Page 168 of The Echo of Forever

Arland’s eyes studied me carefully. I could see the moment something in him softened, his shoulders relaxing slightly. All because I’d treated his teenage son with respect.

“Come by and tell my wife that when you get a chance,” he said, backing away with a shake of his head. “Teenagers are tough.”

The invitation wasn’t lost on me. This was Arland’s way of signaling his approval and welcoming me into the fold. I was gaining a family of my own, little by little.

I continued down the path, the distance to Violet’s place giving me time to consider how much had changed. The compound was bigger than I’d initially realized, with the housesspaced far enough apart to provide privacy. By the time I reached the second curve, I was borderline winded. Clearly, I needed to start running again if I was going to be living here full-time.

As I approached the house at the end of the path, I spotted a woman perched on the porch railing. She had one leg dangling, the other propped up as she leaned against a support beam.

“Hey, cutie,” she called out, her voice carrying a slight timber that added richness to her words.

She tucked one side of her straightened hair behind her ear and hopped down from her perch. As she stepped into the light, I realized she was shorter than me by at least three inches. Maybe five-foot-seven, if that.

“You must be Forever…” she said, eyes scanning me from head to toe.

I took my time looking back, noting the subtle confidence in her stance. Her eyes told the real story; this was a woman who was always ready for whatever shit might come her way.

“And you must be Lucia…”

Her dark skin seemed to glow under the street lights, and her features were surprisingly soft for someone with her reputation.

We stared at each other for a long moment, both of us tilting our heads in different directions, sizing each other up. Then, as if on cue, we smiled simultaneously.

“Violet was right,” she said, crossing her arms. “You’ll fit in with us.”

For whatever reason, I instantly believed we could be friends. There was something about her that felt familiar, though we’d never met before. Maybe it was that we both understood what it meant to operate in worlds where women like us weren’t supposed to exist, let alone thrive.

The screen door opened behind her, and Violet stepped out onto the porch. She looked as unbothered as always, her face revealing nothing as she leaned against the door frame.

“You two done with the mutual admiration society?” she asked, though there was no bite to her words.

Lucia chuckled. “Just making friends. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

I opened my mouth to respond when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, swiping it open after spotting Kai’s name on the screen.

Got a friend you should meet. Tonight only.

I looked up at the two women watching me, an idea forming.

Time and place. I’m bringing company.

“Anybody want to go for a ride?” I asked, tucking my phone away. “I feel like being outside tonight.”

Lucia’s eyes lit up with interest.

“Sounds like trouble,” Violet said flatly, but I caught the slight quirk of her lips.

“Probably,” I agreed. “I gave my brother a task and he just pulled through.”

My phone buzzed again with Kai’s response, and I smiled at the location. He was deep in Fairchild territory, and I wasn’t missing out on that.

The ride to a bar called The Vault took almost thirty minutes. I drove a little recklessly, taking corners too fast and accelerating through yellow lights while Violet sat shotgun and Lucia leaned between the seats, both completely unfazed.

“Do you happen to know where my husband took yours?” I asked Violet, reminding myself to give him a piece of jewelry he isn’t allowed to take off like he’d done to me.

Lucia laughed and leaned back as Violet said.

“Nah, no clue,” she told me with a little smile on her face. “Finn doesn’t want to be here at all, so he’s just along for the ride for my sake.”