"It's morning," Duncan murmured.
"I don't want it to be morning," Charlie whined. "Morning is too early."
Duncan kissed her hair. "But morning means breakfast. Served by very grateful men who don't like wearing shirts so they can show off their collars."
Charlie giggled. "You always know how to get me to do things." She stretched out. "Do we have plans today?"
"Charlie, how many times have I told you? We don't' have plans unless we decide to make them that day. That's the fun of owning this city." They both laughed as they moved into sitting positions. "Come on," Duncan said, slapping Charlie's ass. "Up and at em."
They struggled into clothes and headed to the dining room of their set up. It was all low tables and pillows because Duncan preferred it that way and Charlie never thought to object. "Ladies," a voice greeted.
Connor came in bearing breakfast, already in his black get up with his shirt unbuttoned almost to his navel. All just to show off the diamond studded collar around his neck. He smiled cheekily at them but dropped his eyes as he set the plates on the table. Charlie didn't bother to hide her smile. The boy had a submissive streak a mile wide that she loved playing with. But what was even better was his mind. Connor was smarter than anyone she had met with numbers. Which was a good thing considering how her lover liked to play the tables, and not always well either. Duncan reached for bread as he stepped back. "Where's your father?"
"He's cooking," Connor replied. "Would you like me to fetch him?"
"Yes," Duncan decided. "I want both of you to join us for breakfast today."
"I'll get him right away," Connor agreed.
Turned out Bass had streak of submissiveness almost as wide as his son. That had surprised Charlie at first but then she thought about it. He had followed Miles everywhere after all. And he had passed that streak to his son making them both very brilliant followers. Bass was good when they needed strategy. Or other such things. Charlie smiled as the Monroe men came to sit at their table. His shirt was mostly buttoned but she could still see his plain black collar sitting snugly against his throat. "You need something?" Bass asked as he took a slice of apple, sitting down and dropping his eyes.
"Maybe I just wanted the pleasure of your company," Duncan smiled. "You are such good company."
"I thought I was only good company when I'm drunk."
"Drunk makes you worse company," Charlie said. "I like you better when you're sober."
"Suppose it's a matter of opinion," Bass replied.
"You're not hung over again are you?" Duncan frowned. "I restricted your drinking for a reason."
"Believe me I'm well aware of that," he said, eating his breakfast.
"Today seems like a good day for inspection," Duncan declared, reaching out to play with Charlie's hair. "And tonight…I'm going to the gaming tables."
"That sounds like a bad idea," Charlie said, leaning into the touches. "I love you but you suck at cards."
"She's not wrong," Bass agreed. "We just taught Charlie to play and she plays better than you."
"That's the sort of statement that can get you in trouble, Sebastian," Duncan warned with no heat in her voice. "Besides, I've got a wonderful bank sitting right here." She ran a hand over Connor's collar and he made a contented noise.
"That's emergency money," Charlie frowned. "Connor and I didn't go stealing it so you could lose it at cards."
"No, you stole it so you could buy my men," Duncan reminded her. "But it doesn't matter either way. Money is money, right?"
"Please baby," Charlie murmured. "Not tonight." She rested her head on Duncan's shoulder.
"Alright," the older woman agreed. "No gaming tonight. Not at the tables outside anyway."
Charlie made a happy noise in the back of her throat and took another piece of fruit. "We could play in here," Connor offered. "Just the four of us."
"It's not a bad idea," Bass nodded, dipping the last of his bread in honey. "You can get all the excitement of the gaming without the terror of having to face Charlie when you come home penniless."
"I am a terror," Charlie smiled.
"About as scary as a kitten," Duncan chuckled. "To me, anyway. Others shake when you walk by."
"Well I don't want to scare you out of our bed, now do I?"
"No, you don't," Duncan agreed, leaning over to kiss her.
"You're wonderful but you're still not playing cards tonight," Charlie grinned. "Maybe after another raid."
"We should plan another one of those too," Duncan nodded. "Our band is getting far too restless. And restless fighters make mistakes."
"Sure you're not just missing the excitement?" Bass countered. "First gambling, now a raid. You're getting bored."
"Oh, is that your expert opinion?" Duncan asked.
"And if it is?"
The warlord gave him a vicious smile. "You're good looks don't mean I'll let you talk to me anyway you like. I told you you're not as good a lay as you think."
"Pretty bad if he made you turn to women," Connor muttered.
Charlie smacked him. "You be nice. I won't have fighting this early in the morning."
"We could always throw the two of them into another cage match," Duncan smiled. Everyone chuckled as the tension eased. "Then it's decided. We'll inspect everyone and run a few matches to let them get their energy out. But I really do think it's time to remind people why we're at the top of our game."
"Time to make sure we still are," Charlie replied.
"What makes you think otherwise?" Bass asked.
"Never said I did," she shrugged. "But we haven't been out in awhile. Might have gotten rusty."
"The clan is still good for two reasons," Bass told her. "First, no one is hunting us. We all have a hefty price on our heads thanks to the Patriots. But even that's not enough to get more than one or two bounty hunters in the last few months. And those are only the ambitious ones. The young guys that are out to make a name for themselves by capturing desperately wanted criminals."
"And the second reason?" Duncan asked.
"I don't align myself to the losing side."
"Now there's a ringing endorsement," Charlie drawled to laughs from around the table.
"Enough chit chat," Duncan declared. "Finish breakfast, everyone. I want to start the day."
"You're eager," Connor noted as he and Bass began to clear the dishes.
"The sooner we start the day, the sooner we start the night," Charlie teased. She was eager for a start to the day too. Because diving headfirst into this new life was the only thing that kept her from wondering if this was a wonderful dream. Duncan leaned over to kiss her with a smile and Charlie felt home once more.