Page 4 of Brick's Retribution

Despite his size, the man moves like a ghost—a skill that makes others think twice when he walks into a room.

He leans against the doorframe. "Heard you were back."

"Not for long."

"Yeah, Amara mentioned. The Torres girl." He watches me organize supplies. "You been sleeping at all?"

I shrug. "Enough."

"Bullshit." He enters the room fully, closing the door behind him. "Look, brother, I know you and Lashes were close?—"

"We're still close," I snap. "Present tense. She's not dead."

Boulder holds up his hands. "That's not what I meant. Christ, you're touchy."

I exhale slowly, reining in my temper. "Sorry. It's been a long few months."

"Which is why you need to stand down, recharge. Let the rest of us carry some of the weight." He crosses his arms over his chest. "Kelsey's been worried about you."

The mention of his ol’ lady brings a slight smile to my face.

"Tell her I'm fine."

His tone makes it clear this isn't a request. "Tell her yourself. She's expecting you for breakfast before you head out tomorrow."

I nod, knowing better than to argue.

Boulder might be my brother in the club, but he's also a fully patched member, while I'm still a prospect—even if I have put a few years in.

His voice grows quiet. "How’s it been out there?"

I stop organizing, my hands gripping the edge of the stainless steel counter. "Cold trails. Dead ends. It's like she vanished into thin air."

"We'll find her."

"Everyone keeps saying that." I turn to face him. "But what if we don't? What if she's?—"

"Don't." Boulder's voice is sharp. "Don't go there. Not until we know for sure."

Unspoken words hang between us: her chances of survival lessen with each passing day.

"Get some sleep," Boulder says finally. "Tomorrow's run is important. More important than Amara's letting on."

That catches my attention. "How so?"

"The Torres-Ramirez connection runs deeper than most know. There's a sacredcompadrerelationship between the families. Alejandro is Imani's godfather. Mateo was made godfather to Amara."

This is news to me. "So, this Mateo guy is close to the Ramirez family in general, if he’s Amara’s godfather too. This isn't just about maintaining our alliance."

"It's family," Boulder confirms. "Family obligations trump everything. Even club business."

Jesus, this is going to be a lot riskier than I thought. "No pressure, then."

He grins, slapping my shoulder. "Just another day in paradise. Now get some fuckin’ sleep before you fall over."

After he leaves, I finish my inventory and head back upstairs to my room.

It's simple—a bed, a dresser, a chair—but it's clean and quiet, and most importantly, it’s mine.

---