“Tonight. Nine-thirty,” Ricko says in my ear as I sit at my desk in the shop. Jerry, the owner, said I needed one to make sure the right parts were ordered, even though he knows I give all the orders to the secretary and she enters them in the main office. As long as the job gets done, he’s happy.

It is nice to get away in my own space, though.

Ricko’s call comes at the perfect time. I can feel it building. The need for release. The need for escape. The drive that can push me over the edge if I’m not careful. I’ve felt pent-up since the call with Emery two days ago.

It doesn’t do anyone any good to play the woulda, coulda, shoulda game. That’s not in the cards. The present is all one can deal with, but that doesn’t stop the worry I have for her. I refuse to let her go down the wrong path like I did. Not that she’s to that point, but I’ve been texting her to make sure her head is still on straight. So far, she seems to be pulling herself together, but I may need to suck it up and make a trip to her school. Seeing her won’t change anything, but maybe it’ll help her in some way.

A throat clearing brings me back to the conversation on the line. “How much?”

“Seven K.”

Sure, the man is out to make money, but I need to make this shit worthwhile.

“Ricko,” I warn, not about to say more. He’ll pay. He always does.

“Fine. Ten K, but that’s all I’ve got for this one.”

It’s funny. That’s exactly what he says at every fight. I’m not stupid. I do my homework. The assholes who come to these fights have serious cash and bet it like it’s water. Knew one guy who walked out with thirty thousand, just on bets. High rollers with money to burn. Therefore, I know Ricko pulls in serious cash.

“I’ll be there.” I click the phone off, tossing it to the desk. At least tonight I’ll be able to let go of the build inside.

Take that, demons, I tell myself before pushing out of my chair and getting back to the shop where I can put my mind and my hands to work.

* * *

Like all the others after a fight, the drive home is quiet after dropping Ray off at his place. The guy tonight got in a few good shots, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I relish the pain. It’s a reminder I can still feel, that I’m still alive.

When I left the cage, he was passed out on the mat. With each punch I threw, a small bit of weight left my shoulders, but unfortunately, not enough. Even the fuck after didn’t release anything this time. If anything, the weight felt a bit heavier.

Darkness surrounds me as I pull into my place, seeing a figure sitting on the steps leading up to my apartment. They’re hunched over, a hoodie covering them, their arms wrapped around their knees. It appears like they are rocking back and forth.

Whoever it is, they are obviously here for me. No one should be here, especially not for me. No attachments.

I pull into my spot and park. With my gun at the ready, I exit the truck.

When the figure rises, I lift my gun, pointing it right at their head.

“Deke, thank God.”

I remember that voice.

“Austyn?”

She pulls the hood away from her face, and her dark hair falls, reminding me of Aunt Princess. Shit, she’s a spitting image of her—hair, body, and even some of her facial features. Even in the dark of night, she stands out like her mother.

“Hey, how’s it goin’?” she asks as if we haven’t seen each other in four years and this is just a causal meeting.

I lower the gun and holster it behind my back. The closer I get, the more I can see her face. I don’t fucking like what I see. The left side of her face has a huge bruise on it, and her eye is swollen.

“What the fuck happened?” I ask, getting closer and examining her face.

She takes a step back, no doubt realizing I’m not the kid I once was. My body is bulky yet lean. Not to mention I’ve been told by Ray that I look like I can break a man in half. I could.

“Upstairs, then you talk.” I point.

With a large exhalation of breath, she turns and moves up the stairs.

I move around and unlock the door. She steps in, and I flip on the switch as she looks around the place. In the light, I can see the many shades of purples and greens as the bruising is no doubt setting in. This is recent. I don’t like it even more.

“Nice place?” It comes out more of a question, but I don’t give a fuck what she thinks of the place. The only way she could’ve found out where I live is if Emery told her. No one else knows. Well, the club keeping tabs on me could be a possibility. With the way things were left between my father and I, however, I don’t think that’s the case.

“Cut the shit. What happened?” I toss my shit to the small table then turn to look at my cousin. She’s grown up a fucking lot. No doubt Aunt Princess and Uncle Cruz have their hands full, and that’s by looks alone. The fire in her eyes adds an entirely different dynamic that no doubt will go boom at some point.

“I just need a break from home. I talked to Emery; she told me to come here.”

“Austyn, I don’t do bullshit. Fuckin’ talk or leave.” Not that I’d truly let her leave with a busted face in a place she doesn’t know, but she doesn’t need to know that. In fact, when she gets her shit sorted and out of here, it’s best she not know the hold the family still has on my heart, my loyalty, and my mind.

