Page 105 of Jolt's Vengeance

"Small world indeed," I agree.

Da nods slowly, his weathered face creasing with a mix of pride and concern. “Mmm, it's not too shocking. The MC world's smaller than you might think, especially when it comes to allied clubs."

Suddenly, Conrad's eager voice pipes up from the end of the table.

"I wanna be a Reaper!" he exclaims, nearly bouncing in his seat with excitement.

The room falls silent for a moment, and I feel my breath catch in my throat.

I glance at Mum, seeing the flash of worry in her eyes before she masks it with a smile.

Da leans forward, his gaze softening as he looks at his young son. "I'm sure you will, little man," he says, his gruff voice gentler than I've heard it in a long time.

I know Da loves the club, but I also know the toll it's taken on him over the years.

The thought of Conrad following that same path sends a shiver down my spine.

It’s hard to imagine my little brother dealing with all the same dangers Da and my boyfriend do.

"You've got plenty of time to decide what you want to be, sweetheart," I say, trying to keep my voice light. "Maybe you'll want to be a doctor or a teacher instead."

Conrad shakes his head vigorously. "Nuh-uh! I'm gonna be just like Da!"

I feel Jolt shift beside me, and when he speaks, his voice is low and thoughtful. "Being a Reaper is a big responsibility, little man. Your da's one of the best, but it takes a lot of work and dedication."

I squeeze Jolt's hand under the table, grateful for his attempt to temper Conrad's enthusiasm without shutting it down completely.

It's a delicate balance, one I'm still learning to navigate myself.

But Con’s only six, and he’s got plenty of time to make up his mind.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jolt

The leather couch creaks as I shift my weight, the sound muffled by the distant thrum of Christmas music seeping through the closed door.

My brother, Vader, sits beside me, his massive frame dwarfing mine even though I consider myself to be a muscular bastard.

The dim light of the side room casts shadows across his face, highlighting the scars etched into his skin—a roadmap of the life we've chosen.

"Remember when we used to sneak beers from Dad's stash and hide out in the treehouse?" I ask, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Thought we were such badasses."

Vader chuckles, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. "Yeah, until you puked all over yourself and Mom grounded us for a month."

"Hey, I was thirteen! Cut me some slack." I punch his shoulder playfully, my knuckles connecting with solid muscle.

It's surreal, sitting here with my big brother after so much time apart.

The years have changed us both, hardened us in ways I never could have imagined back when we were just two punk kids dreaming of adventure.

Now here we are, both living a life weighed down by responsibility.

"So," Vader drawls, fixing me with that penetrating stare of his. "You gonna tell me what's really goin' on with you and that little firecracker out there?"

I snort, shaking my head. "Aggie? Man, I don't even know where to start."

He raises an eyebrow, waiting. "How about the beginning?"

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