Page 14 of Hades

“I was talking to some of the guys, and they said we’d be preppin’ a safe house for you and Raven.”

“That’s not a question.” I stood in front of my bike with my arms at my side and watched, wondering why the fuck he seemed so nervous.

“Right,” he chuckled and rubbed the top of his head again. “I was wondering if you knew which one we needed to prep for you. I was hopin’ to be one of the prospects who got to help, you know?”

My brows shot up. “You want to be the one cleaning and stocking shelves, is that what you’re telling me?”

His cheeks flushed. “I mean I don’t want to do that shit work, but I’m trying to be like you, Hades. I want to prove myself and I want the patched guys to see that I’m valuable.”

My shoulders relaxed a little because I understood that more than he knew. I’d been just like him, eager to prove myself, willing to do anything just so they all knew I was someone the MC could count on. “We’re not going yet so I don’t know any details.”

He frowned. “Oh, I just thought.”

“Prospects don’t get that kind of info,” I told him. “You do what you’re told without asking questions until you get one of these.” I smacked the patch on my chest and stared him down, making sure he got the message.

“Right. Sorry.”

I waved him off. “Don’t be. Nothin’ wrong with being eager to help, just don’t be too eager. Got me?”

“Yeah,” he flashed a boyish grin. “Right. I just don’t wanna fuck up.”

“I understand.”

“Yeah. Okay. Good. Sorry to show up like this.”

“Next time, a text or call works just as well.” I didn’t wait for a response, just hopped on my bike and rode away, shaking off the unsettled feeling in my gut. I turned my thoughts to more delightful distractions. Like Raven.

She was nowhere to be found when I got to the clubhouse, but Falcon was there and within seconds he was in my face. “Talk to my sister, would you?”

I bit back a smile at how on edge he was. “Talk to her about what, exactly?”

He growled from deep in his gut. “Talk some fuckin’ sense into her, man. She’ll listen to you and she needs to listen to somebody before she gets herself killed.”

He was worried for his sister and I understood. Hell, I was worried too. “Diesel agreed,” I reminded him.

His jaw clenched tight. “I know that, man. You think I don’t know that shit? But she went through three years of hell, and I didn’t know shit about it until a few days ago. She didn’t tell me and I don’t even want to think about why.”

“Would you be rushing to tell people if that happened to you?” I hated fucking thinking about what she went through, but I got why she wasn’t advertising it to the whole fucking MC.

“Nah, I guess not.” His face was red with anger and his eyes burned with helplessness. “I’m all fucked up about this, and Viv keeps saying I need to calm down, or Raven will shut down completely, but how the fuck can I calm down when there’s an international trafficking organization after my baby sister?”

“You can because you have me watching out for her. Just be her brother while I worry about her safety. Yeah?”

He nodded. “Yeah, man. Okay. You’ll keep her safe?”

“Yeah, you know I will. Even if she’s kicking and screaming the whole damn time.”

He laughed. “Count on it. That girl was born kicking and screaming.” His smile faded as he stared off in the distance. “That’s why I’m so fucked up, Hades. She’s all sharp tongue, sarcasm and shit kicker boots, but still this happened to her. I just fucking… can’t.”

“Way to make it all about you, man.” I laughed when he shot me a pissed off glare.

“Asshole,” he swore under his breath.

“Two things can be true at the same time,” Raven’s voice sounded from behind us, an amused lilt to every syllable. “You can make my shit all about you while Hades can be an asshole.”

I turned with a frown. “Why am I an asshole?”

She shrugged, still smiling despite the dark circles under her eyes. “I haven’t figured that part out yet, but I know what you can do to make it up to me.”