Her eyes don’t meet mine as she speaks. It puts me on edge. “I got into a little bit of trouble.”

I step into Austyn’s space, and she takes a step back, bumping into the wall. Her breaths pick up, and a small bit of fear flashes in her eyes. Good.

Her eyes lower a bit. “Please step back,” she requests quietly, and after a moment, I do. “I left with this guy I met at party. He took me on a bit of a road trip.” She’s being vague, so I cross my arms over my chest and clear my throat. “Alright, we skipped town. I wasn’t planning on being gone long, but it’s been a couple of days. We got into a fight.” She lifts her hand up to her face. “And he kicked me out of the car.”

“And you just happened to get kicked out at my doorstep?”

“No.” She looks away. “I hitchhiked here.”

“You what!” My words are explosive. I want to beat some ever-loving sense into her brain. “You fucking hitchhiked? Have you lost your goddamned mind?”

She holds her hand up, trying to placate me, but that’s not happening. “I made it here, that’s all that matters.” Her voice cracks. There is more to this story. She’s avoiding my eyes. Austyn is shaken, but why?

Anger bubbles in my veins. Has she not learned anything from anyone?

“That’s not all that matters. Fucking hell, Austyn! So many things could’ve happened.”

She runs her fingers through her hair, pulling it at the roots. “You think I don’t know that? I couldn’t call Mom, Dad, Cooper, or Nox.”

“Why the fuck not!” I’m fully aware that I’m arguing with my twenty-year-old cousin, but I don’t give a fuck.

Austyn has support. She has family. It’s not that I’m not willing to pound the fucker in the ground for her, because I am. Why come to me when there is a clubhouse full of badass motherfuckers ready to pounce in the name of family?

“Look at my face, Deke!” She points to it. “If they find out about this, I’m fucking toast.”

“More like he’s toast,” I growl.

“No, Deke.” She moves into the space, making small passes. “Things are different now. So much different.” She shakes her head.

Things aren’t that different. Emery shares enough; I would know if Austyn had a reason to worry about going home.

“I’m sure they are, but they sure as shit are looking for your ass right now.”

“I texted Nox and told him I was fine, that I’d be home soon.”

“Give me your phone.”

She reaches in the back pocket of her jeans, pulling it out. “It’s dead.”

I don’t answer. Instead, I tear the sparkle infested cover off, then the back of the phone. Pulling out the battery, sure as shit, there’s a chip in it.

“Fuck,” I growl.

“What?”

“You can’t be this stupid, Austyn.”

Her hand goes to her hip, and in that moment, the look on her face is just like my aunt’s. Fuck, that’s freaky.

When no one would listen, when I couldn’t stop the rattling in my head, Aunt Princess was there. She didn’t force me to talk. I asked her to teach me to fight, to give me the escape, the control, and she did.

“I know there’s a tracking device on it. That’s why I let it run out before I got close to your place so they wouldn’t know where to find me. This is the last place they’d look.”

Fuck, that guts, but it’s no more than I should expect.

“I can’t let them see my face. All of them will go apeshit, and I’m already in deep with Mom and Dad.”

“You’re fucking twenty-years-old, Austyn; why haven’t you grown the fuck up?” I bark.

“Oh, I have in more fucking ways than one, so don’t you sit there and lecture me on that shit, Deacon! None of it’s your goddamned business!” She sucks in air. “Look, I just need a place to crash for a couple of days while my face heals, then I’ll go home and face the music.”

“And you think you’re staying here? With me?” I open my arms, gesturing at the tight space. “No, you’re going the fuck home.”

“Deke …”

“Not tonight. You sleep on the fucking floor, and I’ll figure out what to do with you tomorrow. Need to shower.” I turn.

“Why are you all busted up? Your face and knuckles look like you’ve been fighting,” she asks, studying me for the first time since she got here.

I don’t turn. “It’s what I do.” Then, rather than explain, I shower.

I knew that if I told her I was taking her ass home right now, she would bolt when I got in the shower. Therefore, I lied. Once I get this fight off me, I’m driving her ass back to Sumner. The damn place I never thought I’d go back to.

Fucking hell.

The water does nothing to tame the beast inside me. Going back is a really bad idea. It could do so much fucking damage, but I can’t let her stay here, and no way in hell am I calling Nox to come get her. They don’t know where I’ve been, and they don’t need to know. I’ll take her there, drop her off, then get the fuck out.

The problem is, when I get out of the bathroom, she’s passed out, asleep on my couch. And fuck, it looks like she hasn’t slept or eaten in days. I’ll let her sleep, feed her, then take her home.

Yes, I can give her the night, but tomorrow, she goes home, and so do I.