Chapter 29: The Devil’s Reward: Chapter 28

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.

I shake my head. “When you’re around them as much as I am, you have no choice.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Raven teases, drawing my attention.

I arch a brow at her. “The highlights of this crazy family tree.”

She waves that away. “Yeah, it will take some time to get used to,” she agrees with a smile at Quinn. “Just know we’re a loud bunch, but we have a lot of fun.”

“Until you tick her off,” I add pointedly at Raven, who grins wickedly. “Raven is a prank queen,” I explain to Quinn. “Some of the stuff she comes up with scares even me.”

Quinn laughs. “Don’t tell Macy or she’ll try it,” she warns.

“Mom, can I go play with the kids?” Macy begs.

“Sure,” Quinn says with a smile.

“Falcon will watch them,” Raven assures her. Falcon hands Knox to Ash and then heads back to the play area, with Ellie trailing him by the hand. He shoots her a warm smile and points at a few things as they go by.

I look back at the women who are now quiet. “Now that we’ve all had the introductions, can you all go away so I can get back to my date?” I ask pointedly.

Thankfully, they agree and head back to wherever they were sitting, just in time for our waitress to come back to bring our drinks and take our orders. When she leaves and we’re finally alone, I sigh. “I’m sorry,” I apologize.

“Why?” Quinn asks, confused. “They’re wonderful.”

I stare at her and then lean my head back to stare up at the ceiling. “Why?” I ask dramatically to whatever deity might be listening. “Why are you punishing me? Haven’t I been through enough? Why does she have to join the coven too?”

Quinn snickers. “I don’t think God is punishing you,” she teases. “I think he’s trying to liven up your life a little bit.”

I give her a bland look. “A little bit? More like he decided to shove me head first into the lion’s den covered in barbeque sauce, and wish me good luck. I don’t even want to think about what schemes they’ll get you involved in. We’ve only just started dating, I thought I’d have more time before I introduced you to the whole crew. Preferably in smaller doses. God help us when they recruit Macy. They’ll have her planning a jailbreak for the next time they get arrested.”

She shakes her head. “You’re crazy.”

She doesn’t believe me, and why should she? I guess I should resign myself to what will eventually happen.

“Let’s forget about them and focus on our date, huh?” I suggest. “I have questions.”

“What do you want to know?” she asks, a bit shyly. Now that the girls are gone, she doesn’t have a buffer anymore and is back to being shy.

“Where did you grow up?” I ask her, figuring that’s a good place to start.

“Virginia. That’s where my parents and sister are now, actually,” she says with a smile.

“You’re close with your family,” I remark. It’s an observation, not a question.

She nods. “My family are very outspoken, confident people, but I love them to pieces. My father is a retired construction worker, and he’s driving my mother crazy with all the home projects he’s trying to tackle now. Mom was always home with us but was super involved in everything we did. She didn’t miss a single lesson, game, or event in our lives. My sister, Peyton, is an architect for a big firm there, and she’s a bit of a live wire but she’s also my best friend.”

I smile at her. “Did she get you into trouble when you were a kid?”

She shakes her head. “I was a super shy kid and a bit of a goody-two-shoes if I’m being honest. I was super focused on getting good grades and getting a scholarship. I didn’t even have a boyfriend until my senior year. What about you? Were you a busy kid?”

I never mind telling people about my past, but now I’m wondering just what Quinn is going to think of me. “No, I grew up in New York, with a single mom that preferred having fun and screwing around to raising a kid. I did enough to graduate and then I enlisted as soon as I turned eighteen. At the time it was to get away, but I found that I liked it and kept moving up until I reached the Special Forces. No siblings biologically, but I have my club brothers now and that’s better than my biological family any day.”

She cocks her head slightly. “So you consider your MC your family now?” she asks. There’s only curiosity behind her question, so I nod.

“Without them, I wouldn’t be here. As much as they drive me crazy sometimes, I wouldn’t want anything else. For a while, my family was my team in the Forces, but now that they’re gone, I have a new family.”

“Do you talk to your mother?”

I shake my head. “She died not long after I enlisted. She got drunk and got behind the wheel of a car and smashed into a pole. From what the cops told me, she died on impact, so she didn’t suffer.”

