Page 136 of Lost
HOLLIS
Gazing up at the house I grew up in, I wince as I see my parents waiting for me at the door. They aren’t typically doting people, I don’t know what’s come over them.
My guard is beside me and Briar drove us here. I’m glad Cian decided that they made better people than fertilizer. He’s a bit of a hot head which is no surprise, but he attempts to be fair as well.
The alpha in question gets out of his chauffeured vehicle, and I smile as I see that my grandparents drove with him. Evan has a careful eye on them both as he helps them out of the vehicle, while still giving them full autonomy. It’s clear that he is used to being around older people.
“Ready Hollis?” Briar asks, her gaze on the car next to us.
“As I’ll ever be,” I grumble.
As Briar gets out to open the door for me, Trevor glances at me.
“I know these are your parents, but do you want me to come with you?” he asks nervously.
“This visit should be more awkward than dangerous,” I sigh. “I’m fully armed just the same though. Even without my favorite blade.”
“Fucking Emilia,” he sighs sympathetically as I smirk.
My thoughts exactly. I spent some time when I got home hacking into the FBI’s computer network, and found that they’llbe arresting several omegas from the newly dismantled ROWS, including Alyssa Lauren.
They found very suspicious texts with a known motorcycle club president about a “human inventory” shipment that needed to go out soon. I’m somehow unsurprised that Gwen’s mother is involved in human and omega trafficking.
I just feel bad for Gwen, yet incredibly proud that she took the initiative to go through with her article. It’s supposed to be printed in Monday’s edition of the Minneapolis Herold, and I definitely plan to get my own copy. Fuck, I may even have it framed.
Revenge is sweet, even if Emilia got away. Trash has a way of floating back up. While I’m worried about what her next move is, I know it won’t be a legal one. No, Emilia is going to retreat into the underbelly of society.
That’s not scary at all.
Getting out of the car, I smooth out my pencil skirt of any wrinkles, real or imagined. While I hate being here and believe this visit will get ugly, my hands are free of tremors.
Leaving Briar and Trevor behind, I nod in greeting to the small group that I consider family, even if one isn’t blood related at all.
“Good morning, Hollis,” Cian says, pulling my arm through his to help me walk along the driveway up to the house.
“Good morning everyone,” I murmur. My hair is curled, and I have a headband that’s currently hiding a blade in its curve. I also have a gun at my thigh, and another knife hidden in my cleavage. It’s kind of sad that I’m loaded for bear to see my own parents.
“The children are being extra today, I see,” my grandfather muses, referring to my parents.
My lips twitch as I nod.
“Remember, Hollis, no matter what your mother says, you look lovely today,” my grandmother says quickly before we get into my mother’s ear shot.
I hate to say it, but I’ll probably need that reminder. Annabelle Edwards has been fat shaming me since I was a preteen. I have curves, but I am not at all what I’d consider “fat.”
“You have my anxiety spiking with your insistence for this visit,” my mother says coolly. “Please, come in.”
“Good morning, Annabelle,” Cian says congenially, helping me up the icy steps. I don’t know why my parents didn’t see fit to ensure they’d be safe. “Let me salt these before you try to help Aine up them, Kevin.”
My grandfather hisses as my heel slips, but I manage to make it up. I raise my brow at my father, and he sighs as he walks back inside. My mother drags me inside the house while my dad makes the steps safe for my grandparents, while I hold in a sigh.
“Miss,” the butler says, and I smile at Reggie as I take off my coat and hand it to him. “It’s nice to see you.”
“It’s nice to see you as well,” I say. While I hate this house, he’s been working for my parents since I was ten. Before that, his father worked for them.
“Hollis, what are you wearing?” my mother asks, aghast as her gaze scathingly glares at my outfit.
Truthfully, there’s nothing wrong with it. Along with the lavender checkered skirt and flesh colored fleece tights, I’m wearing a long sleeved scooped neck lavender sweater and earrings. My pack wanted to drag me back to my nest to play secretary, so maybe it’s a little sexy?
