Page 160 of Frisco

“Not fucking yell at her, how about that?”

I tensed because someone had overheard.

And I tensed even more recognizing Claudia’s voice, but I was going over what he just said. He gave nothing away. She wouldn’t know any details, but the guilt I was feeling at not telling my sister? A black hole opened in my stomach and it was swirling and it was angry and it wanted to eat my soul out of me.

Was this how Shane felt?

I reached back, not intending to, but once I touched him, I couldn’t pull my hand away either. “It’s fine, Claudia.”

“My right buttocks, it’s fine. He’s yelling at you about our brother. First, what the fuck are you talking about and second, DON’T YELL AT MY SISTER, YOU BIG FUCKING ASS–” she cut off with a gasped cry, but then began yelling again, “Put me down! Marshall. What are you doing? That’s my sister…” She trailed off when he put her down, but he shoved a helmet over her head, lifted her onto the back of his bike, and a second later, he was in front of her and they were leaving.

“Yep. She’s all woman, that’s for sure.”

A few of the other guys had migrated over. That was Corvette.

Roadie laughed. “They’re going the wrong way.”

“No.” Shane moved in behind me, his hand coming to my waist. I didn’t want to, but I felt more centered at his touch, at feeling him at my back. He added over my head, “He’s not. He’s taking her home.”

I leaned back into him.

His arm curled around my waist, his hand splaying out over my stomach.

“Get on your bikes. It’s time to go.”

He sounded so tired when he said it, and my heart was aching.

But I moved forward because I had every intention of being there when they took Marco Estrada down.

I didn’t call, but I texted.

Me: Dad, I love you. I’m proud to be your daughter. I’m proud of who you are as a man and a father. You are the best person I know in my life.

Me: I just wanted to tell you that.

Me: I really love you, Dad.

Me: I gotta turn my phone off. I hope you’re not breaking a hip with the Old Gents.

Me: If you are, call your doc.

53

KALI

I wasn’t privy to their plan, but I stayed back and I watched. When I left his bike and followed behind the large portion of guys, he hadn’t argued. He wasn’t going to fight me on a lot, I realized. Maybe it was guilt? Maybe it was because I needed to see this through, considering what it was going to take away from me. I didn’t know.

I didn’t care.

None of the guys said a word either, and I glimpsed a few with pity in their eyes so they all knew.

All of them. It hit me then, really hit me.

This had been a plan for a long time. They all knew. They knew when they came to Friendly, Indiana in the first place. Roadie knew when he was fucking my sister. He knew when he cheated on her.

Machete knew when he ‘took over’ with my sister.

Shane knew when I showed up, following him.

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