“I’m so sorry, Shadow,” Quinn says softly, putting her hand on mine.

I shrug slightly. “I took enough leave to deal with her affairs and then went right back. Honestly, Quinn, it wasn’t a sad experience for me. Yes, she was my mom, but she wasn’t important. She didn’t love me, and I’m not all that sure why she kept me around. I imagine mostly for the paychecks she got for me, but otherwise, she ignored me. I’m not telling you this so you can feel bad for me, though,” I quickly add when her mouth turns down into a frown. “I made out just fine.”

“I don’t know what I would do without Macy,” Quinn says, looking over to where Macy is playing with Arya and Sansa in the ball pit. “Bobby might’ve been an asshole, but he gave me her, and that’s the only reason I don’t hate him as much as I should. Even if he didn’t want her, I did.”

“She’s a damn good kid,” I tell her. “And you’re a damn good mom, Quinn.”

She blushes, but she smiles. “I try.”

We make small talk while we wait for our food, and I’m not bored. Quinn has many intricacies that make me want to peel back all her layers and learn everything I can about her. The way she smiles when she talks about Macy and some funny thing she’s gotten up to in the past. The way she blushes when I look at her a little too long or compliment her. How she’s eager to answer my questions, but also listens closely when I answer hers.

When the food finally arrives, she calls out to Macy, who pouts as she heads over, but then perks up when she sees the large pizza we ordered. “Wow,” she gasps as she climbs in next to her mother. “Is this all for me?”

I chuckle. “You don’t want to share with the rest of us?” I tease her.

She grins at me. “Can I have as many pieces as I want first?” she asks coyly.

“Macy,” Quinn says in warning. “How about you start with one piece and then we’ll see if you’re still hungry. And you have to share.”

“Fine,” Macy says dramatically, waiting impatiently as Quinn puts a piece on her plate. I wait until Macy and Quinn both have their slices before I grab mine. Macy attacks her food with vengeance, and I have to bite back a laugh. She acts like she’s starving and hasn’t eaten in days, and Quinn rolls her eyes my way.

“Slow down, Macy,” Quinn orders. “You’ll choke.”

Macy slows, but it’s clear she’s not happy about it. Then she looks at me and I see the calculating gleam in her eyes. “So are you my Mom’s boyfriend now?” she asks bluntly when she finally swallows her food.

Quinn chokes on her pizza and I freeze, pizza hanging in mid-air. “Uhhhh,” I start.

“Maddie’s mom’s best friend has a boyfriend, but he’s not as nice as you,” Macy continues like she doesn’t notice her mother silently freaking out. I promised slow, but this certainly doesn’t feel like something slow. “Does that mean you’re going to sleep over and stuff? I’m okay with it, but I don’t share my stuffed animals,” she warns me with a glare. “No boy germs allowed.”

“I think that is a very smart idea, young lady,” a deep voice says and I look up to find Simon Lincoln, his sons, Dale Lane, Bullet, and King all standing there. Simon is the one who spoke, and he winks at Macy. “Boys are no good anyway, right?”

“Right,” Macy agrees, beaming at him. “My Grandpa says they only think with one brain and it’s not the right brain. Do boys have two brains?” she asks curiously.

Quinn’s face is flaming and I can’t stop my laughter. The other men chuckle, while Asa steps away to keep from laughing like a hyena. King grins wickedly. “I’m afraid that’s a figure of speech, sugar,” he says to Macy, “but sometimes when boys get older they can act like they have no brain at all.”

“Brian from school acts like he has no brain all the time,” Macy agrees. “He’s always calling me Minnie and pulling my hair. Then he acts like he doesn’t do it and it makes me so mad. I wonder if his mom dropped him as a baby or something.”

I laugh harder, while Quinn just puts her head in her hands. “I like her,” King declares. “I think we need to keep her around. She’ll keep those boys on their toes and it’s going to be damn entertaining to watch.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Quinn moans.

“We need to pair her up with Rose and the girls,” Asa says gleefully as he comes back over.

“No!” Bullet and I both bark, sharing a knowing look.

“Speaking of which,” I say quickly, changing the subject, “who let the women loose on the unsuspecting population? Without chaperones?”

