Page 8 of Steal

"Can't we just kill the fucker?" Art suggests suddenly and I blink, looking toward him as Dad shakes his head.

"No, Art, he's got friends high up so we can't make him vanish just yet, but we can make sure he barely touches Elijah now that Oliver is out of that house."

Ollie looks at Dad sharply and snaps, "I'm not out of that house. I declined college just so I don't leave Eli alone."

Fuck, I knew he'd struggle with that.

Dad nods. "I know, but Canine and I have managed to get you onto a business course so you can take over at the Huntsmen Grub." He holds his hand out, and a prospect hands him a cut as he says, "We brothers all had a vote, and several of us actually argued who got to sponsor you, and of course, Steal won, but we want you part of the club."

His mouth parts in shock, and I grin to hide my concern over my girl and say, "You have to do a year of grunt work, but you will be paid, and once the officers think you're ready, and believe you've gained the club's full trust, you'll become a brother. I have every faith in you, Oliver, and as soon as you've done a few years of being a brother and getting your degree, I’ll be making you my road captain because you're good with roads, and you know you are."

He eyes the cut and rasps, "But I tried to burn you, Hammer."

The brothers chuckle, and Dad grins. "Showing just how far you'd go for your brother is the kind of loyalty we look for."

Ollie, now officially Acid, takes the cut carefully and smiles as I look toward the door for the hundredth time.

Anchor speaks, making me look at him. "Put the cut on, prospect." Acid grins. "It'll be good to get payback for all the times you kicked the shit out of me in the ring."

Acid snorts, then looks at Dad and promises, "I won't let you down."

I announce, "Well, this has to be a cause for a celebration."

Acid grins and then reminds me, "Okay, first, it's only a prospect cut, I need to prove myself, and secondly, don't you have a certain redhead to go see?"

I grin to hide my concern over my girl and return, "Every brother here knows you'll pass the next year with flying colors because of your honor, and you accepting it was something we believe you'd fight us on, and Cass said she'll meet me here."

Well, she better fucking meet me here, or I'm going to find her and throw her over my shoulder. I won't allow Faith to tear us apart.

Acid opens his mouth to speak, but his phone goes off, and I groan, "Ah, come on, we're supposed to be celebrating."

This causes him to snort and state, "It could be my brother."

I sigh but nod, my eyes going to the door again until Acid murmurs, "It's Cass."

I look at him sharply and demand, "Why in the fuck is she calling you?" not able to hide the jealousy in my voice. I get it, I fucked up because she knows Faith is still fucking family, and until my girl is wearing my cut, I need to put family fucking first, but if she has a problem, she should be calling me.

Acid shakes his head and answers his phone, but before he can say anything, sobs can be heard from the receiver, and I tense.

Acid quickly puts his phone on speaker and demands, "Cass, what's wrong? What's happened?"

She cries harder, and Dad quickly grips my shoulder as I take a step forward, fear overriding me.

"Cass, take a deep breath, talk to me…. Is it Perrie? Is she okay?" he asks calmly, proving what a good brother he'll make, all while I eye the phone, wanting to snatch it out of his palm.

I hear her try to take deep breaths before she croaks, "She's gone, Perrie’s gone, and I-I…oh God."

Her sobs echo in the room, and I fist my hands, needing to jump into that phone, to hold her close.

"What do you mean she's gone, Cass?" Acid demands.

"D-ad h-he," she cries, "he's dead." I suck in a breath in shock. "He-he had a-a heart attack at the gym, P-Perrie was there and tried to-to do CPR, but they-they lost him in the ambulance."

Oh fuck, fuck, fuck no! I was supposed to take her to the gym….

"I-I, when the doctors confirmed the death, she ran, Ollie, and-and I-I, Mom collapsed, and the doctors need forms filled out, but Perrie's gone, and I don't?—"

Acid cuts into her ramblings and rasps, "I'll go find her, Cass." He makes eye contact with me as Cassidy's sobs harden, full of despair, and he offers, "I'll go find Perrie. I have an idea where she is. Steal will come to you. Which hospital are you at?"

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