Page 53 of The Devil's Reward
“Where is that charming little girl of yours?” Rose asks.
I nod towards the play area. “She took off for the wild as before we sat down.”
“We’ll have to introduce her to the kids,” Leonora says excitedly. I look at her curiously. “I’m here with my grandchildren,” she explains. “How old is your little girl?”
“She’s almost six.”
“She’d get along great with Arya and Sansa,” Leonora declares.
“Are you here with just them?” Shadow asks warily.
Leonora and Rose grin wickedly. “Nope,” Leonora announces happily. “In fact…”
I watch a few more women walk over, and Shadow groans. He pulls out his phone. “What are you doing?” I ask quietly.
“I’m calling in backup,” he says seriously. “No way in hell are we staying here with them alone. I like my balls intact, and I don’t have their bail fund handy.”
The women all laugh, and I’m totally confused, but I honestly can’t wait to find out what’s going on. Something tells me this date is only going to get better.
TWENTY-EIGHT
SHADOW
Quinn’s family can never meet the coven. I don’t think my heart could take it.
I glare at the women in front of our table. Why did I think that this would be a simple date? I have a sneaking suspicion that Viper blabbed to Rose or Raven. Now I have an audience, who are all looking equal parts like they’re plotting my demise, and pleased as punch that they’re messing up my date.
If Viper blabbed, I’m kicking his ass, brother or not.
Quinn introduces herself to Raven, Alice, Gwen, and Ash, and then says hello to Sage, who has her camera at the ready. I shoot her a warning glare when she turns toward me. She knows how I feel about my picture being taken. Her man better get here soon, along with Bullet and the Lincoln men, or I’m going to lose my shit. The only ones missing are Ember, Piper, Syn, and Izzy, otherwise, the coven would be complete.
Lord help me if they’re on the way. I’ll pack up Macy and Quinn and get them out of here faster than they can blink.
“Yes, yes, nice to see you all, now would you all go away?” I demand. Rude, yes, but I don’t give a shit.
None of them get offended, though Rose says, “You make it seem like you’re embarrassed by us, Shadow. What have we ever done to you?”
I stare at her like she’s lost her mind. Though, she may have. I’ve wondered a time or two. “I am on a date,” I remind her pointedly. “One I do not need help with from the peanut gallery. Your men should be here soon anyway.”
Leonora laughs. “As if they all didn’t know where we were,” she taunts. “Why do you think they avoid this place like the plague?”
“Probably because they figured you’d burn the place down,” I mutter. Quinn puts her hand over her mouth, but I can see her shoulders shaking with laughter.
Suddenly, Macy comes running over. “Did you see, Mom?” she demands of Quinn excitedly. “I kicked Roger’s butt at pinball. I’m the best. Now he’s gone crying to his mom about how a girl beat him. Can you believe that?”
“I’m sorry, honey, no I didn’t see,” Quinn says apologetically. “Some of Shadow’s friends are here too and they came over to say hello.”
Macy immediately turns and her eyes light up when she sees Rose and Sage. “I know you,” she declares happily. “You’re in the woven thing.”
All the women laugh. “I think you mean coven, honey,” Rose says with a wink. “Shadow was just teasing. And did I just hear you’re keeping those boys on their toes?”
“Yep,” Macy says proudly. I chuckle.
Suddenly, more kids come running over. Ash’s kids, Sansa and Arya, along with Raven’s brother Falcon, who is carrying Ash’s one-year-old son Knox, and behind them is Gwen’s sister Ellie, who is flushed from playing. It’s a convoluted group and I can see Quinn trying to make the connections.
I lean in and quietly murmur, “Quick run down. The two girls are Sansa and Arya. They’re Ash’s kids. Well, sister-in-laws if you want to get technical since they’re the younger half-sisters of her man, but they are raising them as their own. The toddler is also Ash and her man’s. The teenage boy is Raven’s younger brother, and he’s deaf so you’ll see them all signing a lot. And Ellie is Gwen’s sister; she has Down Syndrome, and she’s very much a kid at heart.”
Quinn blinks at me. “How do you keep all that straight?” she murmurs back.
