I smashed through the doors of the kitchen. Hush and Cowboy were sitting around the table. Lifting their bottles of Bud in greeting, they then saw Lilah.

“Lilah,” Cowboy said with a smile as he tapped his Stetson. “Mighty good to see ya, darlin’.”

Lilah bowed her head and blushed. She probably wouldn’t speak now that they were in here and she’d just faced the bitch lickin’ twins. But I’d worked in the garage all day and I was fuckin’ ready to eat a cow, so she needed to get over that shit right the fuck now.

Turning to Lilah, I said, “‘Kay, sweet cheeks, this is a kitchen.” I looked around, hand on hips, and just started pointing at shit. “Table. Seats. Knives. Dishes. Sink… erm…” Her eyes were following my every move. Bending down, I ripped open a drawer and pulled some flat round thing with a handle. I lifted it in the air and stared at the damn thing.

“And this,” I said, staring at the thing again. “You use it to beat the fuck outta someone that don’t get your steak cooked fast enough.”

Dropping the iron whatever-the-fuck-it-was on the countertop, I turned to see Hush and Cowboy staring at me like I was stupid, then caught Lilah’s face, her lip twitching, and before I knew it, she started fuckin’ laughing.

“Shit, Ky! You ever cooked a meal in your life?” Cowboy asked.

“Never had to, so shut the fuck up!” I snapped. Then I picked up the black heavy thing again. “And what the fuck is this?”

A small hand wrapped around mine on the handle, and I looked down to see Lilah smiling up at me. “It is a cast iron griddle.”

“You know all this shit? Cooking and such?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I am a very good cook.”

“You are?”

She laughed again. “Yes. It is a woman’s duty to prepare food. I was trained from a young child to cater to a man’s every need.”

“Damn. Perfect fuckin’ bitch right there,” I heard Hush say under his breath. He sat back in his chair, watching Lilah, waiting to see what she would do next. Lilah heard Hush’s comment and, seeing his attention, ducked her head.

Hush put up his hand when he caught me glaring. “Not making a move, only saying she’s one good bitch, so wind your fuckin’ neck back in, brother.”

Startled by a touch on my arm, I peered down to see Lilah with the griddle to her chest. “Do you have fresh ingredients?”

“Erm…” I turned to Hush and Cowboy. Cowboy pointed to the fridge.

Lilah’s eyes fluttered and I knew she was nervous. I gripped her chin between my finger and thumb, forcing her to look at me.

Taking a breath, she asked, “May I cook for you?”

“You wanna cook for me?” I asked in shock.

She nodded. “Yes, very much so. I thoroughly enjoy cooking. It is my best skill.”

She was beaming bright red, and I had no idea why.

“Then fuckin’ have at it, sweet cheeks,” I said, loving seeing that look on her beautiful face.

She nervously glanced to Hush and Cowboy, who were watching us like we were on some fucked-up reality show. “Would… would you like to eat also? I… I am used to cooking for many people. I do not know smaller-sized recipes.”

Hush and Cowboy glimpsed over at me, and I flicked my chin, telling them they could stay. This was the first time she’d really spoken to anyone outside me. It would be good for her to get used to my brothers.

Cowboy threw her a grateful smile. “Sure, darlin’. I could eat.”

Hush tipped his beer neck in thanks.

Lilah placed the skillet on the steel countertop and set to working in a fucking flurry of activity. Hush threw me a beer, so I joined my brothers at the table. They tried to talk to me, but I couldn’t hear them over watching Lilah’s face. She loved this shit. It was the first time she wasn’t playing with her hand, tightening her headdress or running that tongue of hers around her lips.

An hour later, we sat down to steak, potatoes, gravy—the works—and Lilah sat beside me, empty-handed.

“Where’s your food?” I asked.

Her head shot up. “I cannot eat with you.”

Hush and Cowboy stopped stuffing their faces and stared at her. Her eyes were downcast again.

“Why can’t you eat, darlin’? Makes no sense when you’ve spent all that time preparing it,” Cowboy asked.

“Women do not eat with men. I must eat later, in solitude. Mae prepares food for Maddie and me. In the meantime, I shall make sure you have everything you need.”

“You ate in the diner with me all those weeks ago,” I said, confused.

“No, I took a bite. I was afraid I would be punished if I did not. It is not proper for me to join you.”

The crashing of my cutlery echoed around the large kitchen, and Lilah stiffened and closed her eyes, mumbling out a quiet prayer.

“Lilah?” I said tightly, my voice sharp as a blade.

She flinched, and I almost lost my shit. I hated it when she did that.

“Lilah!”

Lilah’s head turned slowly to meet my gaze. “Go fix yourself a plate.”

“But—”

“Lilah! Go fix yourself a fuckin’ plate!”

Lilah immediately slid off her seat and got some damn food. A stupidly small amount, but at least it was something. When she sat down, her eyes focused on the plate. Hands clasped together and head bowed, she mumbled a prayer under her breath and quickly started to eat.