Sin Bin

by Maureen Smith

  Hunter nodded again, staring into his glass for a long moment. “Does she have any deep-seated racial hangups?”

  Logan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Hunter sipped his wine and lowered the glass to the counter. “A few years ago I dated this amazing black woman from Missouri. She was beautiful and she wore her hair in this sexy little Afro that I absolutely loved. We didn’t share many interests, but that didn’t really bother me because I’m always open to exploring new things. She was smart and educated and classy, and I admired how socially conscious she was. A woman with a strong sense of racial pride is incredibly appealing to me. But this particular woman took things to an extreme. She had a ton of anger and hostility toward white people. Wherever we went, no matter what we were doing, everything out of her mouth was ‘the white man this, the white man that.’ It was exhausting and frustrating, and it became a huge turnoff.”

  “I can imagine,” Logan said with a grimace.

  Hunter’s expression hardened. “You know I have no tolerance for racists. I wish they could be wiped off the face of the earth, never to exist again. They’re primarily responsible for the horrendous state of race relations in this country. Fuck every last one of them,” he growled, his Québécois accent thickening. “But here’s the thing. Just as I would never date a white supremacist, I refuse to date another woman of color who hates all white people. Relationships are challenging enough without adding racial animus and strife. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I think real love can overcome just about anything, and I know people can evolve and change their views over time. But I don’t have the patience or desire to stay in a relationship where I’m constantly being judged and blamed for the despicable actions of other white people. I won’t spend the rest of my life atoning for their sins.”

  “I hear you, bro,” Logan grimly commiserated. “I was raised by a man who proudly identifies as Afro-Latino. He never shied away from discussions about racism, colorism, and the legacy of slavery in America and the Dominican Republic. He talked frankly about white privilege and explained the many advantages I would always have as a white person. He took me to protest marches and made sure I understood what people were fighting for.”

  After a reflective pause, Logan went on, “But you know what else he taught me? He taught me the importance of pursuing peace and happiness. That was the word he used—pursuing. He said you have to work really hard to achieve happiness. You have to approach it the same way you train to be an elite athlete, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. His family didn’t want him to marry Cynara’s mother because she’s a dark-skinned black American. But he didn’t care what they said. He loved Roxanne and nothing was going to stop him from being with her. Even though their marriage fell apart, he still believes that differences in skin color, ethnicity or culture should never come between two people who belong together.”

  There was a soft smile on Hunter’s face. “Santino is a good man, and I agree wholeheartedly with him.” Pause. “Even if he won’t let me date his daughter.”

  They both laughed.

  When the humorous moment passed, Logan said grimly, “Getting back to our deal-breakers, you know another thing I really dislike in women? Cattiness and jealousy.”

  “Oh, hell yeah,” Hunter said vigorously. “Catty, jealous women are the absolute worst.”

  “Definitely,” Logan agreed. “That’s another reason I could never date a bunny. Classic mean girls.”

  “Seriously.” Hunter shook his head. “I don’t think women realize how unattractive they look when they’re bitching and snarking about other women or scheming against them. Tabarnak,” he swore in disgust. “That behavior is so damn ugly to me.”

  “I know, right? I don’t care how hot the chick is. When I see her acting catty and jealous, it’s an instant boner killer.”

  “Absolutely. Doesn’t matter if she’s a bunny or a biologist. If I even sniff those character traits in a woman, I’m running in the opposite direction.” Hunter picked up his glass. “My nonna says that jealousy is a sign of a shallow mind and weak character. She says a woman who’s always jealous of others will never be satisfied with what she has. That means nothing you do for her will ever be good enough.”

  “Exactly. Fuck that.”

  They clinked glasses with gusto and tossed back their drinks, then shared a grim chuckle.

  “What’s for dinner?”

  Logan and Hunter glanced around and laughed as Reid and Viggo came sauntering into the kitchen with big grins.

  “I was wondering when you clowns would show up,” Hunter teased.

  Reid sniffed the air and grinned broadly. “Is that Ossobuco I smell?”

  Hunter grinned. “Si, signore.”

  “Awesome!” Reid and Viggo chorused.

