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Skylar and Lyric immediately nodded, completely missing how their uncle was tricking them into keeping quiet.

During my shower, I found myself thinking about kids. Back when I first joined the Marines, I assumed I would marry a nice girl and spend my life in the military. Since a wife would want kids, I’d let her decide how many.

Once I got hurt and left the military, I didn’t see much use in becoming a family man. I wasn’t bitter as much as reasonable. My life nearly ended, and I wasn’t looking to make the obvious choices anymore.

The longer I spent in Baton Rouge, the less I viewed a wife and kids as an option. I preferred the idea of taking off for weeks at a time and traveling somewhere new. Buying a house and adopting the dog had been stressful choices. I was committing myself to something that needed my regular attention.

After my shower, I dressed in boxers and a shirt before climbing into bed. The room was comfortably dark, and the quiet house increased my fatigue.

As much as I wanted to sleep, my mind flashed with memories from the last twenty-four hours. I kept replaying my choices. I also felt the burden of my secrets being out in the open.

Mostly, I was worried about Goldie. The only way I finally calmed myself was to picture myself back in the woods with her. There was a short period, after I found her and before I went looking for the assholes, when I held her against me. Goldie kept touching my face, unable to see in the dark and wanting to know my mood. For the first time since we met, she couldn’t censor herself.

With thoughts of her fingers against my jaw, I dozed off and dreamed of her one day touching me in the same way in Baton Rouge.

GOLDIE

Yesterday, I was a fully functioning adult fox. Today, I found myself moved around like a barely verbal child. People spoke to me, relocated me from place to place, and made all my choices. Sure, I nodded occasionally, but between the head injury, pain medication, and anesthesia, I didn’t really understand anything.

Before surgery, Yarrow and Nova wiped me down and even dry-washed my hair. The detectives took my clothes while Lula spoke to them.

After the surgery, sisters and Rawlins kids, Cher and Stevie Swanson, appeared in my recovery room. I heard them mention Cher’s ex-boyfriend and the LM Jokers’ president, Tricky Curren, but I couldn’t follow their words. I did enjoy their hugs. Green-haired Cher had clearly been crying. I sensed Tricky wasn’t doing well.

Next to visit me, Dalisay and Jaslene were bruised and limping. Jas had a broken wrist while Dali had whiplash and a broken toe. They came into the room with their brothers, Ben and Nine, and their parents, Glitch and Clove.

“You badass fox,” Clove whispered in my ear while giving me a tender hug. “We were so worried about you.”

“I didn’t know what happened to Jas and Dali,” I mumbled. “People said they were okay, but I needed to see it with my own eyes.”

Glitch leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “You did good, kiddo.”

I smiled at the six of them, feeling at home when surrounded by my Rawlins family. Yet, I wasn’t blind to how Clove had been recently crying. Glitch’s calm expression couldn’t hide the anger in his eyes. His sons didn’t even pretend to be relaxed.

“We’re heading back home,” Clove explained when Yarrow joined us.

Glitch added, “Little Memphis has gotten too wild for us small-town folk. We need to rally our troops and stay home for a while.”

My tears felt wrong, but I was out of it from the surgery. In my head, I felt like they were leaving forever.

Each member of the Tooker family hugged me and promised they’d see me soon. Tired and overwhelmed, Yarrow grabbed for Clove before she could leave.

“Will I ever see you again?” my mom asked.

Clove patiently explained, “We’re going back to the townhomes. You’ll see us when you get home.”

Despite Yarrow’s smile, she was as overwhelmed as I was. That’s why leaving the hospital was such a relief.

I soon learned how much of my world was about to change. I couldn’t walk on my fucked foot for months! I’d need people to help me get around. No more riding or driving. I would be like a child.

My foggy brain finally started clearing once I enjoyed a warm meal at the Sorority House. The familiar scents of the mansion centered me enough to stop feeling like a kid.

I heard details about the attack on the Sorority House. The front courtyard had been filled with the bodies of the LM Jokers members from Baton Rouge. The front gate was damaged when a truck crashed into it. Bullets had shattered windows and chipped the façade.

I learned more about Tricky’s injuries. The LM Jokers president had raced here after learning about the attack. He arrived to a blizzard of bullets. His status was touch and go.

“We have people coming out to fix the façade,” Sabrina explained as she brushed my brown hair into a ponytail to match hers. “We’re replacing the security gate as we speak.”

“Where’s York?” I asked while finishing a big bowl of potato soup.