Page 50 of Fractured Souls

She gives a hesitant smile and slowly nods. “Right, okay, good. I want Linc there, too. I hope that's okay. It's just that Atlas can be really intense.” I give her a sharp look, and she lets out a humorless laugh. “Right, you know that. Anyways, as long as you continue eating and let me keep up my checks on you health wise, I think you are ready and will be fine to go.”

I nod and smile. “Thank you, Bri, I know this is hard for you, but I really think I need it.” She gives me a shaky nod and returns to cleaning up the broken glass.

I still sometimes get nervous or anxious with things. Or I feel like I am dreaming, and the beating is going to come at any moment for the way I’ve acted since I’ve been here, but the way Bri just put aside all her issues with fighting and me learning to defend myself shows me that she is not like anyone else.

It helps heal a broken part of me that I didn’t realize needed healing. To have faith in people again, that not everyone is going to hurt you. But it also is a reminder that you can’t just trust anyone and have to be wary because they could end up being a Tammy.

ChapterNineteen

Ryker

It's been six weeks since Harley took off, and to say I am pissed is an understatement. I still don’t know what it is about that girl, but she consumes my thoughts. I also have this intense need to wrap her up in a bubble and keep her safe in ways I couldn't keep my mom safe as a kid. So, I decide it's time to take things into my own hands. I've been playing by Noah and Rage’s rules. I've stuck with Stone for weeks, but we've found nothing. Gray works with Nerds, who has been teaching him everything there is to know about tech shit. But they haven't come up with anything on Harley. They’ve just been building more information about Tammy and Richard.

They are trying to make sure the club will be safe when it's time to take them out. I am someone who prefers to have control in all aspects of my life. I trust Noah and Rage with everything in me, but I'm starting to feel out of control. I know there is a real chance that Harley will never come back if she's been through even half of what I think she has, and I don't blame her. But I need to know she is safe, and my patience has run out. Which is why I am currently in my room pretending to sleep waiting for the right moment to sneak off club property.

I’m not stupid. I know they are keeping a close eye on me because this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve lost my shit. Besides when I went into a blind rage and killed my dad, I've lost it a few other times. I'm not proud to say I've hurt people. Not that they haven’t deserved it, but it's the not being fully in control part that really worries me, which is why I try to stay in control of every aspect of my life that I can. It helps keep me a little more centered.

A year ago, Gray was really struggling to find himself, and a part of that was dressing differently. His hair actually used to go to right below his shoulders, but he got it cut a little shorter about six months ago.

Anyways, we were out after school one day with Noah and Cade. We had gone to a diner in town we go to often.

I was already on edge around that time. It was coming up on one year since I had last seen my aunt, which made me testy. I was also constantly getting into trouble at school for stupid shit and had been suspended. Basically, too many little things at once will set me off.

So when we were in the diner, some kids kept making snide comments towards Gray, calling him gay, fag, and lots of other nasty terms. These boys had been known around town to be causing trouble. They were all eighteen and older but were constantly going after younger kids. There were even rumors going around that they had sexually assaulted an underage girl, but no one had proof. The club was going to have Noah go andtalkwith them, but things had been busy.

So that day they wouldn’t leave Gray alone and kept trying to pick a fight with him, which was pointless. Gray was insanely patient and wouldn't have ever given in to them.

But me? Well, I lost my shit. To be honest, I don't remember a lot of it. I can't tell you how it started or how bad it got; I just remember a red haze taking over and it felt like I was someone else altogether. Then I remember being pulled back by Cade and Noah, with Gray standing in front of me trying to get me to calm down.

Then next thing I know, half the club is there. Doc was patching up the boys that looked close to death. I had beaten all four kids by myself. Then marked them with the switchblade Rage had to tear out of my hands. I do not remember doing any of it, but hearing that I wrote the very words they called my brother all over their bodies while listening to them cry out for help was too much. I shut down for a week before I was able to put my facade in place and become the happy, carefree Ryker again.

So that leads me back to now, lying in bed waiting until 2:30 a.m. Usually things go quiet around here then, and I'll be able to sneak out. Luckily my brothers and I like to keep in good shape, so I'll be able to go out my window and down the drainpipe instead of having to go through the clubhouse. It's 2 a.m. now, so just thirty more minutes.

Waiting here is the hardest part. I hate being still for too long. But if I am pacing up here, someone is bound to hear me and to everyone else, including my brothers, I am sleeping right now.

I am so obsessed with Harley. I know it's not healthy, especially since I barely know the girl. But she is perfect and most importantly, she's perfect for me and my brothers. My worst fear is losing my brothers to women. Them going off and getting married or some shit and their wives not wanting me around because I can be a fucking handful.

But Harley? She's fucking perfection. She’s caught all our attention. My brothers like her, I want her, and I want her for my brothers.

I don’t think it's all that weird, especially since none of us are normal, so who gives a shit?

So I am going to head out and go over to Tammy’s and break in. I want to look around, see if I can find Harley's room and any clue as to where she might be.

And it’s time to move.

I get up and throw on some running shoes, then head to climb out the window. I get out and down the drainpipe with no problem. Now to get over the main fence.

To no surprise, the prospect is asleep in the gate house. They are most definitely not supposed to be. I snap a picture and then head towards the gate. Since he's asleep, I can just jump the gate instead of trying to find a place to climb the fence.

I get over it with no problem. I have to walk, which is lame, so instead I turn it into a nice workout and run. Not weird to see a guy running at in the middle of the night, right?Oh well.

We are about five miles from the school, and Tammy's house is another five in the other direction from the school, so it takes me about a little over an hour to get there. My legs burn, but I soak in the pain and burn of running so hard and so long. I love running. It puts me in complete control and lets my mind blank and just enjoy being outside. It’s something both Cade and I love and sometimes do together.

When I finally reach the house, I know I don't have much time now that it's a little after 3:30 a.m. and they will probably start getting up in an hour or two. I head right to the front door and start picking the lock. People make this way too easy. I get in in under five minutes and head towards the stairs. Upstairs, I find Tabby’s room, which she is sleeping in. The master, which Tammy and Richard are both asleep in. Next is another bedroom, one much more masculine and must be Rob’s. Then a full bathroom.

Huh, there isn't another bedroom up here. I head back downstairs and start checking doors, finding a half-bath, laundry room, an office, and then a door to a basement.

The stairs are old and creak really badly, so I have to move carefully. It stinks down here too; it smells like something rotten. When I get to the bottom, I see that the basement isn't much bigger than probably 500 sq ft. The floors are concrete, and the walls are old and cracked. It’s completely empty in here. There is a small hole in the middle of the floor where it looks like maybe a screw was or something, then off the corner there is a door, and inside is a small bathroom. It smells, but there is nothing in here either. I don't think they ever come down here.

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