Page 19 of Always Salty

“True,” Atlas narrowed his eyes at me. “What are you doing here?”

“Walking. Can’t sleep. Found your kid in that lot over there.” I pointed to the lot beside Quinn’s place.

“Fuck,” Atlas sighed. “Thanks, man, appreciate it.”

I jerked up my chin and headed back the way I’d come.

I took the faster route back to my place, and as I did, I thought about all the things I had to do tomorrow, first of which was meeting my brother for lunch with a few of the men he called “The Seven.”

Personally, I didn’t like any of them, not even the one Shasha considered his closest friend, Cayden McCloud.

All of them struck me as arrogant pricks who thought they controlled the world.

Truthfully, my brother struck me as that sometimes.

But that was quite possibly because I didn’t like anyone, not even my own family at times.

My social battery was finite.

My family, however, didn’t care if my social battery was full or not. They’d bug the absolute shit out of me if I didn’t participate in the family the way they wanted—which was all the fuckin’ time.

There were days, however, that I craved living in a place that was far, far away from anyone and everyone. A place in the middle of the woods where the closest neighbor was twenty miles away.

I craved being able to live in a place that didn’t have the ability to have my sister in my house at three o’clock in the morning when I came home.

“Where have you been?” Nastya asked, yawning widely.

“Walking,” I said as I stared at my nephew in her arms. “What are y’all doing up?”

Nastya yawned again. “Nate has a little cold, and he needs to be vertical to sleep.” She yawned again.

I walked over and took Nate from her arms, turning the little guy to face me.

Nate had eye crusties over his eyes, and his nose had dried snot on it.

“I’ve wiped those down so much that his little nose is raw,” Nastya admitted. “I’m at the point where I’m wondering if it’d be better for him to leave them there.”

“I’ll get them cleaned,” I said. “Go home.”

Nastya raised a brow at me. “What?”

“Go home,” I repeated.

She bit her lip.

“Now,” I grumbled. “We’re gonna try to catch a couple of hours of sleep.”

“How…”

“Go,” I repeated.

I walked her out and watched as she crossed the lawns to her place.

I glanced at the other house that was between Nastya’s and mine and saw that Cutter, Milena’s new husband, was there getting ready to go for a run.

“What time are y’all leaving?” I asked.

“Dropping her off as soon as I finish this run.” His eyes gleamed. “Then I’m riding out.”

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