  Boisterous chatter and laughter filled the kitchen as Hunter made the gremolata and risotto and reheated the focaccia bread he’d baked earlier. When the food was ready, he plated everyone’s dishes, garnishing each with a chef’s flourish.

  They carried their wineglasses and steaming plates to the elegant dining room that Hunter enjoyed putting to good use. They seated themselves around the long table and dug into their meals, groaning at the first bite of the meltingly tender veal shank.

  “So fucking good,” Logan mumbled around a savory mouthful.

  “Fuck yeah,” Reid and Viggo grunted like starving savages.

  Hunter grinned, enjoying their appreciation of his cooking. No one talked for a few minutes, too busy stuffing their faces.

  Viggo was the first to lift his head from his near-empty plate. “By the way, what were you guys having such a serious convo about when we got here?”

  Logan chuckled, cramming bread into his mouth and chewing. “We were talking about catty broads being a relationship deal-breaker.”

  “Oh, most definitely,” Reid agreed.

  “I don’t do catty women,” Viggo said emphatically. “Big fucking turnoff.”

  “Yup.” Reid ate a forkful of risotto. “That’s something that really struck me when I started getting to know Nadia. She has the sweetest personality. Seriously. It’s like she doesn’t have an evil bone in her gorgeous body. I didn’t realize how much I valued that quality in a woman until I met her. I mean, I know I can be pretty amped up at times—”

  Viggo gasped. “You? Never.”

  Laughter rumbled around the table as Reid flipped him the bird before continuing.

  “Nadia really balances me out. It’s hard to explain, but when I’m with her I feel calmer. Totally at peace. Like all is right with the world, you know?” He smiled. “Grandma Holden says we’re perfect for each other because Nadia smoothes my rough edges and I rough up her smooth edges, and it works beautifully.” He chuckled and forked up more veal. “Her sweet personality is just one of the many things I love and appreciate about her.”

  Warm smiles went around the table.

  “I feel the same way about Jupiter,” Logan said softly. “She’s a real sweetheart. Warm and caring and generous as hell. And she loves kids as much as I do. Seeing her with them gets me every damn time.”

  Viggo gave him a sly smile. “Did you just admit that you love her?”

  Reid grinned. “I caught that, too.”

  Logan’s face heated. “Fuck off.”

  The others laughed as he ducked his head and shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth.

  Viggo sipped his wine, a small smile playing on his lips. “Don’t be fooled by Scarlett’s badass rocker image. She’s a big ol’ softie like Nadia and Meadow. Sappy movies make her cry, she hates injustice of any kind and she always fights for the underdog. Of course, that’s not to say she isn’t a legit badass. I mean, hell, she’s a drummer in a band, she has a red belt in taekwondo and she curses almost as much as I do,” he said proudly. “She’s a free spirit who marches to the beat of her own drum—literally and figuratively.”

  Chuckles and grins went around the table.

  Viggo�
��s smile softened. “You guys know I’m not the most religious guy in the world. But if I ever needed proof of God’s existence, I wouldn’t have to look any further than Scarlett. Seriously. The first time I heard Reid say that Nadia was made for him, I thought he sounded corny as fuck, and I’ll admit that I clowned him. And then I started dating Scarlett, and I finally understood what he meant. I mean, first of all, I never thought I’d find a woman who loves hockey as much as I do. Yes!” he whispered with a triumphant little fist pump.

  A round of hearty laughter swept the room.

  “You really lucked out with that one,” Logan said, a touch enviously. “Most women hate hockey, don’t understand it or pretend to love it just to stroke our ego. You got the real deal with Scarlett.”

  “Totally.” Viggo’s grin broadened. “As if that weren’t awesome enough, she’s just as much of an adrenaline junkie as we are. I mean, you guys saw her at the racetrack in Vegas. She’s always down for whatever. So I could wake her up at three a.m. and be like, ‘Babe, let’s go paragliding.’ And she’d pop right up and be like, ‘Cool. Lemme put on my boots and we can roll.’”

  This drew more appreciative laughter.

