Page 100 of The Souls We Claim

“The house is secured,” Avery announces. “Should we walk around the…what’s the ‘b’ word for the edges?”

“Boundaries?” Catalina asks.

“Yes. The boundaries. Uncle Colton always walks around the boundaries when I sleep over.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Doesn’t it worry you, that Avery knows about checking boundaries so young?” I ask.

Vi shakes her head and leans close, keeping her voice low. “Niro and Cat are good with her. They talk about it in terms she can understand. That we don’t trust strangers. That you are safe in your own home. Good common sense. Not the real fear, that they are Outlaws, and the life is dangerous.”

“There’s a lot of help between us, Ari,” Rae says. “I’m just going to add you to our old lady group chat. What’s your number?”

I shake my head. “I’m not an old lady though.”

“Yet,” Vi says. “I’ve seen the way Halo looks at you. He’s changed. In a good way.”

Catalina walks over. “Plus, if you and him break up, we’ll just delete you from the chat.”

Rae is the first to burst out laughing. I follow.

And that’s how the rest of our sleepover goes.

Enjoying life, even though I’m locked in here for my own safety.

30

HALO

Aweek later, I’m wrapped up in Arianne, our legs entangled, and I’m fucking exhausted. We went on the first run, which led to intel which required a longer run. Knowing who my brother really is has given us a trail. But every lead we pick at is a dead end in finding Daryll West.

We know so much more about him now though. Beyond his real name and place of birth, we know he was adopted after his mother died. Seems my dad slept with a woman who OD’d when he was seven months old. There’s a sealed file in his juvenile record that Vex can’t seem to crack yet. We know he bounced around, not living with any family for more than two years.

While I don’t agree with his course of action, I can understand why he feels so disenfranchised by the whole system.

I got home at three this morning after a six-day run to Texas. Two solid days of driving there, two days of trying to find him. Two days of violence and bloodshed that led nowhere. The two days straight to ride home.

We can’t take the fight all the way to Texas every week. King called three other chapter presidents and they’ve started to build a plan to take out the Brotherhood infrastructure down there.

Catalina moved in here with the girls while I was away. Four of the old timers set up a two-person patrol of the exterior.

But I feel like we’re sitting ducks, waiting for him to decide he can strike in New Jersey.

The blessing was the end of the trip. To shower the road off, then climb into bed with Ari. She barely woke. Just curled up against me and let me hold her as my body ached from twenty-four hours over two days on the bike.

So, when there’s a loud knock on the front door, I’m pissed.

I had plans to wake Ari slowly, then use some of the toys I picked up in a sex shop on the drive home. Some anal beads and three butt plugs of varying sizes. Given how tight she is, we’re going to need to work her up to taking me.

“Fuck,” I grumble, reaching for my phone. It’s eight in the morning. Too fucking early for company.

“I can get it,” Arianne says, patting my chest.

As she rises and pulls on one of my hoodies, I check the cameras. “Not sure I want the world to see you dressed like that,” I say.

Arianne blushes. “I’m sure whoever it is won’t even notice.”

“Shit. It’s the cops.” I jump out of bed, pull on my jeans and boots. I’m not meeting them half-dressed. I pull on a T-shirt and slide my legal weapon in the back of my jeans. “If they take me for any reason, call Rae and tell her to ask King to call the club lawyer for me, yeah?”