Page 18 of The MC's Little Brother

“More pizza sounds good.”

I hummed, pulling out the box. “Want me to microwave it, or do you like it cold?”

“Cold.”

I grabbed a slice for myself, since I didn’t want him too nervous to eat. Putting the food on a couple plates, I jerked my chin toward the table and sat across from him, taking a bite without waiting for him. It helped, I think, because he dug in without getting worked up about it.

We ate in silence and it was a little awkward, but not as much as before. It was late, and we were just having a snack. There didn’t need to be a ton of conversation right now. I ripped off a piece of my crust, tossing it to Thor. I knew I shouldn’t, training him not to beg was an ongoing process, but it felt rude not to share.

“How old is he?”

“Four,” I answered with a frown. “Probably. He was found on the street. They didn’t know for sure.”

He nodded, scratching behind Thor’s ear when he came looking for treats from him too. Since I wanted the kid to eat, I handed him the rest of my crust to give him. I wasn’t that hungry anyway.

“We’ve got a lot of shit to do tomorrow. You should get some sleep.” I pushed out of my seat, pausing before I turned toward my room. “Don’t be afraid to come in here for something to eat. I don’t care what time it is.”

“Okay,” he agreed. And once my back was turned, he murmured out a quiet, “Thank you.”

I wokeup early most mornings. It was the easiest time to get a run in before it got too hot. I leashed up Thor and was about to head out before I backtracked. Was a twelve-year-old supposed to be left home alone? Was it a good idea?

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Tank. He was the only Lawson who woke up early without obligation.

“Hey, Wraith. Everything alright?” he said in greeting.

“Yeah. Just wondering if it was a dumb idea to leave him alone. I was gonna go on a run with Thor.”

He hummed thoughtfully before replying. “Normally, I’d say he’d be fine. He’s old enough to be alone for an hour here or there. But the kid has been through hell. Maybe let him know where you’re goin’ first? Just so he doesn’t wake up alone and get worried.”

That made sense, but I felt bad waking him. “He’s still asleep.”

“Leave a note, then. He might not even be awake by the time you get back. Kids like their sleep.”

It was a reasonable compromise, and I was more comfortable with that. I thanked him for his advice and wrote a note, leaving it on the fridge door. He’d see it when it came down to eat something.

Stepping outside, I took a second to breathe in the fresh air. This was my favorite time of day because the world was quiet, the air was cool, and it gave me plenty of time to think. Thor was well-trained and didn't pull on the leash, waiting patiently at my side.

“Come on, buddy. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

He matched my pace easily, which took work to accomplish. He used to pull and yank me in every direction. We had to work up to going running together. We headed through our normal route, stopping at the park long enough for him to do his business. I was headed back home when the bane of the club’s existence slowed beside me.

Fucking pigs. We didn’t do shit to them, but they targeted us anyway. They even tried to pin a fake crime on Butch. The four who were involved with that were supposed to be on admin leave, though, so I slowedto a stop when I noticed the car beside me. The passenger window rolled down and my shoulders relaxed. Officer Hernandez was the most neutral of the cops in town. She didn’t harass us for nothing.

“Hernandez.”

“Ruiz,” she called back. “I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

I gave her a bland look. “Depends on what it is.”

She rolled her eyes, putting her cruiser into park and getting out. “Don’t do that. You sound like a criminal, and I know you aren’t. The question isn’t about your crew.”

I still wasn’t going to commit to something without knowing what it was first, but I relaxed my stance a little, so she knew I wasn’t combative.

“What is it?”

She pulled out her phone, offering it to me. “Do you recognize this logo? We got reports from other precincts to watch out for them. I’ve never seen them around here, but I figured your crew would know better than me.”

I took her offered phone, studying the logo. It wasn’t one I was familiar with. A skull with horns in a helmet with smoke billowing from its mouth. Then again, I didn’t look up other crews unless they were causing trouble for mine. There were thousands in the country. It’d be hell to keep up with.

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