Page 103 of Tethered Souls

My whole face burns. “Attentive,” I push out.

“Still going for hours at a time?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’ve still got this. He just needs more time to be sucked in by your charm rather than by your cunt. Maybe start spouting off random, cool facts about yourself while he’s fucking you. Like when people are being held hostage, you know? Start with your name...”

I laugh. “Thanks.”

I can practically hear his smile. “Keep your head up, girl. He’s just another mark, and you always get your mark.”

My throat tightens as my eyes flick away. My hand turns clammy on my phone. “Yeah, just another mark,” I lie. “So how’s the kid doing?”

“He’s talking more. Getting into music. His foster mom says his grades are starting to pick up in school.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah. Hey, look, I have to go,” he says abruptly. “The movie’s about to begin.” That’s our code phrase for ‘target’s just arrived.’

“Hope it’s a good one,” I say.Stay safe.

“Yeah, trailer looked alright.”Nothing complicated about it.

He hangs up, and I stare at my phone for a few minutes, a bad feeling growing in my stomach. It’s been so long since either one of us has worked alone; what if he needs backup?

Shaking my head, I put the key in the ignition. Dayne knows how to look after himself, and besides, I can check in on him given he still has the tattoo I gave him. If anything happens, I’ll know. Reversing out of my parking spot, I head home.

When I get there, I park near the door rather than in the garage where my spot is. As I don’t use my car as often as the boys do theirs, I don’t get a prime location outside. Most everyone is out at the moment though, only Maddox’s car is here, so I’ll move it once I unload all the groceries.

Leaning into the backseat, I pick up one of the two fifty-liter backpacks I took to the store and haul it onto my back. I grab the other one and wear it on my front, then waddle towards the house. Maddox comes out just as I reach the side patio. “Hold the door,” I say.

“Sorry, can’t.”

“Little shit.”

He grins at me, and despite my glare, my lips twitch. Out of all of Varius’ brothers, he’s the one I’ve become the most comfortable with. I like Rudy the best though. He’s way too sweet for this world and reminds me of my little sister even though he’s a part of this lifestyle and I’m hoping she never is outside of just being blood. But Maddox kind of reminds me of Dayne when he was younger and less mature.

As he passes me, he pivots and raises his arms to push down on my bag. I wobble left, my thigh muscles burning, but he gets me anyway. His added weight literally makes my knees buckle, and I take a knee as he laughs.

“You going to help me up?”

“Nope.”

“You ever want a helping of dessert again?”

Sighing loudly, he comes around to stand in front of me, then offers his hands. I grab them, really needing the help with all this weight on, and he hauls me up.

“You not going to say, ‘Thank you?’” he asks, pulling a face that says, ‘Wow.’

“Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.”

My jaw drops as he laughs and turns for the door of the house. He opens it, then bows, one arm out in a flourish. “Considering you were so polite,” he says.

My lips purse, but I bite back my retort. The only way to open the door myself is if I put the bag down, open it, then haul it back up. Squatting with near eighty pounds on my back isn’t very appealing.

So I smile brightly and say, “Thank you,” like a fucking lady.