CHAPTER NINE

– DWIGHT –

It’s hard to keep an eye on my surroundings when all I want to do is stare at Rowan. The stark reminder of the first time I put my hands on her is enough to focus because having her lifeless in my arms isn’t something I want to experience again.

Especially when I just had her on the back of my bike. Her pussy is plastered against me, surrounded by her while we’re riding down the road along with my brothers. Damn, there’s nothing more perfect than having your old lady on the back of your bike.

Now we’re standing in front of the office of the executor of Holt’s will. Marlene couldn’t care less about the administrative, financial shit of the man who raised her, especially after burying him with mixed emotions and torn feelings.

This right here is an action to piss off Caddy. We want to provoke her in the hopes she will make a mistake when she comes for us. We’re all sure she will because up until now all her actions involved jealousy and revenge.

“Do you think we can send our old ladies inside and head across the street? It would also involve getting the bitch jealous if she is, in fact, stalking us,” Dutton states in a low voice.

I let my gaze wander to the building across the street and chuckle. “Ring shopping? She’s pissed at you because you put her in her place when she offered herself up for Brixton. Now if he would go ring shopping.” I shrug and let him figure out the rest of the sentence.

Dutton shrugs as well. “I don’t care. It shows the bitch we carry on with life and we’re happy and shit.”

Alwyn and Rowan are talking, but their faces are pinched with worry. I have to agree with Dutton, if Caddy is watching it would be best for her to see the highs we’re riding.

It’s why I tell him, “You’re right,” and address Vesper. “Can you take the old ladies inside with the others? Hugh can stay here while Dutton and I do a little shopping across the street.”

Vesper glances at the building and chuckles. “Nice thinking getting your girls pretty shit. It’ll piss the bitch off if she has eyes on us.”

I give him a tight nod. Vesper alerts Hugh of the change and turns to the women to usher them inside. Dutton and I cross the street and step inside the jewelry shop. The way the fucker strolls with determination in the direction of the rings gives me the feeling he’s not putting on a show.

I’m about to ask if he’s planning on asking Alwyn to marry him when my eyes catch sight of a pendant. A grin slides across my face, needing this to gift Rowan.

It fits perfectly and I tell the woman behind the counter, “I’d like to buy this one here.”

Dutton whirls around. “Seriously? You’re buying something before me while it was my idea to come here?”

He glances at the necklace the saleswoman is taking to gift wrap for me.

The fucker throws his head back and barks out a laugh. “Oh, man, that’s too damn perfect. I would have bought it too if I’d seen it first and wasn’t focused on getting a ring for my old lady.”

The saleswoman gives him a gentle smile. “This line of jewelry is unique and handmade. There’s only one pendant, but I do believe the artist has made a few rings with an ocean theme.”

I ignore the directions the saleswoman gives Dutton and keep my eyes on the pendant. It’s perfect because the silver pendant is a fish. In my eyes, it’s a Blenny, the fish our MC is named after. There are sapphires used in the piece of jewelry that match the color of my eyes; the perfect gift for my woman to wear around her neck.

The saleswoman rings up my purchase and after I’ve paid I safely put the gift box into my pocket. Dutton waves the saleswoman over and I wander in his direction to see what’s caught his attention.

“Stunning,” I grunt when I catch sight of the ring he picked for Alwyn.

Two in one; it’s a ring that’s designed around a wedding band that slides in between the two bands of the engagement ring. It’s a modern design with both gold and platinum and holds a delicate diamond on the wedding band.

“It’s as perfect as she is,” Dutton muses. “The details of the design, fierce and solid, while it’s also delicate and elegant.”

“Definitely,” I affirm. “When are you going to ask her?”

He rips his eyes away from the ring to give me a shit-eating grin. “I’m not going to ask her. I’m gonna slide the ring on her finger and that will be that.”

I chuckle. “I’m fairly sure there needs to be a courthouse date involved, and let’s not forget her consent, to make it legal.”

