I am left at home again, and the short phone call that I received from Faith has my nerves on edge. It’s not that I think she can’t take care of herself, she has showed me that she is very capable, I just want her home with me. Faith is my baby sister and my mothering instincts have kicked into high gear.

Tonight, after we made an appearance at the life celebration for Brains, we had returned home, and it wasn’t long before Brody received the phone call about the Tyler Demented Revengers MC having their clubhouse hit. My mind raced to each person that could’ve been hurt at the clubhouse. I knew that Shine and Katie were still at the clubhouse in Quitman when we had left, but he received a text and said he had to leave because he was worried about Katie getting overtired. Brody is the same way with me. I thought it was cute, the big biker worried about his woman overdoing it since she is carrying their first child. Lil and Cap were heading to their farm when we left. Things have been stressful the last few months and after everyone paid their respects and had a few drinks and told old stories, but I just think everyone is too tired and the stress in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. That’s an old saying my pop used many a times. Now I know why.

I wanted to go with Brody to Tyler, but he was showing his stubborn, protective side and made me stay safe in my bed with guards everywhere. Gladys and Charlie are even in one of the spare rooms. Brody didn’t even want me out of our home to go across the street to his mom and dad’s house, so he asked them to come here. I think he’s taking his over-protectiveness to a new level. I am concerned about the safety of our unborn child also, but I think this is too far. Then came the phone call from Faith.

I hated having to tell her about another attack on people who have become like family to us, but I want her home. I hope this doesn’t keep her from contacting me again. I miss my sister and she is still vague about why she left. I just know right now, I would do anything to have my eyes on Faith. We will sort out why she left a place that is protected, and she has backup at later. I know she has feelings for Con. I have caught her stealing glances at her when he isn’t looking, but I have seen the same thing from him. Con said or did something to hurt Faith but leaving family over some infatuation that isn’t meant to be is beyond my thinking but then again, I guess I have done the same thing. Faith and I are too much alike, stubborn, independent, and needing answers to questions that no one has been able to find. I don’t know what Faith thinks she can find out on her own, but I know it must be important to leave me behind after everything we’ve been through. I just want her safe again.

Con isn’t a man that I would ever pick for my sister. He’s far from innocent or even discreet about how he lives his life. Not that I think Con is a bad man, just that he has more life experiences than I hope my seventeen-year-old sister will ever want to have. Not just the open sex, because Con isn’t above sex in front of anyone in a room, but Faith has lived a sheltered life when it comes to relationships and men. The women in our community weren’t given a choice if they were chosen to become a wife. It was an agreement between the man who chooses her, his family, and the family of the woman. Most girls in our community were chosen by a man or his family before they hit puberty. It was more of a financial arrangement between families. They wanted daughters of founding members to marry sons or nephews of founding members and the other members it was a money thing. I wasn’t interested in becoming a wife. It’s not like the woman would be the only wife of the husband. The men could have many wives and they had many children by these different wives. The age of the man and the woman was of no concern to anyone if the woman was a virgin coming into the union. If not the price the woman brought to her family was diminished. That’s how I avoided the whole marriage thing. I wasn’t a virgin, and everyone was made aware of it, and I would never allow myself to be trained to the lifestyle. Pop said I was untrainable, so I could work like a man and I did. I worked and learned everything I could about the way the community operated. I planned on how to get myself and Faith out of that place one day, but my time ran out the day my pop traded me to the Hell Keeperz MC. I hated it and wish I hadn’t seen some of the things that I did, but I wouldn’t have met Brody if anything changed. It’s the exact sequence of events that had to happen to find the man that I love and who loves me. This is all aggravating the dull headache I had that’s turning into a full throbbing headache. So many things running through my head, I close my eyes just to try and ease my head, but I hear my phone ringing. I raise my head, but a pain goes through my head, and I feel a little dizzy. I slowly get out of my bed and go to the dresser where I left my phone and I see the number that Faith called from before. I grab the phone before Faith has a chance to hang up.

“Hello, Faith don’t hang up, please.” I hear breathing on the other end, but it’s a second before I hear Faith’s voice.

“Are you alright Charity? You sound out of breath. Is Brody there with you?” Faith lets out in one breath.

“I’m fine, Faith. I just have a headache and when I saw it was your number, I wanted to answer the phone before you hung up. Are you safe?” I am so afraid for my sister, and I just want her home. That’s my only goal is to get her home.

“Listen to me Charity, there was more going on with the community than we thought. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I have found out we have more family and I’m with them now. Someone is going to text you some directions to a farmhouse in Saltillo. Do you remember that small town from when we were on Interstate 30? There is a sex shop right off ramp 68, Cooper Dean is the one that owns it and I am with him and his family now. In the morning three people can come to their farmhouse and he will explain some things to us about Ma and Pop and the community, or I hope so anyway. Only three Charity. We need these answers so maybe we can help the Demented Revengers MC and we can get to know some of our family if we are family. Can Brody bring two others with him?” Faith tells me quickly. I want to go and find Faith now, but I know there is no way I can get out of here without being stopped by someone.

“Brody and I will be there tomorrow, early. Do you feel safe with these people for tonight?” I ask to put my own mind to rest.

“Yes, I feel safe, but no you’re not coming here. I have been circling this place and staying as far out of sight as I could, but I have still sighted members of the Hell Keeperz MC and the community. You stay where it’s safe and protect my niece or nephew. Send Brody with backup, and I will see you tomorrow night at the latest.” Just hearing Faith saying she will be home soon relaxes me a little. Faith takes a deep breath and then says something that sends chills up my back. “Charity, I kept out of sight, but I always felt eyes on me. It’s not paranoia, someone has been following me close and he’s playing with me like a cat and mouse game. Don’t leave the protection of your new home. He’s waiting for something, and I don’t know what that is. Please Charity, what if he’s waiting for us to be together again. I felt eyes on us when we were in the bunker and it hasn’t stopped even once. Tell Brody everything I have told you and someone is going to text you with directions to where to meet in the morning. Can you do that?” It dawns on me that Faith is the one protecting me now. I need to show her that I have confidence in her.

“I will tell Brody everything, but Faith, please, be careful. Love you sis.” I tell Faith.

“I love you too, Charity.” The phone call disconnects. I hang up and then there is a notification of a text. I look at the text and see it is the directions. I close it and send a text to Brody. I reach for my head. I feel an excruciating pain in my head and then everything fades to black.