We chat as we walk, and Lore is waiting for us when we get to the front door. I’m not sure what he did, but I can’t smell any smoke. He may have figured out how to keep his bad habit a secret for now.
Unlike me, he didn’t bother with the sweatshirt, but I want to make sure I’m warm enough for Marie to snuggle against. Lore is going to ride my ass to make sure we’re always together as well since their bond has a mind of its own. I don’t need her to fall off the bike.
“Let’s go, Ghost,” I snort, grabbing Marie’s jacket.
“Will you swing by Tiarnán’s shop once you’re done with everything?” Storm asks, leaning against the wall. “I don’t have to be there, and I’d rather have her find decent holsters. While he’s making them for her, I’ll ask Arsenal to bring her a few firearm options.”
“Yeah, send me the address. Is he expecting us?” I ask.
Storm always seems to know people in whatever city we’re in. It’s why he’s the one who scouts out what we need, whether it be online or in person. He simply is better at talking to people.
“He is. Someone recommended him to me, and he does good work,” he says simply.
“Alright then,” Lore says, refusing to ask who his source is.
“See you later,” Marie says with a small smile.
“You got everything, Sugar?” Ransom asks, brow raising.
“I have my stun gun and my actual gun,” she snorts. “Am I missing something, or do you just want a proper goodbye.”
“That last one sounds about right,” he smirks, edging me to the side as he pulls her into his arms.
“You’re going to fuck up her lipstick,” I remind him.
“It’s smudgeproof,” she replies before he kisses her hard enough to test it.
Ransom retreats after and checks her lips, grinning as he finds she’s right.
“Women are magical,” he says, making Marie preen for him.
“Marie is magical,” I agree, opening the front door. “Does anyone else need to say goodbye?”
“Bye, Kitty,” Storm chuckles, letting me escape with Lore and Marie as she giggles.
“Ridiculous,” I grumble, though I’m smiling as well.
Lore’s face is already covered with a dark balaclava, his amused eyes the only thing I can see as he walks down the stairs.
“You love it,” he says under his breath.
Lore is going to do the masked, mysterious, and alpha of few words thing today.
Settling on our bikes, I hand Marie her helmet when one of the kids calls out to me.
“Hey mister!” he says, stopping in front of me.
“Hey,” I say, keeping my face uncovered to talk to him.
“What happened to all the bikes from before? It was real loud that day, and my parents grumbled about it,” he says, rolling his eyes.
Marie leans her head against my back, and I can only imagine that she’s hiding a smile.
“Those are the guys from our club,” I explain. “They’re not often in town, though. Let your parents know we’re sorry about the noise. It’s hard to keep that many bikes quiet on a street like this.”
“I didn’t mind,” he shrugs. “Nothing exciting happens on this street.”
“Sometimes, that’s not a bad thing,” Marie says.