“Alwyn and I are solid. I’ve learned from the mistakes I made and we’ve both grown over the past few years. We already had a solid foundation, one that shook due to me being smallminded, our love hit pause and it’s everlasting now that we’re back together.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Unlike you who hit lust and attraction, slowly falling, adoration and all of that before you head for the love part. Hell, Brixton fell for his old lady at first sight and managed to knock her up to tie the woman to him. Did you hear he didn’t wrap up on purpose? Damn, lust to love in the blink of an eye. The man sure is dedicated.”

“To each their own. He saw something and acted on instinct.” I shrug. “Definitely not something I’d personally do, making life decisions in a split-second timeframe. Though, the attraction I feel for Rowan is strong and unlike anything I’ve felt before. Deep down I know she’s the one woman I can see myself being married to and make her belly swell with my child. All in good time.”

“Agreed. If you spend the rest of your life with one person, why fucking rush, right? I mean, locking her down, claiming her.” He holds up the tiny jewelry box. “Slapping a ring on her finger…all good. Babies are cockblocks and I’d like to fully enjoy my woman before I’ll share her with my hellion spawn.”

I shake my head. “You might want to rephrase that last part, or at least not voice it like that when your old lady is within hearing distance.”

“Me and my old lady are solid,” Dutton states with determination as we cross the street.

I keep an eye on my surroundings and don’t see anything out of place. “If Caddy is watching and waiting, she’s definitely good at it.”

“Yeah,” Dutton agrees. “On the other hand, the bitch has had years of frustration and growing up angry. When you think that she’s been hiding in plain sight for a long damn time and has learned to be patient and strike when it can hit hard.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I mutter.

“Hey, did you check Lennie’s generator?”

I stop in front of the building where we were waiting on the rest earlier. “Fuck. I wanted to ask Hugh to do it for me. I didn’t want big boobs making waves between me and Rowan.”

Dutton chuckles. “That’s the exact reason why I asked you to handle it for me.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know why Lennie keeps Kate around. I mean, yeah, she’s got the looks of a model, the body to go with it, but her intentions and feelings are as fake as her boobs.”

“Don’t judge the old man. Lennie’s been around the marina for years. He lost his wife two decades ago and has a fortune so why not indulge in a hot young thing warming your bed?”

I raise my eyebrow at Dutton’s statement. “So, you’re saying you’d be satisfied with a blow-up doll in your life? One who basically doesn’t care for you and lusts after any dick giving her some attention? ’Cause you know Kate makes shit up to have Lennie call one of us to come fix or check things so she can drool over our bodies and tries to fuck one of us.”

“None of us have ever touched her,” Dutton grunts. “We respect Lennie too much, and it’s also why I respect his choice when it involves Kate and him.”

I point a finger in his direction. “That right there, brother. Respect. Kate doesn’t have it nor knows the fucking definition of it.”

“Again, his choice, not ours,” Dutton states.

“Let me guess, this is about Lennie’s Kate.” Perrin’s voice breaks through our discussion.

“Correct,” I rumble.

Perrin sighs. “What did she make Lennie ask us to check or fix now? Damn, I’m so glad I have an old lady and decided never to go near his yacht again. Definitely don’t miss waking up to a call from the old man about Kate seeing rope under the yacht, making Lennie worried about it being in the outboard jet. Going into the water before I had coffee to see if the rope was stuck in the intake or the impeller…all while the bimbo was ogling my abs.”

I chuckle remembering Rox and Tage telling me this story.

My laugh is cut short when I suddenly realize, “When was the last time any of you saw Lennie? He’s always reading his newspaper in the morning, but I haven’t seen him the last two days.”

“Now that you mention it,” Perrin muses. “Come on, let’s get our women, they’re in the lobby, and head back to the clubhouse. I’ll get Lennie’s number from the file in my office so I can give the old man a call. I hope to fuck he picks up and not Kate. Maybe I should let Rox call instead.”

Dutton and I both chuckle and I smack my prez on the back. “You should definitely let your sister make that call.”

We step inside the building and I smile when I see Rowan laughing with the rest of the old ladies. That’s a sight I want to see, she looks so damn happy. Hopefully, there will be many more moments like this in the future.