Ghost opened the door, his eyes sweeping over five of his brothers, and he blocked the entrance with his body. "What the fuck do you want?"

"We're selling magazines to support our meth addiction. Can I interest you in a subscription, sir?" Griz joked with a straight face.

"I gave at the office."

Griz pushed past him. "You ain't got an office."

In trouped Hammer, JJ, Heavy, and lastly Shades.

"To what do I owe this visit?" he asked, folding his arms.

Shades tossed a bag to Ghost. "Skylar sent over a few things."

Ghost caught it to his chest, looking down at it. "Why'd she do that?"

"I told her about the 'bootylicious sweats' incident at the truck stop. She offered to take your girl to the mall later. Sent a few things to tide her over till then." Shades tugged on the dishcloth on his shoulder with a grin as he made to move past Ghost and head up the stairs. "We need to talk, Betty Crocker. Come on."

Ghost's brows rose as he watched his brothers all head up the stairs, and he called after them in a sarcastic tone, "Well, come on in and make yourselves at home, why doncha?"

"Thanks, we will," Hammer replied, his voice echoing down the stairs.

"Son-of-a-bitch," Ghost grumbled beneath his breath as he turned to lock the door, and then followed them up the stairs.

They were all sitting at the bar, except for Griz, who emerged from the kitchen with a plateful of Jessie's cheese biscuits, munching on a piece of bacon.

"You make these?" he asked.

"Don't be an idiot," Shades replied. "He couldn't make a biscuit if his life depended on it."

"Gimme one," Hammer demanded, already reaching toward the plate.

They all grabbed one.

JJ pulled his apart. "Its like a fluffy cloud of magical goodness."

Ghost rolled his eyes.

Griz sat on a stool, groaning and reaching for his back. "Christ, it'll take me days to recover from that fucking ride home."

"Your back hurt?" Ghost asked.

"'Course it does. Doesn't yours?" he growled back.

"Nope. I had the most phenomenal back rub the other night." Ghost grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Shades looked over at him with brows raised, his mouth full of biscuit. "Oh, is that so? Do tell."

Hammer leaned forward to look around Shades. "You sayin' she can cook like this, looks like she does, and gives backrubs, too? Hell, you don't marry her, I will, son."

Ghost's eyes moved from Shades to Hammer. "You ain't touchin' her, bro."

Just then, their heads all swiveled as the woman in question walked out of the bedroom, her head bent, rubbing a towel on her wet hair, and back in his flannel shirt.

JJ let out a wolf whistle that brought her head up, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Ghost's arm swung out, smacking JJ in the side of the head.

"Oww. Son-of-a-"

"Watch your mouth," Ghost snapped.

"Oh! I didn't know you had company," Jessie stuttered out, looking stricken with embarrassment.

Ghost tossed her the bag Shades had given him. "Here, Shades' ol' lady sent some clothes over for you."

Jessie scrambled to grab up the bag, almost dropping the towel. She clutched it to her chest. "Thank you. That was nice of her."

Shades gave her a smile, nodding. "She's a good woman."

"Thank her for me, will you?"

"Will do," Shades replied.

"Well, don't just stand there, brat, go put some clothes on," Ghost ordered with brows raised.

"Hell, let her stand there. I ain't complainin'," Hammer put in.

Ghost smacked Hammer in the back of the head, barking to Jessie, "Move."

"Oww. Fuck," Hammer bitched, yanking his head away.

When she was gone, Ghost moved around the back of the bar and pulled the carafe from the coffee maker, pouring himself a mug.

"You're not going to offer the rest of us any?" Shades asked with lifted brow.

Ghost brought the mug to his lips, replying in a growl, "No, 'cause you ain't stayin' that long."

"We interrupt something, bro?" Hammer asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, breakfast, fuckface."

A few minutes later, Jessie returned in a pair of jeans and tank top. She moved behind the bar and got herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," she said, eyeing the men.

Heavy replied, "What's good about it?"

"What's wrong with you?" she asked him.

"Ignore him. He ain't a mornin' person," Ghost informed her.

Heavy looked up at her with a surly face. "There are only two kinds of people in my book. Morning people," he paused, one brow lifting as he looked at her threateningly. "And the people that want to kill them."

"All righty, then." She got in his face, showing no fear. "So, just coffee, then?"

He glared at her.

"Warning, bro. She's got an attitude and she knows how to use it."

Heavy's eyes cut to a grinning Ghost, and then back to her. "Coffee would be good. I wouldn't say no to a cup of Joe."

Her brow rose, and she waited.

"What?" he asked, staring at her.

"Pretty sure you didn't use the magic word, Heavy," Ghost offered helpfully.

Heavy cut his eyes to him, frowning. "You fucking serious?"

Ghost folded his arms.

Heavy let out a long exasperated breath. "Fine. May I please have a cup of coffee, ma'am?"

She grinned. "Why, yes, of course, sugar-pie. You want it black?"

Heavy frowned over at Ghost. "Sugar-pie? Did she just call me sugar-pie?"

"Yup," Shades replied with a grin. Then he looked over at Jessie and added, "He loves it when women call him butterbean."

Heavy pointed a finger at Ghost and warned, "She calls me butterbean and I'm leaving. Just sayin'."

"Hmm. Butterbean. I'll remember that in case I ever want to get rid of you," Jessie teased, and then poured him some coffee.

Shades grabbed the last biscuit from Griz's hand and shoved it in his mouth.

Griz looked like a kid who'd just had his candy taken from him. He glared over at his VP. "Sometimes you really kill my joy, you know that?"

Shades grinned around the mouthful of cheesy biscuit. "Hmm. Soooo good!"

"You suck."

Shades just licked his lips in response.

"Karma has no expiration date," Griz warned. "Just sayin."

"I'm shaking in my boots."

"You will be when I tell Skylar you're eating biscuits when she's got you eating low carb."

"You fuckin' tell her and you'll be eating through a straw for the next three months."

"Ooww, I'm shakin' in my boots, now."

"And why aren't you home fucking your ol' lady?" Ghost teased Shades.

"'Cause his future father-in-law is stayin' in town and visiting his daughter," Hammer offered with a chuckle.

Ghost's eyes cut to Shades, and he grinned big. "That true, bro?"

"Motherfucking yes."

"Got you a little on edge, does he?" Ghost teased.

Shades glared at him and snapped, "You'd be on edge too if the fucking New Orleans Chapter President was taking over your house."

"Sucks to be you. But you're the one that had to go and pick his daughter to make your ol' lady," Griz teased.

"Like I need you to remind me."

"I'm sure Undertaker reminds you all the time," Hammer added, grinning big.

"You two want to cut the shit long enough to tell me why you're here?" Ghost asked.

"Let's go outside. I need a smoke," Shades growled.

They all headed out to the terrace and kicked back in the chairs.

Shades and Ghost, both dipped their heads, cupping their hands around their lighters as they lit up. Then they both tipped their heads back, exhaling long plumes of smoke in the air.

Ghost tossed his lighter on a glass side table with a clatter. "So, what's up?"

"Butcher called a meeting," Shades said, pulling his phone out and glancing at the time. "We got about half an hour before we need to head out."

"And?"

"He wants us to bring your girl with us."

"What the fuck for?" Ghost frowned.

"Wants her kept under lock and key until we get this meet set with the DKs."

"Why?"

Shades shrugged. "Just coverin' our bases, bro. You know we got a lot ridin' on this deal."

"She's not goin' anywhere, Shades," Ghost growled. This was bullshit.

Shades nodded. "I know she's not. That's why he wants her in lockdown at the clubhouse."