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“Trouble?” Tommy parroted, as if he didn’t understand the concept. Ronan’s lips twitched.

“You should’ve seen my senior prank. Or, pranks. I convinced the entire senior class to park in the parking lot sideways,” he admitted unabashedly.

“I did something similar,” I chuckled. “Had half the class ride in on tractors.”

“I released three pigs in the school,” Ronan countered, turning towards me. “I wrote on them one, two, and four. You should’ve seen the teachers’ faces as they tried to find the nonexistent third pig.”

“I started a game of freeze tag. Some students were frozen for hours. Never made it to their classes.”

“Well I-”

“Are you guys measuring dicks? Is that what this is about?” Tommy interrupted. Turning from my brother, I scowled at the little asshole.

“If we did, mine would be bigger.”

“Oh please,” Ronan snorted.

Indiscreetly flipping him off, I focused fully on Tommy and Nik. These two boys were important to me, I had come to realize. I had only just met Nik, but I already considered him a younger brother. And, though he annoyed me like no other, Tommy was one too.

Infusing as much gentleness and sincerity into my voice as I could, I said, “As soon as we’re safe and settled, we’ll find you guys a school, okay?”

“We can even teach you ourselves,” Ronan added.

“Like what? The art of killing with a smile?” Even his jest held no malice, an excited glint in his eyes.

“Nah. That’s more Asher’s speciality,” Ronan quipped. “But, seriously. What do you say? Is that something you’ll be interested in?”

Tommy glanced at Nik who had finally looked up from his magazine. No, not magazine. Comic. If those helped him connect with the world, I’d make sure he had an abundant amount.

When Nik gave a subtle nod of his head, Tommy faced us once more with an exuberant grin on his face. It made his eyes twinkle and cheeks dimple.

“We’d love that.”

“I’m glad. You’re family now, you understand?” I said seriously. “And once you’re a part of this family, you’re a member for life.”

God, now I sounded like I was recruiting for a creepy ass cult.

“A family?” Tommy’s question was tentative, unsure, but his eyes were hopeful.

I exchanged a glance with Ronan, my brother. In the room opposite me, I had the love of my life and my other brothers huddled together. Here, I had Nik and Tommy.

With them, I didn’t need anyone else.

“Family,” I agreed resolutely.

A family I would kill for to keep intact.

* * *

Addie

Enzo’s presence had shaken me.

I would never admit to anyone in words how rattled I was, but they knew. They always knew.

The darkness was heady, blinds drawn tight. The heat, though combated by the air conditioning, was suffocating. The blankets the outpost had provided were pooled around my ankles.

Even in my thin tank top and shorts, I was burning.