I decided to make things right with Charm and ordered her a box of steaks. I figured she wasn’t a vegetarian from what Emil and Oskar told me about her. The woman is baffling. From what they said, she’d take them out for meat lovers pizza and wings after practice or games during football season. During baseball season, she’d take them out for hotdogs at a local food truck. She did these things for Amanda because as much as she loved our kids, she was still stuck working some crazy hours at the hospital. When it came to her life, she was always putting other people before herself.
It’s why she’d been out so late the night of the accident and the semi-truck took her life. She was leaving her shift. God, I still can’t believe she’s gone. I didn’t know the details, but Freya, a woman around my age who babysat for Amanda when Charm couldn’t take the kids for her, told me Charm lost her grandmother not too long ago as well. Freya seemed fond of my children and offered to continue to watch them if I needed her to.
As much as I knew I’d need help I didn’t trust the woman. Not yet at least. For some reason the need to talk to Charm about Freya consumes me. Why? I don’t fuckin’ know. All I know is until I do, I won’t be leaving my kids alone with anyone else besides Charm. She’s the one woman I knew Amanda trusted most. Not only because of her being the one here for them but because Amanda constantly praised the woman whenever she mentioned her.
A soft knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts and I glance to the back door knowing who it is.
Standing up, I move to open the door and stand in the doorway without thinking of putting on a shirt. Shit, I’m still in my basketball shorts I’d slept in. I had some time before I needed to get dressed and was planning on relaxing around the house before my brothers showed up. We’d planned to have a BBQ and talk about finding a location for a satellite clubhouse here in Tallahassee. Last night Runes brought it up to our brothers and they’d all agreed like I knew they would. I’m fuckin’ lucky as shit to have them. While we’re Nomads, this is good for the club. And fuck, it’s good for me too.
“Hey,” she whispers, and I don’t miss the way she checks out my chest. Seeing my wolf tattoo on my right side. On the other, I have three rings linked together—one for each of my kids. I never got one for Amanda. Maybe it’s because deep down I knew we wouldn’t be together for the rest of our lives. But, the linked rings symbolize Astrid, Oskar, and Emil and will always be on my body. They’re my blood and the most important things in my life.
“Hey,” I mutter, noticing her holding two containers in her hands. Charm’s standing in front of me in a blue summer dress that comes mid-thigh and barefoot. My cock takes note of the fact she’s not wearing a bra and I inwardly groan at the sight.
Fuck me.
“Can I come in?” she asks, waving the containers in her hands. “I brought a peace offering.”
Nodding, I step back and let her into the house. It gives me a view of her back as she moves forward and I close the door. There, in the middle of her back, is a tattoo of a willow tree trailing down her spine. My fingers itch to see where the tattoo ends.
Clearing my throat, I chastise myself for having those thoughts. I can’t let myself think shit like this about Charm. Doesn’t matter how fuckin’ hot she is.
“I brought two different treats. One for the kids that are extra chocolatey the way they like them. The other’s for you. Don’t let the kids eat any.” I quirk a brow at her order for the kids not to eat any and when she grins I become weary. “They have something special in them, if you know what I mean.” She winks as she finishes speaking.
A grin slips into place as I nod. “You made me pot brownies?”
At my question, Charm licks her lips and smiles. “No, I made special brownies for you.”
Taking the containers from her, I put them on the counter and look back at her while grabbing a knife to cut into the brownies she’d made for me. “We’re having a BBQ this afternoon if you and your friend want to come by. There will be plenty of food and I’m sure the kids would love it if you came by.”
Charm watches my movements as I lift a good size square and inhale it. A smirk crosses her face and I’m about to ask her what she’s smirking about when the front door opens. Quickly Runes and several of my brothers come piling in.
“Y’all are early,” I mutter, putting the knife down and moving around the counter, feeling the desire to move closer to Charm for some reason.
“Yeah, VP, we wanted some coffee. That motel shit ain’t worth a pot to piss in,” Dag grumbles, moving past me. “Oh shit, brownies,” he murmurs, cutting one for himself.
Fuck.
They’re gonna devour all of my brownies before I get another one.
“Who’s this?” Runes asks, jerking his head toward Charm. I’d told him about her but he and the rest of my brothers haven’t met her yet.
A sense of possessiveness hits me and I quickly shut that shit down. “This is my neighbor, Charm,” I announce before startling myself by the next word that comes out of my mouth. “Minn.”
