Page 31 of Navy
My eyes widen when Gia picks up a handgun and competently checks if it’s loaded before taking a box of bullets from Hope and starts to load the clip before inserting it and pulling back on the slide. Taking the ear defenders Hope hands her, Gia walks over to a booth that’s been set up.
I watch in awe as she empties the clip into the target that Hope has set up. By the time she’s finished I’m grinning, seems my little Gia has secrets.
“Jesus, brother, you are one lucky fucker,” Cairo whispers next to me.
“She’s fucking perfect,” I agree. Now that I know that they are okay and that somehow Gia’s in on whatever mischief they are up to, I nudge Cairo’s shoulder and we leave as quietly as we arrived.
“What do you reckon they’re up to?” Cairo asks curiously.
“They’re going to try and fleece us, brother, that’s what I think. We have Hawk, but they have Hope. We’ll be evenly matched as not all the brothers practice as much as the ladies do.”
“Are you going to say anything?”
“Fuck no,” I reply, “I like my balls just where they are and honestly, I don’t think Gia’s ever had a sisterhood like this. I know Hope certainly hasn’t. She doesn’t fit in with any of these society bitches. The two of them need this. We’ll let them do what they planned, and we’ll not say a word. I’m proud of them.”
“Okay, brother, I’ll let Bond, Blaze, and Sam know not to volunteer to shoot. We’ll let the originals have their fun.”
“Fuck, brother, the originals? What does that make you?”
“Spare parts,” Cairo laughs and even though I can tell he’s amused, there’s a little something in his tone that has me worried. I make a mental note to speak to Reaper about our younger brothers.
Not saying anything, I slap a hand on his shoulder as we near the house, “You’re more than spare parts, Cairo. We’d be lost without you.”
Cairo shrugs, “I know, Navy, we’re just a little restless. Thinking maybe we should go and visit Noni for a bit. See a bit more of the world other than Europe.”
“That might be a good idea, brother. Speak to Reaper, you know he’ll do what he can.”
“We will, Navy, and thanks.”
Puzzled, I asked, “For what?”
Cairo stopped walking, “You don’t see it, brother, but you’re the one that everyone turns to. The women know they can come to you about anything, the kids gravitate towards you and sometimes it’s only you who can comfort them when not even their parents can.
“The second generation know that you’re there to help and guide them whenever they need you. Why do you think we left Sam with you yesterday?
“And then there’s us. Your brothers, the first person we think to turn to when we need a listening ear, and no judgement is you. Even Reaper calls on you for council, knowing that you won’t steer him wrong.
“I see the same thing here with your biological family. You, brother, are our glue. The one that holds us together and I’m not sure how you don’t see it.”
His word hit me like a sledgehammer. I was hard pressed to talk around the lump in my throat. I hadn’t realised that was how they all felt. I did what I’d always done and protected when I had to or lightened a tense situation with a joke.
“I don’t know what to say, Cairo. I’m just me. I protect what’s mine, whether it’s the woman, children, my blood family or my brothers. You’re all my family and it’s engrained in me to protect those I love.”
Cairo wraps an arm around my shoulder and pushes me towards the house, “We know, Navy, and that’s why we’d do the same for you. I just thought you should know. Now, how about we get this lot moving, so we can find out who’s the better shot out of you and your woman.”
Chuckling, we walk back into the house and rally everyone to hurry up so that we can get the morning on a roll.
Like the good brothers that they are Cairo, Bond, Blaze, and Sam, along with Derek and Tristan, offer to take the older children and get them set up for knife throwing.
Aggie and Hetty offer to look after the younger children and set them up doing crafts in the playroom.
With everyone sorted, the rest of us wandered over to the shooting range.
“You do know Hope has something up her sleeve don’t you,” Bas says quietly from next to me.
“Oh, I do,” I agree with a smirk.
“You already know,” Bas chuckles.