Page 68 of Freeing Souls

When we get to the basement door, I take a deep breath, and Noah leans in close to murmur, “You don’t have to go down. I can, but I think you would regret that.”

“I would. I have to do this. Just stay with me?”

“Always, little sister.” He winks at me as we head down the stairs into the basement that changed me forever. The last time Iwas here was healing and brought me a new sense of peace about this time in my life, so I hold onto that moment as we pour gas all over the room and bathroom.

Once we are done, Noah gestures for me to head up the stairs first as he pours more gas on the stairs behind us. At the top, he pulls out some matches and hands them to me.

Staring down at them, I take a breath before lighting one up. “I wish all my memories of this place could burn with this house,” I whisper and toss the match down, watching it immediately light the basement up.

We head back outside the house and stand in the middle of the driveway, waiting for the fire to spread.

“You know those memories won’t always haunt you,” Noah tells me, having heard what I said.

“No, just new ones now,” I snap.

“Don’t be a smartass, princess. I was trying to make you feel a little better.”

“What would make me feel better is throwing your ass in that fire if you don’t stop calling me princess.” I grin over at him.

“You’d miss me, admit it,princess.” He taunts.

Rolling my eyes I shake my head as smoke begins to billow out and some of the windows light up from the fire spreading. “Let’s go.”

As we pull back up to the club, we find Ryker, Cayden, Grayson, Nerds, and Colton all waiting outside for us.

“Now this brings back some memories,” Noah laughs as he parks and we get out, walking up to them together. Last time we came home, caught from having gone to torture Daniel, mydad was also waiting out here for us, and my heart fucking aches again.

Ryker is the first to move, gripping my wrist and pulling me inside with him. I can hear Cayden outside, hissing something at Noah, who in return chuckles.

“Ryker, where are we going?” I ask, trying to pull away from his grip on my wrist, but he shoots me a look that makes me go silent and just follow. He doesn’t seem angry with me–more so irritated and scared.

He leads us down the hallway towards the stairs to the basement, but he bypasses them and pulls me into the medical room. When we approach a chair by the counter Doc is standing by, Ryker growls, “Sit.”

I do, which is when I notice Grayson followed behind us. “After you and Rage were taken, Nerds and I immediately got trackers together. We shouldn’t have hesitated, but we did. So we got them put in everyone. Everyone has a phone tracker, something they wear everyday tracker, and one under the skin on their arm.”

“You're getting yours right now,” Ryker demands, crossing his arms, almost daring me to say no.

But I won’t. I agree it’s a good idea. “Okay,” I tell them, and Grayson hands Doc a tiny little square.

“Numbing?” Doc asks, holding up a small needle.

“No,” I say at the same time Ryker says, “Yes.”

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head at Doc and grab Ryker’s arm. “It’s okay.”

He narrows his eyes. “Come down to the gym when you're done,” he says before spinning away and leaving the room.

Grayson sighs while Doc just pretends he sees nothing as he gets to work placing the tracker.

After he finishes and puts a small bandage on the site, telling me how to care for it, Grayson and I leave the room. Before we go downstairs, Grayson stops me.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, he grips my hips. “It was hard when you were gone. We felt like we lost a piece of ourselves, and the more days that passed, the more helpless we felt. Nothing was your fault, and you have nothing to feel guilty about, but we all have things to work through now. One of those things is fear you are going to just disappear again. So please, just wake us up. Say something, anything. Please?” He pleads with me.

“Of course. I’m sorry about this morning. I needed out, and I wanted to do something about Tammy to help calm my nerves, and—”

“It’s alright.” He places a kiss on my nose. “Just talk to us. We have to do this all together.”

I nod and lean my head against his chest. “So will you save me from going down there where I am guessing they both are going to make me spar with them?” I whine.

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