Page 77 of Unmasked Anarchy

None of us knew this.

Knox had an old lady that died?How?When?What happened?

Mera looks to us, her face twisted in confusion.“Wolfe has never mentioned that.”

Before we can say anything more, Knox walks out.His eyes scan over us, settling on Callie, but there is no recognition there.He doesn’t know her.

“Knox,” Mera says, her eyes locking onto him.“This is Callie, your old lady’s cousin.”

Her tone is tight and when the words come out, Knox flinches and his eyes dart to Callie, who is staring at him in some kind of shock, like he was not what she was expecting at all.The two of them stand there, staring, and I wonder what the hell is about to go down.

“You don’t know me,” Callie says, her voice careful.“But I’m here to tie up some loose ends with the family farm.I wanted to let you know I was in town.”

Knox doesn’t speak.

He just stares at her.

We all stand, waiting.

“Get the fuck out,” he growls, and with that, walks away.

Not another word spoken.

What the hell.

All of our eyes swing to Callie and she is watching him go, her mouth slightly open.Then, she turns to us.“Well, isn’t he just a ray of fucking sunshine.I guess I have that to look forward to.”

Mera snorts, and Callie smiles.

I think she is going to be fun.

Mera and Nia walk her out, and I stand, watching them go.Kael comes outside onto the porch, draping an arm over my shoulder.“What’s the show?”

“That is Knox’s dead old lady’s cousin...”

Kael flinches and looks at them walking out.“Fuck.”

“I’m guessing that is a story you don’t share often?”

“Not my place baby, but I’m sure it’ll all come out if her family are in town.”

That sounds interesting.

“You talk to Gage?”Kael finally asks.

“Yeah.He agreed.I think it should be okay.”

“Fucker won’t get a choice.Nobody touches my family.He follows the rules, or he’s out.”

I laugh and lean into Kael, feeling more at home than I ever had in my old life, in my old skin.The world is still a mess, full of blood and bad plans and people who keep trying to hurt us.But on this porch, in this moment, I trust that it’ll be okay.

Kael presses a kiss to my forehead.“So, you gonna let me name the kid?”

I laugh, a burst of noise echoing through the lot.“Absolutely fucking not.”

He grins, and finally, the world is right again.