Page 189 of Outlaws of Tulsa

Halo lets a snort out.

“What?” I demand, frowning at him.

“Nothin’, Stormy.”

Oh, it’s something. First Koyn and Filter. Now Halo. Those motherfuckers are up to something and I can tell I’m going to be pissed about it.

Ignoring him, I turn to Erin again. “Copper’s place is secluded like this and huge. He’s got a couple of dogs—”

“Dogs?” Her face wrinkles in confusion, the first real Erin expression I’ve seen since before she disappeared.

“Hansel and Gretel. Dobermans.”

Her eyes widen a bit. “You’re terrified of dogs. Like deathly.”

“I still am,” I grumble. “But Hansel and Gretel are my babies. They’re loving and protective. Since we’ve been here, Copper’s ex-wife Krista has been keeping them for us. I miss them.”

Erin was always a huge dog lover and it was something she could hardly understand about me when she discovered I wasn’t.

“I could use a change of scenery,” she finally concedes. “I can’t promise how long I’ll stay, though.”

It’s enough.

More than enough.

This small breakthrough means there’s hope for my friend coming back to me. Sure, she’s changed and broken, but with time she’ll be healed. She’ll need a friend to see her through the hard times. I absolutely want to be that friend.

“Bermuda’s cooking supper now. I swear to God, that boy needs his own cooking show. Shirtless Souffles we could call it,” I tease as I stand up. “You should go see if he needs any help. Your ass probably still burns macaroni and cheese. You could use a few lessons before I take you home with me.”

She smirks and shoots me the bird. “Fuck off,Stormy.”

It feels right hearing the nickname from her lips. As much as my siblings still call me Brenda, I’m not her anymore.

I’m Stormy.

Copper’s ol’ lady.

A fighter.

I’m shocked when she stands up too, setting her mug down on the table. She shoves her feet into the new shoes Hadley bought her. Since everyone arrived with the clothes on theirbacks, Hadley dragged Koyn with her on a necessary shopping spree. I bet seeing adorable, young Hadley at Target with mean-ass, ugly Koyn and their precious baby in his arms was a sight to see.

I blow Halo a kiss of thanks before slipping out the clubhouse door on a mission back to Copper to get to the bottom of all the secret smirks and weirdness going on between these bikers. They seem to forget I was a federal agent of the FBI. Nothing gets past me. Fuckers.

I’m almost to the garage when Nees and Bizzy approach me.

“We’ve come to relieve Halo,” Nees says, his chest puffed out like a damn rooster.

“No need.” I walk up to him and pat his chest. “What’s with the goofy face?”

Bizzy cackles. “So fuckin’ goofy.”

“Screw you, fuckface,” Nees grumbles. “You don’t get to be a dick anymore.”

I slide my palm away, gasping to see that the prospect patch is gone on his cut and is replaced by one that says member. “Nees!” I squeal out in delight. “Congratulations!”

“Koyn thought I proved myself with the rescue mission,” Nees brags. “Patched in earlier.”

“Is that all that happened?” Halo asks when he and Erin walk past us.

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