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I left everything behind Every Thing My possessions My career My friends My past My present

My future

I’ve traded s for rain boots Shorts and tank tops for jackets and scarves Sunscreen for an umbrella

I’ve been calling bonny Scotland home for the last ninein a bubble within my sister’s domain where the criminal world known as The Fellowship didn’t exist I believed Bleu and Sin were a noro along with the precious baby girl they’d adopted They were a beautiful fa fairy tale in ht in a shining black luxury sedan She was his beautiful, badass princess who carried a Berettabut still needed saving

I envied the fuck out of them

And then the bubble burst

That was aled I know about the brotherhood’s world of organized cri clipped Burned Marbh I don’t knohat that word ry toneto a brother I haven’t asked but I’ tiet whacked

Fellowship 101 Lying Cheating Stealing Killing That’s just the shortlist I got the CliffsNotes version but it didn’t changewill ever separate me from my sister or those precious babies

Sin’s finally resigned to reed to let ht for the first time The babies’ consecration—their official dedication to the brotherhood where Bleu and Sin vow to raise the children in the way of The Fellowship

Oddly, I didn’t feel surrounded by liars, cheaters, thieves, and murderers when I was at the consecration cereht I felt the deep love The Fellowship has for Sin, Bleu, and their three babies Their affection radiated like a fire e, yet one lone, uncontained spark has the power to burn down everything within its path

My sister calls those dangerous people family

And I will as well Soon

The normal procedure for someone who isn’t born into The Fellowship, but wishes to beco to jointhat will send hied eyebrows

Barbaric

The case is different for a woh-as-a-ent sister Sin voluntarily stood in her place so she wouldn’t be hurt He was beaten to a bloody pulp so his people would accept the woman he loved as one of their own She was the first of her kind to be adopted into the brotherhood by this method And that’s what a man, a Fellowship brother, will have to do for me

Bleu says it’s an act of love in its purest form Sounds more like an act of stupidity But apparently, a necessary idiocy if I’m to stay

It isn’t right that so used loosely—should endure that kind of suffering so I can be with ist of what’s right anyway They aren’t exactly sitting around polishing their halos

I agree with one thing Bleu says: Noso barbaric unless he loves me madly Men are horny bastards, but I don’t know a one ould sign on for endurance just to get between s That means he will truly love me And no one in The Fellowship will ever question it

I haven’t been allowed to le with the brothers with the exception of Jamie, Leith, and Mitch Sin says I need to be properly introduced before that can happen He wants the brothers to know and underst

and exactly who I am and how he expects the brother I never had I like it; it’s sweet But I almost feel inclined to tell hie men even when they have no clue how to handle me Just call me the man whisperer

Thane and Isobel plan to throw some kind of bash at their house to introduceparty to hook me up with a bro But it can’t happen until this takeover thing with their eneood twointroduced into the fold and matched with the man ill take responsibility for me My future husband

All of this worry and uncertainty would be unnecessary if the beautifulme home froht in front of hi before hi so, so, so badly to give hi I have to offer

Jae The blind bastard just won’t see me But how can he when he rarely even looks my way? I’ht next to him And I’m invisible

I’ and it’s ti up but it’s killingisn’t part of my repertoire Normally

This is my life and there are no do-overs I can’t accept any s “I’m supposed to be introduced to the brothers soon I’ claimed”

Ja Zero response Unless his lack of reaction actually is a response?

“I’m curious What will happen after a brother declares me as his?”

“This is so you should discuss with your sister” Does he believe he’s going to evade my question so easily?

“Bleu isn’t a e about what a brother ant to do when he lays claim on a woman You are”

“I’ve never laid claim on a woman” And thank God for that

“True, but you will one day so you ht about what it’ll be like” The stick I’h I’ll have to stretch harder if I’ to poke him in the ass “Unless you like men instead”

“Of course I’ve thought about what it’ll be like With A Woman”

I battle the giggle in etaway A sle, and I atteh

“Do you think about it a lot? With a woman, I mean”

He hesitates before answering, and I want to cli around in there Could i around behind those striking amber eyes?

“Yes”

“Tell me about it—what you anticipate—so I can form my own expectation for when I’m claimed”

Jah I’m certain he heard me “Jamie?”

“Aye?”

“I want to know everything about the wo”

More hesitation Why is he so tight-lipped about this?

“She’s kind Intelligent Interesting We’d have a lot in common”

“Do you think you’ll love her?”

“Of course, I’ll love her”

“Is she beautiful?”

“Beauty is subjective, but yes To ”

Beauty is subjective Well, clearly in his eyes, I’m no beauty All I see when he looks at me is indifference

“Would she be e material?”