  Logan grinned. “I’ll never forget the first time I took Jupiter for a ride on my Harley. It took forever and a day just to convince her to get on. But once we hit the road, she was so excited she couldn’t stop screaming and squealing. Oh, man, it was so fucking awesome.” He gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait to take her jet skiing.”

  As laughter rumbled around the table, Viggo gave him a look of wicked mischief. “In other words, you can’t wait to get her wet and screaming.”

  Logan’s grin faded, his eyes narrowing on Viggo’s face. “You’d better not be picturing my woman wet and screaming.”

  “I’m not,” Viggo said with a pirate grin. “But if I were, it would serve you right for hitting on Scarlett. Remember that?”

  Logan coughed and scratched behind his ear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  As the others laughed and guffawed, Viggo threw a piece of bread at him.

  “Now, now, boys,” Hunter chided indulgently. “No food fights at my table.”

  Logan shoved the piece of bread into his mouth and winked at Viggo, who pretended to scowl at him.

  “Don’t think I forgot about you perving on my woman last year.”

  Logan grinned. “As I recall, she wasn’t your woman at the time.”

  “Not officially—”

  “Gentlemen, gentlemen.” Hunter was playing referee to the hilt. “There’s no need to hold a grudge, Viggo. As I told you at the time, I’m sure Logan meant no harm by flirting with Scarlett. He was simply reacting to what we can all see with our own two eyes, which is that you have a damn good-looking woman. You all do.” With a glint in his eye, Hunter raised his glass to them. “To three of the luckiest guys I know. Salud.”

  Everyone clinked glasses with Hunter, swigged their wine and exchanged self-satisfied grins.

  Hunter leaned back in his chair and took a leisurely sip from his glass, then cleared his throat importantly.

  Everyone grinned harder, waiting to hear what he was going to say. Seated at the head of the table, he was practically channeling Michael Corleone from The Godfather. Even his Italian accent came out to play.

  “As a passionate lover of the female body and a connoisseur of beauty, allow me to express my sincere belief that all women are beautiful. Bellissima. Bella bella,” Hunter declared, kissing his fingers. “I love women who share my reflection as much as those who look nothing like me. Women of all hues possess unique attributes that ought to be admired and celebrated. But I must confess,” he drawled, swirling his wine, “I’ve traveled around the world, been to every corner of the globe. And I can say with absolute conviction that no one—and I mean no one—has sexier curves than a black woman.”

  A hearty chorus of “Hell yeah” and “Amen” erupted around the table. When Viggo whimpered “Have mercy” and bit his knuckles, the group burst into uproarious laughter that shook the room.

  When the laughter died down, Reid wiped away a few tears and hitched his chin at Logan. “Nadia and Scarlett are going camping and hiking with us this summer. You should bring Meadow.”

  “Maybe I will.” Logan grinned. “Planetariums and observatories are more her thing. But her dad is a park ranger, so she enjoys being outdoors and she’s gone camping several times.”

  “Awesome,” Reid said approvingly. “So she’s not gonna be worried about fucking up her hair when we go whitewater rafting, right?”

  “Nah, I don’t think so,” Logan said with a chuckle. “She’s not prissy like that.”

  Reid grinned. “She doesn’t have to be prissy. A lot of black women don’t go swimming because they don’t wanna mess up their hair.”

  Logan laughed. “You think I don’t know that? Don’t forget I lived with two black women when I was growing up. I remember Roxanne and Cynara spending all damn day at the hair salon and not wanting to get in the water whenever we went to the pool or the beach. It was weird to me and frustrating to Santino. Sometimes he’d look at me, shake his head and say ‘Fuck it.’ Then he’d pick them up, one by one, and just toss ’em in the water. They’d be seriously pissed, and they always gave him one hell of an earful. But it never stopped him from doing it.”

  The others laughed and applauded Santino’s bravery.

  “Thank God Scarlett isn’t like that,” Viggo said humorously. “She loves swimming so she’d never let anything keep her out of the water. Being a performer, she’s always switching up her hairstyles, dyeing it different colors, adding extensions, cutting it short or growing it long. I’ve seen pictures of her hair at different lengths over the years. She prides herself on taking good care of it, but at the end of the day, she says it’s just hair.”

