Page 62 of Merciless King

I didn’t blame him. Jude’s woman, Willa, and Tomas’s woman, Steph, who had both worked as dancers at Raul’s club, Stilettos, were teaching Sunny, Lulu, and Ruby to dance—a fitness thing apparently, but the other guys had been benefiting from the classes big time.

“Hope and I were doing some dancing of our own, weren’t we, angel?” he said to his daughter. She started giggling then rubbed her eyes. “But it’s time for Hope’s nap or Mommy will kill Daddy with a blunt object.”

At times like this, I still struggled to hide my shock over the change in Zeke. The difference in him since he met Sunny was a sight to behold. He flicked off the music and put on a game. We sat, Zeke still with Hope on his lap but clutching a stuffed giraffe. He pulled a fuzzy blanket up around her and sat back. Hope started drifting off almost instantly.

We sat in silence for twenty minutes just watching the TV while I nursed my beer. Zeke left to put Hope to bed and grabbed us both another drink before he sat back down.

“Talk,” he said, handing me one.

I took it. “What?”

He scowled. “You think I’m gonna let you sit here and brood instead of talking it out?”

“Talk it out?” I said in disbelief.

Zeke shrugged. “Get over it. I say shit like that now. You have met Sunny, right?”

I grinned despite myself.

“I think I remember a time or two you told me to get my head out of my ass,” Zeke said. “Talking helps. I know this for a fact. Bottled my shit up for way too long.” He surprised me by grinning as well. “Now it’s my turn to give you the same advice. You keep that big head of yours up there any longer, you’ll fucking suffocate.” He held my gaze. “Talk.”

“London ended it,” I said. “Being around me keeps the shit she’s been through front and center.”

“What are you gonna to do about it?” he said.

“Nothing to be done.”

“You sure about that?”

I nodded.

Zeke sat back. “Sorry to hear that, brother.”

We sat in silence again after that, watched the game, ate some chips, had another beer.

Between him and Hunter, I was all talked out.

But I guessed, as far as talks went, it could have been worse.

* * *

London

I was flushed, not from embarrassment for once but from exertion. When Lulu called and asked me if I wanted to join them for some exercise, this wasn’t what I’d had in mind.

I’d almost made an excuse so I didn’t have to come. The old London would have. I was glad I didn’t let my fear and anxiety about coming stop me.

I kind of loved it.

We were in the gym at Steph and Tomas’s beautiful brownstone. She stood in front of us and ran through her routine again, and by the third time we pretty much had it. The fact she was seven and a half months’ pregnant didn’t seem to hold her back in the least. With the final move, we all collapsed on the ground and started laughing.

Lulu reached out and took my hand, smiling over at me. “I’m so glad you made it, London.”

I smiled back. “Me, too.”

I’d been surprised by her call, and maybe it was weird for me to be friends with these women now that it was over between Van and me, but I really wanted to. I’d told her as much on the phone, which hadn’t been easy for me, but she’d assured me it was ladies only and they really wanted me to come.

Ruby sprang to her feet, Willa behind her, both looking like they’d barely broken a sweat, while the rest of us sweated and panted from our prone positions on the floor. “Have you told London about ladies’ night next week?” Ruby asked.