anyway. So we’re done.”
“We made a deal with the Warriors for our protection routes coming from Canada. They’re buying us out, and we get the guys that killed Stone and the ones that tried to nab Emmeline,” Dash added.
“And you think they’ll leave us alone after that?” Nick asked.
