Page 38 of Healing Souls

I hear Ryker groan as he comes up behind me. “Are you trying to get me in trouble again? I already have a fucking ankle monitor on.”

I look over my shoulder and let a sly smile play on my face, trying to cover my panic. “That doesn’t seem like my problem. I’ll be right back.”

I take off at a jog across the yard towards Gabriel’s back door. I realize I don’t have any keys, so I guess I am just hoping it’s unlocked. To no surprise, luck is not on my side, and the door won’t budge. I sit down on the back porch and sigh.

Footsteps sound from my right, which is not the direction of the main club building. I whip my head up and see one of the other guys coming towards me. I can’t remember his name, but I have yet to hear him speak.

He sets a hard glare on me. “You’re not supposed to be out here.”

I shrug, feigning nonchalance. “I just needed something from Gabriel’s house.”

“Go back to the main house.”

I roll my eyes and stand up. Looking him over, I see the patch on the front of his leather jacket says ‘Stone’. It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue with him, but instead I just turn and head back to the clubhouse.

I’m so tired of people telling me what I can and cannot do. If this is what it’s always like, then staying here is most definitely not what I want.

When I get back to the club with Stone walking a few feet behind me, I head inside and make sure to slam the door in his face. Walking into the main room, I find Ryker and Grayson sitting on a couch with a man and woman across from them.

They all stand as I slowly approach. Ryker smirks at me, but I ignore his arrogant ass. The woman steps forward. She’s the same height as I am but has short black straight hair. Her face is shaped like a heart, and she is absolutely beautiful. She doesn’t look a day over twenty.

Tears well in her eyes as she takes a step towards me. The man with her places a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stop walking.

Still, she smiles softly at me. “Hi. I’m Presley. Most people call me Pres. This is my husband, Axe. I am so glad I get to meet you.” Her voice is gentle and angelic-sounding. She is… perfect.

Realizing I at least need to respond to her, I force a polite smile. “Hey.”

A door slamming down the hall on the left makes me jump slightly, but I try to hold it back. A second later, Colton and Stone come out into the main room.

Colton walks straight towards me but stops about three feet away. “You can’t leave like that, Harley.”

“Good morning to you, too, Colton.” I roll my eyes.

“Harley,” he almost growls.

“Sugar,” Presley starts. “Relax. This is new for all of us.” She turns back towards me. “Why did you leave the building when you knew not to, sweetie?”

I cross my arms and frown. “No one is going to tell me what I can and cannot do. I’m not your sweetie either.” I turn and walk out of the main room, back towards the stairs I know lead back to my room.

A hand on my shoulder stops me in the hallway, and I am turned and pushed against the wall by Ryker. Grayson stands a few feet off to the side of him.

I scowl. “What do you want? To tell me I’m a brat? Go ahead, asshole.”

Ryker grins at me. “Brat. But no. I was coming to tell you that those people in that room aren’t your enemy. Maybe that will take a while to get through to you, but don’t ruin relationships before you even have a chance to form them.”

I scoff and shove his arm off my shoulder. I realize that his touch doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t make me panic at all, which is odd, but I don’t want to think about that right now. Stepping around him, I move towards the stairs as Grayson steps in front of them. Holding in a very childish foot stomp, I raise a brow at him.

“Come with me? Please?” he asks.

Fuck. Why is he so fucking adorable?My brain doesn’t even let me think before I blurt out, “Okay.”

He smiles at me, and my shoulders drop. The building anger and anxiety fade slightly. Even as he holds out a hand, I can’t help but take it and feel myself calm at the touch of his skin. Our fingers interlace, and Grayson runs his thumb over the back of my hand. I’m not even sure that he realizes what he’s doing, but it sends tingles through my entire body.

We walk back to the main room, and I glance back at Ryker, who is walking behind us staring at our hands clasped together, looking like a kicked puppy. I probably should find it odd that I actually kind of like these guys.

They don’t set me on edge or make my skin feel like it’s burning when they touch me.

Very, very weird.

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