Straightening and holding my head high, I guided us to the bench where Hush and Cowboy were sitting. Death stares of warning were flashed to anyone whose gaze lingered on us too long. Lilah liked Cowboy and Hush; she felt comfortable in their presence.

Hush and Cowboy saw our approach and moved to the side to make room for my girl. Hush stood. “Hey, Blondie. What’s happening?”

Lilah peeked her head around my waist and blushed. I nudged her with a squeeze of my arm to reply. “I… I felt like some fresh air. It has been a while since I dared venture outside.”

Cowboy tapped the bench and tipped his Stetson. “Sit that purdy ass down, darlin’.”

Lilah gripped onto me tighter, still freaking out, so I turned, picked her up, sat down, and held her in my lap, ignoring her body stiffening at the action. I turned to Cowboy. “Now you got my purdy ass beside you. That fuckin’ okay, darlin’?”

Cowboy laughed and raised his beer, taking a sip. “Fuckin’ peachy!”

Lilah sighed and her head tilted up to look at the apartment window. I caught her smile and, when I looked up, Maddie was in the window smiling back down at her, her hand flat against the glass like she wanted to be down here too.

Poor fucking bitch.

“Lilah?”

Lilah dropped her head at the same time as me at the call of her name. Mae came rushing through the gawking brothers with tears in her eyes. Her and Styx must have just got back from their trip.

“Lilah!” she yelled and threw her arms around her neck. “You are outside! I cannot believe it!”

Lilah hugged Mae in return, while I was busy getting crushed underneath.

Mae pulled back but refused to release Lilah’s hand, holding it tightly in hers. Mae tried to see Lilah’s face, but Lilah kept her head firmly down. I saw the flash of panic run across Mae’s face.

“Are you well, sister?”

Lilah nodded meekly. “Yes… I am well.”

Mae kneeled on the ground when Lilah failed to raise her head again. “Lilah, please… look at me. Why do you not look into my eyes? Have I wronged you? Are you displeased with me for leaving?”

I rubbed at Lilah’s back, and she turned to me, her long hair still blocking Mae from seeing her face. I stared into her eyes and nodded for her to show herself. I caught Mae’s frown behind Lilah and the shitty look she cast at me as her eyes narrowed and her full lips pursed. Honestly, I didn’t give a fuck. Mae didn’t know how it was between Lilah and me now.

“Look at your girl, sweet cheeks,” I said and, taking a deep breath, confessed, “She’s gonna find out sooner or later.”

Lilah too took a deep breath and looked at her sister.

Mae gasped and tears formed in her eyes. “Lilah…” she whispered.

Lilah released her hand and cupped Mae’s cheek.

“I am fine, sister. It is no worse than what I—what we both—have suffered before.”

“Who did this to you?” she asked, getting real pissed.

“Tiff and Jules. They were jealous and angry at my spending time with Ky. They wanted to join with me… tried to force their attentions on me…” Mae sucked in a breath and had to look away. “Ky… I mean, Letti… punished them under club rules. It is resolved now. We can discuss it at a later time. But we both know why they did it…” Lilah trailed off.

Now that made me sit up straight.

I had no idea what she was fuckin’ talking about. What the fuck kinda thing was she thinking that would make it understandable why Tiff and Jules wanted to suck on her tits and get all up in her pussy?

Mae’s face saddened and she pressed kisses to Lilah’s palm. “You know I do not believe that, sister.”

Lilah just shrugged.

Mae leaned back and stood up; Styx automatically moved behind her and wrapped an arm around her chest. His eyes were tight, his mouth hard. With one look, I knew what he was saying to himself. What the fuck went down at my club when I was away, and why the fuck am I just hearing about it now? I held up my hand to signal I’d tell him about it later. He clenched his jaw and took a long swig of Beam.

Styx leaned down to Mae and whispered something into her ear. Mae’s gaze snapped back and she shook her head in refusal at whatever he was saying. Styx’s gaze hardened further and he looked to me, clicking his fingers.

“Translate,” he signed. Mae chewed nervously on her thumb, her worried gaze always on Lilah.

Styx released Mae to turn to face the brothers and whistled through his fingers until everybody looked our way. Styx looked back and waved me over to stand beside him, bringing Mae to stand in front of him.

Brushing my lips past Lilah’s ear, I said, “Be back in a minute, sweet cheeks. Sit beside Hush and Cowboy while I translate for prez.”

Lifting Lilah, I placed her on the bench, and she smiled shyly at my brothers. My chest fuckin’ expanded. She was gradually coming out of her shell. I prayed nothing else happened to send her back to what she was like before. Tiff and Jules, the cunts, had nearly ruined everything. At least now they were burning in hell. Letti had slit their throats and sent them to the boatman—no coins on their eyes. Lilah didn’t know that piece of information, and never ever would.

“You ready?” I asked Styx. He freed his hands from Mae.

“We’re gonna make this quick,” Styx signed, and I verbalized his words. The brother’s arms went over Mae’s shoulders, his hands still free as he signed, “I asked my woman to marry me. She said yes. Thought y’all should know there’s gonna be a Hangmen wedding.”

I translated without really taking in the words, too busy watching Lilah. But when the place erupted into howls and smashing bottles… I cast a double take in Styx’s direction.

He was already looking at me, waiting for my reaction, and he shrugged, signing, “It was always the bitch with the wolf eyes from behind the fence. Now I’m making it legit.”

Genuinely happy and beaming a fuckin’ huge smile at my brother, I pulled him to my chest. “Another one bites the dust, hey, fucker?”

Styx jabbed me in the stomach, then looked questioningly at Lilah still sitting on the bench, seeming shell-shocked, and then looked back at me with a raised brow. My stony face clearly told him not to push whatever he was implying, and he walked away to pull Mae away from Beauty and Letti who were interrogating his woman to fuck.