Page 66 of Fractured Souls

“You know, I thought I was the one who didn’t like to fucking talk around here. It only really worked because you don’t know how to shut the fuck up a lot of the time.”

I stare at him, shocked and slightly offended… even if it's true.

He scoffs, “Don’t look at me like that. I can talk if I want to. I just chose not to. One thing that does is allow me to observe in a way other people can’t. And you, Ryker, I have observed and come to a conclusion about.”

I raise a brow and cross my arms. “What might that be, brother?” I snap at him.

“That you are being the biggest fucking idiot I have ever met. You may be slightly unhinged and probably need some kind of fucking help because of the shit you have gone through, but you aren’t stupid. So why are you acting like it?”

I straighten my back, feeling my anger rising. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

He flashes a downright evil smile. “You. I am talking about you. After your punishment of being in the cell, you went quiet on everyone. I didn’t like that they did that. I fucking hated every second you were down there. But do I get it? Yes. You fucked up. And you knew when you were planning and leaving here that you were about to fuck up. Man up and deal with the consequences that come with the decision you made.

“I heard them talking after they left you down there. They all hated it, but the only other option was for you to leave the club when you turned eighteen. And believe it or not, you do have a fucking family here. These people want to help you. They aren’t your dad. They are not trying to manipulate you or lying to you at every turn. You have to trust them in order for them to ever trust you.”

I just stare at him. Cade is my brother. Blood or not, I would die for him. We may have a weird dynamic around here, but one thing I have learned is that I can always, always trust Cayden and Grayson.

He hasn’t said this much in years. Cade used to talk more. Still not even this much, though. I just stand here, staring. Processing everything he said.

He wouldn't take the time to actually talk and say those things to me if he didn't fully believe them himself.

Family.

Help…me.

I have to trust them…

Fuck, I get it. It feels like Cade just punched through a wall I have been building up and then when Harley came around, that wall built higher, but higher around my… my family. Because I know how I feel, and I didn't want them talking me out of it or using it against me like my dad would have.They aren’t your dad.

I look at Cade in the eye. “How do I trust them? What do I do?”

He shakes his head. “I can’t answer that. But maybe start with asking them to help when you feel out of control.” He shrugs. “Come on, we need to go to school soon, and you fucking stink and need a shower.”

I follow him out of the gym. “So does this mean you are going to start talking to me more?”

He snorts. “Fuck no.”

I sigh. Back to short answers so soon. “We'll see about that,” I say, giving him a huge smile when he glares back at me.

After I shower and get ready for school, I find Gray waiting in my room with a first aid kit.

I roll my eyes at him. “I'm fine, Gray.”

He shakes his head and grabs my hand and starts cleaning and bandaging up my knuckles. I haven't been wrapping my hands because I just don't care to. I welcome the pain. Sometimes I feel like I need it to breathe.

“I don’t know what Cade said to you, but you seem lighter. I’m glad,” he says so quietly that I almost don’t hear him. An emotion showing in his voice that I don’t understand.

After he is done, we head downstairs, and I go to Rage’s office so he can turn off my prison alarm. That's what I call the ankle monitor anyways. They make me wear it to school too because it can still track me but he can turn off the alarm part so I can leave without it triggering everyone’s phones.

We go out to Noah's truck where Cade is waiting for us. We all know how to ride motorcycles, but only Cade has one right now, so we just take Noah's truck all together to school since Noah can use his bike during the day.

When we get to school, we pull up to our assigned parking spot and see Lexington waiting to the side, looking ready to kill. Cade grunts as he pulls in, and Gray and I sigh. Lex came up to us a few times before winter break asking where the hell Harley was, but we have mostly avoided her. No need to even try to play nice when Harley isn't here.

I get out first with Cade and Gray right on my ass, probably to make sure I keep my cool. “What the fuck do you want, Lexington?”

“I want to know why when I went to Harley's house over winter break, her mom told me that Harley had to leave because of your little gang. Because I swear to god, Ryker, if you so much as—”

I cut her off, “First off, it's a club, not a gang. Secondly, we had nothing to do with Harley leaving. We'd never hurt her. Third, you went over there? Tell me everything they said. Right the fuck now.”

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