Page 134 of Broken

“Nero knows what he’s doing.”

He’ll ask the questions on my behalf. “Where’s Caleb?” I mutter quietly.

“They took him too.”

“You should get out of here, in case someone called the cops.”

“They may come knocking here if they do.”

“I’ll deal with it.”

“You sure? Okay fine,” he relents at my expression. “I hope she’s okay. It could have been worse,” he adds with a concernedlook. Then he shakes his head and gives me a contemplative stare. “She’s good for you. We’ve all noticed. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Might be too late for that,” I grumble.

Phoenix leaves. I stand still a moment, trying to gather my shit. Calli will have a lot of questions. Ones I can’t hide from anymore. And I don’t want to. Not from her. I don’t know how she will react. Or if she’s going to tell me to get the hell away from her.

I wouldn’t blame her if she did. Fucking typical right? The first time I feel anything for a woman, and all the worst parts of me and my past might ruin everything.

Inside her room, Calli is sitting up with her knees drawn to her chest, and her arms wrapped around her legs. There is no way she didn’t hear Phoenix and I talking.

She doesn’t tell me to go away or yell at me to get out, so I step into her bedroom. A room I’ve spent nights with her wrapped around me. Where I’ve slept next to her.

It hits me like I’ve run into a brick wall. What I’ve been running from, or pretending isn’t happening. Hiding behind fucking her and convincing myself I only want to help her regain her equilibrium about her talent.

Am I so far gone I can’t see what’s in front of my face? It takes something like this for me to realize if I lose her, it’s going to fuck me up.

“What do I say if the police do come?”

“The truth.”

“That won’t hurt your friends?”

“They’re not my friends.”

“Right, they’re friends withGhost.”

Shit. I lean back against the dresser and hang my head for a moment.

“You don’t have to tell me anything.”

Yeah, that sounds a lot like I do, given the tone of her voice.

“I want to tell you, but I’m worried. You fainted.”

“I’m fine.” Her chin lifts. We both know she isn’t fine, but that determined look on her face says she wants answers before anything else.

“At least let me get you some painkillers.”

After a moment, she nods. I deal with that, bringing in her water and watch as she takes them. After setting the glass down she looks up at me again, waiting.

“It’s something I fell into when I got out of the army,” I start. “I didn’t have anyone when I got home. I took up the apprentice job at Blackhawk and kept to myself. I didn’t know Brick was in the MC. Getting caught up in that happened slowly, but I was mad. About a lot of things. And they gave me something I needed.”

“Family?” her voice startles me a little. I wasn’t expecting that question. Calli knows I’ve been on my own since Gwen died.

“Kind of.” I think of how to say the next words, if I’m telling her, I’m telling her it all, no holds barred. “They needed someone to do work that wouldn’t fall back on them. It was an outlet for me too. I’m not proud. One thing I never did was fully join up. I have a road name but I’m not a member.”

“I don’t know what any of that means,” she says.

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