Page 112 of Fallen Flame

The silence on the other end of the phone said more than words could have.

Lark was fully awake now. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “It was Wrecker.”

That was all it took.

The sleep disappeared from her face. “I’m coming.”

I started to tell her no, but stopped. If Wrecker was calling church before sunrise, there wasn’t a chance this was staying between the men.

“Get dressed.”

Lark didn’t question it.

She threw the blankets back and climbed out of bed while I grabbed yesterday’s jeans from the chair. Neither of us said much. There wasn’t anything to say. Wrecker had called church before sunrise and given me exactly two words.

That wasn’t normal.

I pulled on my jeans before grabbing a clean black T-shirt from the dresser and dragging it over my head. My cut hung over the back of the chair. I slipped it on automatically before tucking my wallet into my back pocket.

Behind me, Lark disappeared into the bathroom.

The faucet ran for a few seconds before shutting off.

When she stepped back out, she’d traded her oversized sleep shirt for jeans, boots, and a Fallen Lords hoodie. Her blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail that looked like she’d given up halfway through.

“You ready?” I asked.

She nodded.

The hallway outside our room was already alive.

Doors stood open all the way down the floor as brothers stepped into the hallway, tugging on cuts, running hands through messy hair, and trying to wake up enough to function.

Nobody joked.

Nobody complained.

Lark fell into step beside me as we headed downstairs.

The closer we got to the common room, the more voices drifted our way.

Church wasn’t happening in the church. There were too many people. The common area was already filling by the time we walked in.

Ever stood beside Jude with a steaming mug wrapped between both hands. Penny stood by Arlo. Scout and Eden shared one end of the couch while Thorn stood behind them with his arms crossed. Fox had already claimed a spot near the fireplace.

Alice stood beside Wrecker. Even she looked serious.

Lark drifted toward Ever while I found an open stretch of wall beside Arlo.

“What the hell’s going on?” he muttered.

I shook my head. “No clue.”

The room settled into an uneasy silence. Then the front door opened, and every head turned.

A guy around my age stepped inside wearing jeans, work boots, and a faded green hoodie. Sandy blond hair stuck out beneath a ball cap, and his eyes immediately swept across the room.