Page 94 of Where We Ended

Brooks and Red had invited me into their home, nearly twice a week for dinner. It opened up our relationship in such a way that they quickly became like pseudo parents I never had. Even as special as Sasha was to me, she never treated me the way these two did. Brooks would teach me how to work on bikes in the garage and ask me to be his helper. He showed me his old Harley that had been in an accident a few years prior; he was working to restore it every time he had a chance.

It allowed me to get to know Hamish, and a man named Harris, and Pops. Killian would stop in and check on us. Wes too. Wes seemed empty inside. Like his eyes were there but not, his soul vacant and searching for something that once belonged there but had left. It made me wonder about Simon’s daughter. I noticed he was gone quite a bit too, often on road trips that no one seemed to talk about, so I didn’t ask. Although, I once heard Killian joking about how he needed to stop going to DC.

I wondered if that was where the missing Stone daughter had gone.

Mostly, I stuck to myself. Fostering my new life and trying to thrive in the new place I’d been forced to grow.

I tried to ignore the ache in my chest where Silas had always been.

Being with Brooks and Red helped. Especially when we did game night, and Brooks wanted to try his hand at charades, which is what had Red and me laughing so hard that we couldn’t breathe.

He’d attempted impersonating a tree, but the way he’d stood there and waved his arms around, while making the sound of the wind, was just enough to push us over the edge.

“You two aren’t any fun to play with, you always laugh at me.” Brooks huffed, stalking off toward the kitchen.

I was still giggling when Red let out a sigh.

“You seem happier than you were a few months back, and I’m glad for it. You’ve brought sunshine into our lives, sweetheart.”

My gaze slid up to hers and found her watching me with affection. The reminder of sunshine made something prickle in my chest. An ache. I pushed it down while getting up and walking to the kitchen.

“Well, you two make me happy.”

Brooks came back out, spearing a piece of pie with his fork. “Well, we certainly should, we’re the happiest people you’ll ever meet.”

Red came up behind him and swatted his arm. But he was right.

They were the happiest people I’d ever met, and I felt, for the first time in my life, that feeling happy could extend further to just being with Silas.

TWENTY-FOUR

SILAS

PRESENT DAY

It was two in the morning before Natty stopped moving every time I tried to slip my arm out from under her. She had a shattered heart, and all I wanted to do was stay here and help hold her together. But the Stone Riders who went after Fable didn’t catch him, and now that I knew how he had gotten inside, I needed to find him.

The only person who I had at my disposal that I could interrogate was Alec, which meant I needed to leave Natty in bed. I ensured my men were still watching over her as I exited the room. They were on high alert because of Fable slipping through, although Killian had patrols monitoring the entire property now. I still wanted a man below her window, at the back door, the front and outside her door.

It was dark as I slipped through the halls and outside. The stars weren’t out, leaving the sky dark and the breeze cold as I swiftly made my way to the outlier garage where they were keeping my brother.

I entered through the side door, seeing there were three Stone Riders watching over him. This club had a less obvious location for holding prisoners, near the border of their property. I knew this because I’d used it to interrogate Luke Holloway when he started this bullshit war with my father, his dad, and Jefferson Quinn. I assumed they weren’t using it currently, simply because of Rachel returning, and then what happened tonight with Red and Brooks.

Alec was cuffed to a lead pipe that connected under a few rows of concrete. He was slumped against the wall, his ass resting against the floor while his leg was kicked out in front of him.

The guards saw me and paused.

“Not asking you to leave him unguarded but give us some space to talk.”

They glanced at each other and wandered over to the corner of the garage where they lit up two cigarettes and turned on a game, illuminating that darker corner with the light from the television screen.

Alec’s gaze tracked my movements as I pulled up a chair and sat in front of him, leaning forward with my forearms on my knees.

“What’s your angle with this?”

Alec’s lip curled as he pulled his leg back, bending his knee.

“Angle?”

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