Page 43 of Thunder

"Rook, it's Thunder. Listen, we've got someone new joining the Steel Reapers—Owen. You have any objections?"

There's a brief pause on the other end before he replies, simply, "No."

"Great," I continue. "We're having an induction party for him at Reid's Repairs later. You in?"

"Will I have to pretend to like people?”

"Unfortunately, yes," I reply with a chuckle. “It’s a party.”

"Then no," Rook says flatly.

“You sure? It should be a good time.”

“Let me ask you something: is Eileen doing okay? And, if she is, is she chatty or is she mostly silent?”

“She’s alive, awake sometimes, but mostly she sleeps.”

"Perfect. You enjoy the party. I'll take the next guard shift watching over Eileen instead."

"Alright, man," I concede. "Take care of her. We'll catch up later."

He hangs up without saying goodbye.

Typical Rook.

* * * * *

The atmosphere at Reid's Repairs is a stark contrast to the dim, sterile environment of the hospital room we've left behind. Here, warmth radiates from every corner, chased by the mouthwatering scent of barbecue and the rich sounds of music blasting from a large stereo system.

Bullet, Maddy, Eliza, Natalie, Owen, and I fill the space, all of us drinking, eating, and enjoying each other's company. Laughter ripples the air as we share stories, most of them coming from Owen and Natalie, who are both overflowing with stories about their grandfather; we share, tease one another, and celebrate the newest addition to our family.

"Hey, Owen," Bullet calls out, clapping him on the back. "You ready to ride with the big boys now?"

"Born ready," Owen replies, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “Hope you can keep up once I get my bike on the road. Because I sure as shit won’t slow down just so your lazy ass can keep up.”

"Good," I say, grinning. "Because we're definitely going to put you through your paces. There will be hazing. Serious hazing."

"Bring it on," he challenges, raising his beer at me and laughing. “Because I figured you would say that. I bet you’ve just been waiting for an excuse to spank me, Thunder.”

“He has,” Bullet says, winking at me. “Thunder called me right after he returned your grandmother’s car. He said he could not stop thinking about how good you looked in your jeans, Striker. The way he described your ass, fuck, it was like he had x-ray vision or something.”

"Here's to our newest member," I announce, lifting my drink and cutting off the talk about my non-existent obsession with Owen’s ass. Which, I’ll admit, is a pretty good ass; he takes care of himself and doesn’t skip leg day at the gym. "To Owen—may you ride fast and free with the Steel Reapers."

"Cheers!" everyone echoes, clinking their glasses together before taking big swigs.

As the party continues, I find myself lost in thought, reflecting on everything that's transpired recently. Despite the happiness and camaraderie surrounding me, there's an undeniable void—one that can only be filled by Lia's presence.

"Marcus," Bullet says, snapping me out of my reverie. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about how amazing this all is, having Owen join us, growing our family. But there's someone I wish could be here with us."

"Who?" Natalie asks, curiosity lighting up her face.

“Thunder, do you have a new girl to pester? Because Carol told me all about the other night,” Eliza says, smiling.

"Whoever it is, call her," Owen says. "Invite her to join us."

Still, I hesitate. No one here knows about my connection to Lia, but everyone knows about her connection to the development project that’s about to rip our town apart.

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