Page 14 of Dark Endures

What kind of trouble are you in?

***

The number of meetings we need to have has gotten out of control. After this, I’m going to either sit down with a beer and watch a game or see if I can go a round or two in the ring with Taylor. Is he in town?

Taylor’s private security job keeps him hopping all over the world.

A trip far far away from here sounds amazing right about now. A ten-minute debate about the color changes in the barbershop is the last thing I want to be doing.

Maybe I could sneak away on the rescue mission…

“Fine, we’ll agree on baby pink and navy.” Fea jots the colors down.

“Are there any other—” I really want to say trivial. “—décor related issues we need to discuss?” Please say no.

Fea checks her list. “I think that’s it.”

“Then that concludes this part of the meeting. The next part is Deathadders only.” People file out, leaving just my brothers and me. “I need updates on our rat.”

Not one person speaks up.

“Nothing? You’ve gotten nothing?” That’s impossible. “Didn’t you go through their apartments?”

“Jacko and I tossed every one of them.” Canyon shakes his head. “Nothing. We found absolutely nothing. There’s got to be some other way they got to Marlie.”

We all want that. But there isn’t. “It’s time to check their devices.” I turn to Enzo.

He shakes his head. “This feels wrong. They aren’t prospects. These are our brothers.”

I know that. Even the idea of having to do this turns my stomach. “Our brotherhood works because we trust each other. Which means this needs to be fair across the board. All the brothers will show up for a meeting in my office tomorrow. No exceptions.”

“What do we say the meeting is for?” Jacko asks.

“A trust fall.”

“I ain’t doing a trust fall,” Canyon grumbles.

It’s not often that I need to push my rank in a brother’s face. Without hesitating, I get into Canyon’s face. “If I say you will do a trust fall, you will. I tell you to pull your gun and shoot someone, you will. Because I’m your president and brother. Be there tomorrow.”

Not that we’re doing an actual trust fall. That’s kind of stupid.

***

“Are you sure about this trust fall thing?” Ace walks in. “It sounds kind of stupid to me.”

That’s because it is kind of stupid. Not that I’m going to say that.

Pit walks in behind him. “Ace, you saved my life. Brie absolutely loved dinner last night. She said the baby has never been so happy.”

Ace smiles. “I’m glad. But hopefully, she doesn’t get a craving for it again. I almost vomited making it. Your wife’s cravings are disgusting.”

“I know.” Pit grins. “The baby brothers should be here soon.”

Pit does know how to irritate people.

Dyce strides in and my day gets harder.

“I’m not trust falling with a girl.” Enzo steps farther away from her.

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