  “She’s natural, right?” Reid asked.

  “Right,” Viggo confirmed.

  Reid nodded. “Nadia has a relaxer, but she says she’ll probably go natural someday.” He chuckled. “I remember the time she mentioned that around my mom, who totally freaked out and started asking a bunch of questions about what she meant by going ‘natural.’ Nadia was very gracious about it, but I couldn’t stop shaking my head. My mom can be cringey as fuck sometimes.”

  Hunter chuckled dryly. “Don’t tell me she’s worried about Nadia sporting a big Afro with a pick sticking out of it?”

  “I’m sure that’s part of it,” Reid said wryly. “But it’s mostly because she loves the length of Nadia’s hair. She’s always touching it and complimenting it. She never had long hair herself, so she’s a little obsessed. You guys have seen how long Aria’s hair is. It’s practically down to her ass. If she ever cut it short, Mom would have a fucking heart attack. So, yeah, she panics whenever Nadia talks about messing with her hair.”

  Everyone chuckled and shook their heads.

  “I don’t know whether Jupiter’s relaxed or natural,” Logan said thoughtfully. “I can’t tell, but I’ve heard her mention something about getting a blowout.”

  “A blowout? She’s probably natural,” Reid surmised.

  “Yeah,” Viggo agreed. “Scarlett gets blowouts.”

  Hunter grinned at them. “Look at you two sounding like experts on black women’s hair.”

  They both laughed.

  “We’ve been well educated,” Reid joked.

  “Yup.” Viggo sent a lazy smile around the table. “Before I forget, Scarlett wanted me to invite everyone to our summer cottage before training camp starts in September. After the weddings and honeymoons and band tours are over, we’re planning to host our very first barbecue at the cottage. There’s three bedrooms and a loft, so there’s plenty of room for everyone. We figured we’d spend the week swimming and sailing and just relaxing until it’s time to come back and get ready for the new season.”

  “Sounds good,” Reid and Hunter agreed.

  “Definitely.” Logan smiled
. “Sweden is on Jupiter’s bucket list, so she’ll gladly take you up on your invitation.”

  “Good. I hope she does.” Viggo grinned teasingly at Hunter. “Now we just need to find you a woman, Captain.”

  Hunter and Logan shared a glance across the table.

  Reid divided a speculative look between them. “What was that about?”

  Hunter lifted his glass to his lips, his eyes glinting over the rim.

  “He may have already found himself a woman,” Logan grumbled.

  “What?” Reid and Viggo exclaimed in surprise. “Who?”

  Logan sighed. “Santino’s daughter.”

  “The Duchess?”

  “Yeah.” Logan smirked. “He met her in Vegas and got struck by lightning. Or at least it seemed that way, judging by the stunned look on his face.”

  Reid and Viggo exchanged incredulous glances, then burst out laughing.

  Hunter set his glass down, lips twitching. “You always did have a penchant for exaggeration.”

  “Nah, bro. You know damn well I’m not exaggerating.” Logan grinned at the others. “You guys shoulda been there. I’ve never seen Duchene like that, all speechless and flustered. It was a sight to behold.”

  “Sure sounds like it.” Reid grinned tauntingly at Hunter. “The Duchess got you shook, Captain?”

  Hunter calmly lifted his hand and gave him the finger.

  Reid, Logan and Viggo howled with laughter.

  Shaking his head, Hunter stood and poured more wine into everyone’s glasses.

  “Hey, I just thought of something,” Logan exclaimed, snapping his fingers. “Don’t we have a rule about sisters being off limits? For the past five years you guys have threatened to cut my fucking balls off if I even glanced at your sisters the wrong way. What happened to that, huh? Has the bro code been retired or what?”

  Looks were exchanged as Hunter slowly sat back down.

  “I mean, yeah, Cynara’s not my biological sister and we didn’t really grow up together,” Logan conceded. “We only spent two years under the same roof before her parents divorced, and we see each other so rarely that we sometimes forget the other exists. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is my adoptive sister. So that should totally count.”