“You’re here aren’t you?” Simon replies with a wicked grin. “We figured they’d be in good hands with you around. Or you’d end up tied up in a closet when you tried to ruin their fun.”

“I had twenty bucks on that outcome,” Maverick whines.

I give him a cool stare. As if that would ever happen. He just grins at me, unperturbed. I introduce them all to Quinn, who blushes and shakes their hands quickly. “Now would you all leave us alone too so I can get back to my date?” I ask impatiently. “If you’re all standing here, no one is watching your women, and I am not pulling their as-I mean, butts out of the fire for you,” I quickly correct.

“I know you were going to say ass,” Macy pipes up.

“Macy Mae,” Quinn warns immediately in her best mom voice.

“What?” Macy asks innocently. “It means donkey. Grandpa said so.”

“And you know it’s used in an adult way that doesn’t mean donkey,” Quinn says mildly. “Unless you want to sit here the rest of the time and not play, you won’t repeat it.”

“I like her,” Asa declares, giving Quinn a charming grin. “Why don’t you dump this loser and I’ll show you a good time?”

Quinn blushes furiously, obviously overwhelmed with all the attention. Thankfully she’s saved from answering by Macy. “You’re too pretty,” Macy tells him seriously. “I like Shadow best. He bought me chips, and he brought me here on our date.”

I smile smugly at Asa, who takes the rejection in stride. “Awww, thank you for telling me I’m pretty, princess. That will soothe my wounded pride.”

“Would you all go away?” I demand. As much as this is amusing, I can tell that Quinn is not comfortable, even if she is trying to smile.

“We’re going,” Bullet says firmly. He nods at Quinn and gives her a kind smile. “It was nice to meet you, Quinn, and I hope we’ll see you around.” Then he walks away, and the other men say their goodbyes and follow him. That’s the thing about Bullet, when he speaks you listen, and most follow his lead without question.

“You have a big family,” Macy remarks as she finishes her pizza when we’re alone. “So if you’re my mom’s boyfriend, does that make them my family too?”

Quinn looks at me pleadingly for help. I look at the little girl that is far too smart for her own good. “Your mom and I are only just starting to see each other, so we’re not boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but we might get there eventually. But if you ever need anything, any of my family will be happy to help you. Does that make sense?” God, please tell me it does.

“Do you know how to do a ponytail or a braid?” Macy asks, abruptly switching directions like I haven’t even spoken.

“Uh, I think I can manage it, why?” I ask carefully. I sense a trap.

“Because if you become mom’s boyfriend, that means you need to help take care of me, and you have to know how to do one of each,” Macy says pointedly. “Little girls are very particular about their hair, you know.”

“I have heard that.”

Pleased with my answer, or rather, lack thereof, she looks at her mother and asks, “Can I go and play now?”

“Yes,” Quinn agrees, and Macy waves at me before she takes off. Once she’s out of earshot, Quinn lays her head back and groans. “I swear I’m going to be fully gray by the time she’s done with elementary school.”

I chuckle and bring my hand up to cup the back of her neck, massaging gently to hopefully soothe her. “But you’ll never be bored,” I point out.

She lifts her head and gives me a droll look. “Bored,” she repeats carefully. “I think we need to clear something up, Shadow. You make it sound like Rose and the other women you introduced me to are always getting into trouble. Well, my parents and sister are just like them when they get together, and that is exactly who Macy takes after. The worry was never about being .”

I fight back a wince. If I ever meet Quinn’s family, I need to make sure they never meet any of the other women. I don’t think my heart could take it.

“I stand corrected,” I acknowledge. “Fine, I’ll never use the words bored and Macy in the same sentence again.” I glance around and see that no one is paying attention to us, and that Macy is happily engaged in whatever game she is playing in the arcade area, so I pull Quinn forward and press my mouth to hers.

The kiss is quick and hard, but it’s enough that when I pull away, her eyes are dazed. “What was that for?” she asks softly.

“Because I can, and because I want to convince you to go on another date with me. One that won’t be interrupted by a bunch of people I know and where I can kiss you properly without being interrupted by a bunch of kids.”

“You want another date?” she asks, stunned.

“How else am I going to convince you to be my girlfriend?” I joke.

She stares at me and then starts to chuckle. “How indeed? I have to say though, this is a good start.”