Page 35 of Fractured Souls

I nod and drop my head on the counter, knowing the next few weeks will be hell.

Blade wakes up a while later and says he's glad Rage filled us in. We help him up to his room and I check over his face making sure he doesn't need his nose set or anything cleaned up, but he's good. One thing about always wearing rings is that my hits tend to leave nasty marks on people.Oops? I mean, not really. I guess I kind of feel bad right now, but he'll live.

Blade stares me down. “Brother, you royally fucked up. I won't be able to beat your ass because I'm hurt, but you'll be spending the next two weeks doing all the shit I tell you to. I'm not your brother and guardian, Noah, the next two weeks. I'm Blade, the SOS’s enforcer and you, Ryker Anderson, are my bitch.”

Shit fuck shit. I really am not liking my decisions right now. A lot of the time I couldn’t care less, but I know he isn't going to go easy on me.

Grayson clears his throat. “So, what are we going to do about Harley? Where is she even going?”

Seriously! Where the fuck would she be going? It makes no sense.

Before I can say anything, Cade speaks…Shit, that's just getting weird to hear.“Ran away?”

Noah nods. “Yeah, that's my guess, especially with how she reacted to me. She doesn't even know me and acted like I might take her or something. She definitely didn't want to be seen.”

I feel myself getting angry with Harley when I know I shouldn’t be. “Why run? We can help with whatever is happening! Why the fuck would she run?” I angrily spit out. Noah raises a brow at me like I am an idiot, so I sigh and take a breath. “Okay, I know that isn't something she knows, though. Sorry, I’m just angry and worried. What if something happens to her?”

Noah nods in understanding. “I get it, brother. We have church tonight, so we will discuss everything, but tomorrow I'll have Nerds excuse you guys and pair you up with a member to go search. If she did run away, though, something is happening at home, and we need to be careful we don't lead those people right back to her. Especially with finding out the kind of business the Wilsons run, we have no idea how involved Harley is or if maybe… maybe they were planning to sell her. We have to tread carefully.”

Shit. I didn't even think of that. That enrages me and makes my blood boil. I need to burn off this anger before I end up doing something stupid again.

“Gray, go work with Nerds. He's going to try and track her and keep an eye on Richard and Tammy. Cade, Axe is going to go try to plant some trackers on them. You can go with him; he's already expecting you. Ryker.” He gets a smug look on his face. “I need to rest, so for tonight, go find Rage and stick with him. Do whatever he says. If he even has one complaint about you tomorrow, I’ll add another week.”

Fuck me. I think I'd much rather take a beating, honestly.

I nod, and then we all leave so Blade can rest. Cade smirks at me in the hall. “Fucking stupid.” He shakes his head.

My jaw drops. It fucking drops. I can't believe this shit! He decides to talk again, and he automatically is coming for me? Grayson bursts out laughing at that, so I turn to him and glare.

“As if you two were better. You were just as pissed coming in here today. I just happened to throw a punch first. Impulse control, you know.” I shrug. “You should be thanking me for taking this shit on for you guys.”

They look at each other, and then Cade laughs. Full-blown fucking laughs. I haven't heard him laugh in fucking years. I'm trying not to show my shock, but it's really fucking hard.

Cade looks at my face, then laughs even harder and wheezes out, “Brother, you don't even know what impulse control means. It's something Gray and I have that you lack. We wouldn't have hit him, fucking dumbass. And stop looking at me like I just killed a puppy. I wouldn't do that. But I might kill you one day.” He then puts his normal stoic face back on and walks away.

Gray snickers and walks away as well while I stand there frozen.

I don't know what's happening but shit, if shit keeps shocking me, they will have to lock me away with the other crazies.Fuck, maybe they should anyways. They’d understand me more than these assholes.

ChapterFourteen

Day 1

Harley

Ididn’t realize that taking the bus would make this trip so much longer, but I guess with constant stops that makes sense. I'm guessing it's been about three hours. I really need to buy a cheap watch when I get there so I can keep track of the time. I think this will take most of the day to get there, so the first thing I need to do is find a motel. I’m worried that they won't let me get one because I'm a kid.

I take a couple of deep breaths. One thing at a time, Harley.

I am completely on my own, so there is no breaking down. I can't stop and grieve everything I'm feeling. I can't stop to think how absolutely fucking terrified I am right now. I have to stay on track and keep myself focused to keep myself safe.

I didn't run away from hell to end up dead or in another hell just because I can't keep my shit together.

The bus comes to a stop at a gas station to refuel, so I have a few minutes to run inside and see if they have a map I can buy. I find one easily, and I also happen to find a cheap watch for $5. I ask the clerk for the time so I can set it, then head out to the bus again. Looking over the map, I see we still have a ways to go. We are currently in Wilson, North Carolina, so not even in Virginia yet.

That makes me anxious. I just want to be out of North Carolina already.

A little while later, we are crossing the Chowan River on Edenhouse Bridge. We are getting close to the border of Virginia, and as much as I am terrified of what awaits me, I am so ready to be farther away from Tammy and Richard. I'm terrified they are going to come after me, but I just have to hope they don't find me and I don't get caught.

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