Page 210 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

“Exactly.”

Then they were gone, rushing toward the main house where Curtis was still getting ready with his fathers and Furi.

Steele stayed behind.

One by one, the men embraced him. God held Steele a second longer than usual, feeling the shift in him. Not bad, but different.

Sharper. More focused. Like a man who’d found new purpose.

God released him. “So, how’s the Ravens treating you?”

“Intensely,” Steele rumbled.

Day’s brows rose. “That sounds ominous.”

“It is,” Steele said, but there was something that sounded almost satisfying in his rough voice. “The Ravens program is doing a lot of good, man. The kind of good I’ve always wanted to do. The kind I was trained for in the Marines. The kind of ethics I worked with on your task force…just with less restrictions.”

“What they got you doing?” Ro asked.

“I’m heading up the Blacks’ shadow division.”

Micheals frowned. “Which means…”

Steele grinned wickedly. “Means if I told you, I’d have to kill ya.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Ro shoved him.

God studied him, before he gripped his shoulder. “As long as you’re good.”

Steele held his gaze. “I’m good.”

That was all God needed to hear.

If his brothers were all right, he was better than all right.

He wasn’t their leader anymore, but he’d always feel a sense of responsibility for their welfare. That habit would forever be too hard to break.

Meridian approached with the rest of his men, and God met him halfway. “Lieutenant.”

God gave him a dry look. “You came to a ranch wedding in a private helicopter.”

“It was quicker.”

“It was dramatic.”

Day came up beside God, gaze moving over Meridian and Ex. “So what’s the plan, boys? You gonna mingle, or should we warn the regular folk not to make direct eye contact?”

Meridian gave an indifferent shrug. “We know how to blend in.”

God turned and went back to the group with the Ravens trailing behind him.

Meridian already knew Fox, and Hart.

Hart shook Meridian’s hand in an extra firm grip, probably remembering the fight they’d had when Meridian had broken into his and Free’s home to steal some classified case information.

Meridan introduced his men to the large crowd that’d inched closer.

“I’m Meridian, this is my partner, Ex.”