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Someone important was missing though, someone who should have been around for all this maternal motherly shit Cali was going through.

“It’s D-day!” Her bold blue eyes met my brown ones and she beamed at me, sitting her half-empty glass on the nightstand, right by the pexi-glass casing that held the head of Romero’s piece of shit of a father, David. There was a giant book of baby names resting on top of it.

“I’m about to take off.”

“Well, where are your bags? Do you have food? Are you sure you—”

“I know where I’m going, and the sooner I leave, the sooner she’ll be back.” I wasn’t going to mention who the fuck knew what shape Arlen was in. I didn’t even want to think about it myself.

It took me twice as long as it should have to track her ass down to an exact location. The last bit of information wasn’t something I would be sharing with my sister, whose childhood was full of the same type of bullshit. Me and Romero had agreed on that without argument.

I would let him know when I got to her, and he could handle the rest. I would be doing enough damage control when everything else we were keeping from her came to light.

She stood up and made her way towards me, looking as tiny as she always had, with exception of the bulge slightly lifting her black dress. Looking at the two of us, no one would ever suspect we were related. With the same dad, different moms, we were night and day.

She was white as snow—damn near an albino, her hair only a few shades darker. My hair was dark and my tan skin was covered in various tattoos, whereas she only had the inverted cross that marked her as a Savage.

I knew she was as much of a hugger as I was, so what her intention was for getting so close to me, I didn’t know.

“You better be back soon then, or I’m coming to get you, and I don’t care what the asshole behind me has to say about it.”

“We both know your ass isn’t going anywhere unless I fucking say so. You keep trying me and I’ll tie you to the bed again,” Romero cut in, coming up behind her.

She rolled her eyes, ignoring him. Then, she surprised me by grabbing my arm like a kid would their favorite teddy bear and squeezing it. Being I was a good few inches taller than her, I wound up looking down at the top of her head.

“I’ll be back long before baby S is here,” I said, knowing that would bring a smile to her face.

Romero took hold of her wrist and gently pulled her away from me. I stepped back, giving them privacy as he whispered something I more than likely didn’t want to hear in her ear.

He kissed her, placed a light parting touch on her stomach, and then motioned for me to walk out, silently falling in step beside me when we were back in the hallway.

“Will you two kids be able to play nice while I’m gone?” I asked as we made our way out the front door.

“They got me here,” Cobra butted in, pushing off the wall where he’d been waiting for us.

“I don’t need relationship help from either of you dickheads.”

We approached where my Fat Bob was sitting with saddlebags already secured on the rear end.

They stood back as I wrapped a black bandana around my mouth and nose, slipped on a pair of shades, and pulled my hood up. Normally, I didn’t go to such an extreme, but the heat was bearing down and this was the best way to protect myself against the elements on the ride I had ahead of me.

Once my fingerless gloves were on, I slipped an atomic slug bag over my shoulders, making sure the handle of my ReaperTac was sticking out.

“We sticking to the same plan?” Cobra asked.

“Yeah, give me four days after tonight. Come through the parking garage.”

He nodded and stepped forward to dap me. “Be safe, bro. I’ll be seeing you soon. I got a reason to break the charger out now.” His face lit up like a little kids and I shook my head.

“What?” I asked Romero when he crossed his arms and just looked at me.

“You know what,” he replied flatly. “And you know I’m right.”

I did know what he was saying, but I didn’t have a response.

“She might hate me,” I admitted out loud for the first time.

“Yeah, fucking right, she has no reason to hate you,” Cobra scoffed, easily picking up on our roundabout conversation. “You’re her stars and moon,” he fluttered his lashes and stared at the sun.