“Never claim a woman, Juju. They’re nuttin’ but trouble and the biggest pains in the ass.”
My VP chuckled. “Road trip didn’t go well?”
I grunted, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Let’s just say it didn’t end with roses and rainbows. Damn near lost my sanity, Juju.”
He leaned his elbows on the bar, smirking in that lazy way of his. “Sanity’s overrated, boss. Now, ya got the good stuff right here. That bottle’s the only lady who won’t argue back.”
I snorted, leaning back on the stool as the familiar hum of the bar settled around me. The sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and the faint thrum of music were like a balm to my frayednerves. This place, my haven, was the only thing that kept me grounded.
“Trust me, Juju,” I muttered, swirling the bottle in my hand. “Next time, I’m sticking to the road and keeping my eyes on the horizon. No more distractions.”
A loud crash erupted from the entrance of the bar, followed by a burst of cursing that made Juju straighten with a grin. “Speaking of trouble, looks like it found you again.”
“YOU LOW DOWN DIRTY ROTTEN CAJUN!”
Swiveling in my seat, I smiled at the irate woman glaring at me. “Ah, there you are,Chèr!”
“Shut it, asshole,” my woman huffed, kicking one of her bags across the floor as my brothers all stood frozen, afraid to move.
I didn’t blame them.
My woman was scary on a good day.
“Better brace yourself, boss. Hurricane Devlyn just made landfall.”
I sighed, setting the bottle down and standing slowly, as if any sudden movements might provoke her further. “You got here faster than I thought,Chèr. Didn’t think I’d see you’d this side of the Mississippi till tomorrow.”
She crossed her arms, her fiery gaze practically singeing my skin. “You think you can just leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, and I’d let it slide? You’ve got another thing coming, asshole.”
The room grew quieter, the laughter and chatter fading as everyone watched the drama unfold. My brothers exchanged wary glances, clearly debating whether to intervene or make a run for it. Juju, on the other hand, looked like he was settling in for prime entertainment.
“Chèr, I didn’t leave you stranded,” I began, keeping my tone calm despite the storm brewing in her eyes. “You said you wanted space, so I gave you space.”
“Space!” she snapped, taking a step closer. “I wanted a little time to think, not to be marooned like Robinson Crusoe!”
“Sounds like a miscommunication,” Juju chimed in, earning a glare from both of us. He raised his hands in mock surrender, his smirk firmly in place. “Don’ mind me, just enjoyin’ the show.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. My woman could rattle my nerves and still make me laugh in the same breath.
She jabbed a finger into my chest, her voice lowering to a dangerous whisper that carried more weight than a shout ever could. “Next time you decide to interpret what I say, maybe try not to rewrite the whole damn novel.”
“Point taken,” I said, holding up my hands in a gesture of surrender. “But you’re here now, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.”
The tension in the room was palpable, like the air before a summer storm, heavy with the promise of chaos. Juju shook his head, a grin playing on his lips as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small pouch and shook it as the rhythmic jingle caught everyone’s attention. “Told ya, boss. The bones never lie.”
Sometime later, I lazily walked down the stairs as the sounds of Cajun music surrounded me. The bar was hopping with tourists as my brothers worked hard to ensure they had fond memories of New Orleans. The familiar scent of beignets and chicory coffee hung heavy in the air, a comforting counterpoint to the lively chaos. After snagging a bottle of whiskey, I found a quiet corner and watched the scene unfold. A vibrant tapestry of laughter, clinking glasses, and the hypnotic rhythm of the bayousurrounded my bar as everyone enjoyed their time in the Big Easy.
But as much as I wanted to enjoy the atmosphere, all I could think about was the woman upstairs in my bed. The angry and very pregnant woman who, before I left, threatened to take my balls and serve them up in a gumbo.
Funny thing was... I believed her.
The music carried me, a balm for my frayed nerves, but even the spirited notes couldn’t drown out the thoughts swirling in my head. Devlyn Never had always been a force to be reckoned with—a tempest that swept through my life and left nothing untouched. I knew how stubborn she could be, how fiercely she held onto her convictions, and yet, there was something in her fire that drew me like a moth to a flame.
I swirled the whiskey in my glass as Juju sauntered over, his signature grin as cocky as ever. “Man, you look like you’ve seen the Devil himself.”
“Maybe I have,” I muttered, taking a sip. “She’s upstairs, plotting how to serve me up Cajun-style.”
Juju chuckled, the kind of deep belly laugh that could disarm anyone. “Woman won’t kill ya, Gator. She loves ya too much for that. But I wouldn’t test her patience. She’s got a mean side.”
