Page 147 of Soul So Dark

“Look who it is,” he drawls as soon as he sees me. “Michael Myers himself.”

Wesley tips his head back and peers at me from under the bill of his cap. “Who?”

“Oh,” Brantley slowly nods,“you’re the hired gun.”

“They finally managed to kill him, but he just keeps coming back,” Aiden grins.

“Something like that,” I reply as I smack Aiden’s palm with mine. “Meantime, I’m still trying to figure out why anyone would let you fly one of their planes.”

For some reason, I still can’t wrap my mind around it. I don’t know what I envisioned Aiden doing, but becoming a pilot for an organized crime family wasn’t on my bingo card.

“What can I say? I just have one of those faces people can’t help but trust,” he grins and then gives a nod to Brantley and Wesley. “I’m sure you’re familiar with these losers.”

It doesn’t surprise me that Aiden Rafferty can call a couple of Rhodens losers and they don’t bat an eye. In many ways, they’re probably more like family than his own parents.

“Irish twins needed another Irish brother,” Brantley smirks.

“This is Cotton,” Aiden introduces the guy tattooing him. “How are you related, again?”

“Uncle by association,” Cotton mutters in reply, “under duress.” But Cotton doesn’t look like a Rhoden. He’s older, probably in his early 40s, and with his black hair and extensive tattoos, he looks more similar to Aiden.

“Alex.” I give him a nod and then turn back to Aiden. “You’ve been busy,” I comment, studying the intricate designs on his neck.

“No thanks to you,” Aiden sneers. “I can finally finish this piece now that I don’t have to keep an eye on your kitten anymore.”

“Don’t lie,” I smile, “she’s grown on you.”

He’ll never admit it, but I know I’m right. Dallas was safe as long as Colson was still around, but as soon as he blew town without a word to anyone, I knew I needed eyes on her until I was stateside again. And Aiden came through.

“Where is Col now, anyway?” I ask. “He barely answers his fucking texts.”

Aiden glances up in thought. “I think he’s in Canada.”

“Why?”

“He told Mase he was going to stay up there because he neededa change,” he shakes his head with irritation. “Lies, fucking lies. Apparently, he sits in the tundra all day on polar bear watch.”

“Polar bears? Is he still a ranger?”

“No, he went private for some Arctic security company. If you ask me, it’s just so he can carry more firepower,” Aiden snickers. “But he has a dog now. He’s pretty cute, reminds me of Arlo.”

I’m pretty sure the only way Aiden would call anything cute would be in reference to his deceased dog, Arlo, which is also the only reason he would care about anyone else’s dog.

“He has a dog?”

“Yeah, a black German Shepherd.”

“That’s cool. What’s its name?”

“Pony,” he scoffs. “He said it’s short for Ponyboy or some shit. He said Ole Dally named him.”

Ponyboy? From The Outsiders?

“Dallas named him?”

She named her brother’s fuckingdogafter me?

It might be endearing, cute even, if I didn’t already know Dallas. I must’ve pissed her off something awful. She could’ve named the dog Johnny, Darry, or even Soda. She might be sweet, but she’s also petty.